One of the most important considerations when lathing a bowl is the type of wood you use. Different woods have different properties that can affect how easy or difficult they are to work with, and what kind of finish you can achieve. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a wood for your next bowl-turning project:
Hardness: The harder the wood, the more difficult it will be to turn and shape. If you're just starting out, it's best to choose a softer wood like pine or cedar. As you become more experienced, you can move on to harder woods like oak or maple.
Grain: The grain of the wood also affects how easy it is to work with. Wood with a tight grain (such as cherry) is easier to turn than wood with a wide grain (such as walnut).
Weight: Heavier woods are more difficult to turn than lighter woods. So if you're looking for an easy-to-work-with wood, choose something on the lighter side like balsa or basswood.