“ I like cherry , walnut and maple . In my opinion , they are the best woods to work with because they ’ re stable .”
Dennis Whitlock
Dennis Whitlock holds one of his hand-crafted cheese serving boards . In photo left , one of Whitlock ’ s one-of-akind pieces made of wenga , purpleheart , cherry , maple , black momba , walnut and leopardwood . they are the best woods to work with because they ’ re stable ,” Whitlock said . “ They don ’ t bust and crack . They don ’ t bubble . They don ’ t fizz . They just lay there . I also like the purpleheart .”
Purpleheart is one of several exotic hardwoods that Whitlock picks up from a wood mill in Star . He also has located exotic wood distributors on the Gulf Coast and in the Mobile , Alabama , area . Prized for its striking deep purple color , purpleheart comes from the Peltogyne tree found mainly in Central and South America .
The beauty from their natural wood colors , coupled with their durability , is why he likes working with the exotic hardwoods . He also has worked with black limba , found mainly in tropical western Africa ; leopardwood , which has a conspicuous flecking that resembles the spots of a leopard and is found mainly in Central and South America ; wenge , found in Central Africa ; cerejeira , common to Brazil and Bolivia ; and paduak wood , which is common to central and west Africa .
Whitlock , who lives around the Clarkdale community , first began making the serving boards about a year ago . Working with wood is something he has been familiar with all of his life . His father and uncle were in the construction business when he was growing up , and he naturally fell into that line of work out of high school .
“ I worked in construction on houses until I was 53 years old ,” he said , before he went to work for Patrick Allen Companies for nearly 16 years , retiring as shop foreman in January 2023 .
Having worked his entire life , he quickly discovered he needed another hobby in addition to fishing to occupy his free time . “ Once I retired , I had to do something ,” he said . A friend of Whitlock ’ s had given him a few pieces of lumber a few years earlier because he mentioned wanting to make a cutting board for his wife , Vicki . He had stowed www . meridianstar . com
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