Making some plaques for friends. Usually do that out of Maple, since it carves nicely and is tight grained enough to not “fuzz”. However, maple where I live is much more expensive. Do you know of a lower cost wood that fits well with CNC router machining? I’ve tried poplar, but it tends to fuzz up and requires a LOT of sanding. I’d be quite interested in your experience.
I use the harder woods. Maple, Cherry, Walnut, Iron wood, Ebony, Padouk, Yellow heart. The only time I see fuzzies is when I use a flat end or v bit. The tapered ball nose bits do a much better job at reducing the fuzzies, that and a really small step size. Another option is to stabilize the wood. Stabilized wood provides depth that is not available with other materials.
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Just find whatever hardwood is available in your area that is affordable, and be sure to go to a hardwood dealer and not a big box store. For me, on the west coast in California, cherry is cheaper than maple. Poplar is still a soft wood.
Has your hardwood gone up like crazy this last year? Here in Arizona there is little thats under $10/bdft. Its getting to be that the wood is worse than buying new tools.
Not too much…S2S cherry was $4.27 a bf a few weeks ago. It’s usually around $5 or under. Walnut is $8-$10’ish.
Those are great prices.
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If you haven’t already, try Timber Hardwoods in Mesa. I generally have better luck there over Woodworkers Source.
One trick is to make a commercial account with the hardwood dealer! It can help give you better rates.
Ya, Timber is my main place. However, Walnut was $14, Sapele is now $12, I think maple/cherrry were $8-9.
Woodworker’s source is only for when you are desperate for something quick 
If I need a lot, I actually go to Spellman’s in Phoenix. Its a long drive, but they have much better prices (thats where Timber gets a lot of their wood), and its all a lot “fresher” so flat and straight.
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