Thread: Help! Timber for whittling? I have no idea...

What you need is a timber that has a straight fine grain and is relatively soft. Of those two grain is the more important attribute: you can work with hard if you're patient

Many suburban shrubs and trees are fine for this, however as wood dries it does tend to split. the solution to that is to dry the wood first prior to carving.

Any of the specialist wood retailers in Melbourne should be able to help you, however as a starting point just plain old pine is good so long as its got no knots.

Hi Michael and welcome to the forum. Further to John"s comment of opting for a soft, fine grain timber I would suggest a good starting point would be pittosporum, also known as cheese wood.
The timber is extremely fine grained, white in colour and soft, making it easy and predictable to carve or whittle. Quite similar to Holly.
If you would like some, I have any amount of it here and would be happy to post if required.

Hi Michael
What size bit of wood (roughly), do you imagine you might be interested in?.

Pittosporum undulatum - Sweet Pittosporum or native daphne is not cheese tree the cheese tree is Glochidion ferdinandi – Cheese Tree

Originally Posted by Wood Collector

Pittosporum undulatum - Sweet Pittosporum or native daphne is not cheese tree the cheese tree is Glochidion ferdinandi – Cheese Tree

Cheese wood isn't cheese tree.

Then we got White Cheesewood -1 word - which is most commonly Alstonia scholaris. aka Jelutong or Milky Pine. But mostly Jelutong is Dyera costulata: ​in reality Jelutong can be either /or and sometimes both in a pack of timber.

Theres a whole whack of Alstonia spp... they just about all get the cheese word in their common name somewhere.

Common names and trade names... maples that are mahoganies and mahoganies that are eucalypts... consumers that are rightly confused and salesmen that know nothing but give expert advice.... it's an impossible maze that will drive ya mad.

Originally Posted by Wood Collector

Pittosporum undulatum - Sweet Pittosporum or native daphne is not cheese tree the cheese tree is Glochidion ferdinandi – Cheese Tree

I didn't say it was cheese tree. It is just refered to as cheese wood in carving circles.

My apologies rustynail, I should have worded my post better. I am used to people having different names for some trees which at times may or may not be correct so when I saw the cheese wood I assumed you meant cheese tree.

@John.G, Thanks for the tips ! I've found that branches I've collected have been prone to splitting in the garage naturally... is there a way to avoid this or am I just picking the wrong type of wood? And the pine you mentioned, is that a Bunnings buy? And wow, that extra information you put up... I'm excited to learn, but overwhelmed at the same time haha.

@rustynail, wow that's an awesome tip! That's a very kind offer. Maybe once I've had a bit of practice and I can financially justify that postage, then I'd be very keen to follow that up with you!

@artful bodger, I'd say I'd look at starting to try to carve little animals/ toys and sculptures about a palm - a hand height. So I'm looking for blocks I suppose... is that what you meant?

Thanks for everyone's replies. I'm already really happy and appreciative to get help from all of you.

Just a little bump if anyone has any more info on this