Hi,

Try a few in pine, but if you want to have useful practice you need to be using hardwoods.

That is because pine compresses easily so is both forgiving and frustrating.

To keep the cost down you could try poplar? Not a true hardwood but much harder than pine.

Keep your chisels sharp and regularly sharpen. Keep your pencil / marking knife sharp, and get a dovetail angle jig.

Darren.