# Too much wood!



## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

Yes, you read that subject correctly. 

Many moons ago I bought 2 cube of cherry and started making a bedside table (which I've yet to finish). I didn't think that piece of wood was very big so the other day when I decided to bulk buy the wood I need to build all the shelves, cupboards, kitchen, bathrooms etc for our house. I settled on a cubic meter of oak from timports thinking it's only about 13 times the cherry I had bought previously.

It's just been delivered...

What on earth am I going to do with all this wood! I cleared a large space in the living room and it only took about half what was on the van, the rest I've had to stack in the workshop but I've now got to shuffle round it all the time so there is no hope of getting any work done in there.

First things first I need to know how to store it so that it doesn't get ruined. Presumably stickers (is that the correct spelling?) between each board. How far between stickers? Seeing as I'm probably going to need a 100+ stickers what's the cheapest and easiest way to get / produce them?

Finally, as to the board quality it's very variable. There are some that probably only have 100mm of usable wood but at the same time there are some very wide boards with a good 500mm. Some are very straight grained and clear others have some character. Most boards have one sawn edge none have two.


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## RogerS (25 Aug 2010)

spare wall? Use angle brackets...the type that slot into uprights.

stickers? Well, why not rip some of the edges square on the boards with a waney edge? Or those boards that have too much 'character'...slice bits off some of those.

Is the oak kiln dried? if so and you're storing it inside then I'd probably not bother to sticker it.


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## 9fingers (25 Aug 2010)

Once you have processed it to get rid of sapwood and waney edge then you might be able to get quite a lot of is stashed underneath beds in your house.

thats about 5 cu ft in a 2" gap under a double bed

Possible lots more if SWMBO will let you put a brick under each bed leg.

I visited Timports a week or so ago and bought some boards from them. Helpful guys and quite nice timber - not the best but then again very good prices so I was happy.

Bob


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## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

It's sold as kiln dried and it feels pretty dry to the touch but I have no way of actually measuring the moisture content (call me paranoid but when buying things cheaply off people I don't know I like to check). 

I think I'll try ripping a few of the edges off as you suggest - that should be a good way of trying out the straight edge cutting guide I've made for the circular saw as well.


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## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

I agree Bob, the guy I dealt with over the phone was very pleasant and helpful. He gave me a bit of a deal on delivery as I'm fairly close and I bought a couple of cubic meters of firewood at the same time.

Good idea regarding sticking it under the bed (we've only got one bed at the moment despite owning a 6 bed house). I knocked together a bed just after Christmas and gave it longer than ordinary legs so I reckon I could easily get 5 cube under there and probably quite a bit more, should make the bedroom smell nice


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## jimi43 (25 Aug 2010)

> I knocked together a bed just after Christmas and gave it longer than ordinary legs so I reckon I could easily get 5 cube under there.....



Clever guy!

   

Jim


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## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

I made the legs long because SWMBO was complaining that getting in and out of a low bed was becoming harder as the bump for our first born was getting bigger. She loves it and thinks I'm some sort of wood working god (sssh, don't tell her otherwise) so I think she will be quite happy with me slinging a load of planks under there.

It feels a bit like the great escape though only rather than dirt I've got to find places to hide 3m long planks :lol:


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## oakfield (25 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":1uw2g1ky said:


> (we've only got one bed at the moment despite owning a 6 bed house)



Forgive me if i'm jumping to conclusions, but surely you can't be short on space to store it! Don't you have 5 bedrooms without beds in them?!!


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## jimi43 (25 Aug 2010)

Just put them down your trouser legs when you go to bed and before she can ask...wiggle them and let the planks fall under the bed then sweep them in with your toes!!!

:mrgreen: 

Do this before she has a chance to use the "or are you just pleased to see me" joke!

Jim


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## 9fingers (25 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":1gfx3upa said:


> I agree Bob, the guy I dealt with over the phone was very pleasant and helpful. He gave me a bit of a deal on delivery as I'm fairly close and I bought a couple of cubic meters of firewood at the same time.
> 
> Good idea regarding sticking it under the bed (we've only got one bed at the moment despite owning a 6 bed house). I knocked together a bed just after Christmas and gave it longer than ordinary legs so I reckon I could easily get 5 cube under there and probably quite a bit more, should make the bedroom smell nice



Hmm! 1 bed in a six bed house erm that seems like 5 bedrooms for stacking wood :lol: :lol: 

My boards were about 13% according to my cheapo moisture meter. There seem to be two main guys involved - Oliver who I have only dealt with by email and another guy Arek who I would guess is eastern European from his name and accent who I met on the day of collection who seemed to know about the wood. Both great guys and I hope to use them again as I like to encourage new start-ups.

Bob


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## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

Yes, you would think that there were five empty bedrooms but in reality the place looks like a building site that's then been bombed and there's hardly any free space. We've got tons of "stuff" but essentially no furniture as the house we moved from had loads of built in storage. So, rather than being nicely stacked away on shelves and in cupboards the "stuff" is just on the floor in crates which, after they have been rummaged through for a year or more, have tended to spread out. I'll have to pull my finger out and have a really good tidy up so there is more space for wood storage.


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## Dibs-h (25 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":18ijyhse said:


> Yes, you would think that there were five empty bedrooms but in reality the place looks like a building site that's then been bombed and there's hardly any free space.



Just like my house. :lol:


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## 9fingers (25 Aug 2010)

OK got the picture

Take some of your boards and build temporary shelves using thermalite blocks as spacers. In that way you can store your wood, see what you have got and use the shelves to store your junk in the meantime and get easy kudos from SWMBO.

Then you can get to work on the nursery - maybe some oak furniture perhaps?

Bob


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## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

Now that's the sort of out of the box (or off the shelf at least) thinking I was looking for . 

B&Q here I come for some of their cheapest blocks...

P.S. The first job is a cupboard to support the sink in the bathroom but I've already had some great advice on that one.


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## big soft moose (25 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":36e6ri1z said:


> .
> 
> Seeing as I'm probably going to need a 100+ stickers what's the cheapest and easiest way to get / produce them?
> 
> .



ive got a busload of 1"x1" iroko offcuts (largely about 8ft lengths) which would only need cutting in half to make ideal stickers.

I cant do anything this side of the bank holiday but I could meet you somewhere with them tuesday - dont really want to go all the way to gloucester. (they are near oxford currently)


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## 9fingers (25 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":394bhyim said:


> B&Q here I come for some of their cheapest blocks...
> 
> .



I'd assumed that your bombsite/building site would have a supply of said blocks lying around. I suppose it depends f you are going to need them for later phases of the works.

Bob


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## wobblycogs (25 Aug 2010)

Cheers, that's very good of you Moose. 

I realize you said not over the weekend but are you going to be at Westonbirt as I was seriously considering going on Saturday? I can't really do Tuesday / Wednesday but I could probably come all the way to Oxford on Thursday or Friday.

I'll have a crack at cutting some of the sap wood off the edge of a few boards tonight as Roger suggested. If that goes well it might just be the simplest solution.

Bob, I've got a few blocks lying around but it's mostly bricks I've got spare - about half a pallet load sitting soaking wet on the patio.


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## big soft moose (25 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":1runp9ph said:


> Cheers, that's very good of you Moose.
> 
> I realize you said not over the weekend but are you going to be at Westonbirt as I was seriously considering going on Saturday? I can't really do Tuesday / Wednesday but I could probably come all the way to Oxford on Thursday or Friday.
> 
> ...



I might be at westonbirt but I cant say for sure - but eitherway i'm not going to be in the work vehicle or going to work first so that wont work.

If you want to pick up from us on thursday or friday that will be fine - our workshop is at eynsham so you basically go straight down the 40. if you want the iroko pm me an email addy and i'll send you a detailed map


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## 9fingers (25 Aug 2010)

If you have bricks then 3 course of two will give you about 200 mm spacing.
Lay them cross bonded like a wall pier - just as good.

Bob


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## Benchwayze (27 Aug 2010)

Wobbly...

I know I shouldn't laugh, but you just gave me the best ROTFLMAO I had in ages; very good for my soul. 

Thanks for that my friend. :lol: 

As to your problem, I see you had plenty of good advice, so there isn't much I can add, although if I was physically capable, I'd give you a hand stacking it like a shot.

I just hope you really want oak furniture throughout, because that seems to be the only way you will get rid of the stuff now, short of offering it for resale! 

Have fun making stuff and the best of luck. 

Regards from
a very happy, John! 
:lol:

PS.. 

After reading your other post about your bedrooms, I knew the feeling myself some years ago:
Have a look here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_no ... nd&x=0&y=0

I genuinely hope it helps.

John


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## wobblycogs (27 Aug 2010)

I'm glad I could provide a laugh  - after the initial shock I had a good laugh about it too. I've now got the wood all piled up neatly in the hall and living room and it doesn't look half as bad a problem (to me at least). I might try putting some of it in the cellar, I didn't really want to as it's not as dry as the house but I think needs must. Will wait for my back to recover a bit first though I think :lol:


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## 9fingers (27 Aug 2010)

wobblycogs":wdjtgusy said:


> I'm glad I could provide a laugh  - after the initial shock I had a good laugh about it too. I've now got the wood all piled up neatly in the hall and living room and it doesn't look half as bad a problem (to me at least). I might try putting some of it in the cellar, I didn't really want to as it's not as dry as the house but I think needs must. Will wait for my back to recover a bit first though I think :lol:



What did you think of the quality of their oak?

Bob


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## wobblycogs (27 Aug 2010)

Generally the wood is pretty good but there is a lot of variation between the best boards, which are excellent, and the worst boards which are only fair. 

If I'm going to do a short review I should first say that my order was for 1m3 ungraded waney edged boards 2.5m to 3m long and 27mm thick with Timports selecting the boards. Including VAT and shipping I paid £27.33 a cubic foot. Delivery was by courier and could have been arranged for the day after ordering but Oliver was happy to put that back a couple of days for me.

A total of 42 boards were delivered: 38 @ 3m, 4 @ 2.5m. Board thickness is good, I've only found 2 that are under 27mm and half a dozen or so that are over 30mm.

Board quality is quite mixed as you would expect but generally the wood is straight grained with few defects. There are a couple of boards that I've already earmarked for something special because they are particularly wide at 500mm or more and have a nice grain pattern. Likewise there are a couple of boards that I'll probably only be able to get 150mm of useful width out of (there is one board that is fantastic apart from a dirty great knot hole right in the middle - oh well). The wood seems to have been dried and cared for well as there is very little in the way of end splits and the boards are pretty flat. Interestingly, I'd say about 10 of the boards come from a single tree so colour matching should be good on those.

If I had a single gripe it would be that 3 or 4 of the boards have a section with iron staining on them. In fact one of the boards actually appears to have an ancient nail embedded in it which the guy at the mill has circled. I find this a bit irritating because there is nothing I can do but cut those sections out - at least with knots I can choose to give the piece some character.

Over all I'm a happy customer I think I got some good wood for the price I paid and I can't wait to get making things...


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## 9fingers (27 Aug 2010)

Thanks For the review.

I bought 3 wide boards about 2.7m long a around 400mm wide and like yours 27-30+mm thick.
They selected these at my request for QS so these came out of the middle of the tree and I was happy with the figuring.
They cost me £100 collected - cash - An invoice is meant to be on its way in the post - so that will be inc Vat. I reckon I got 3 cu ft for my £100 and QS figured compared to other sources that wanted up to £70/cube plus VAT.
So quite good value and no complaints on that score.

On the downside there were iron stains in a few places but these have responded well to oxalic acid treatment as I have posted elsewhere on this forum and TWH

There was no evidence of the ends of the boards having been sealed and there are quite a few splits but only a few inches showing (so far)
I needed to re-saw a couple of pieces to make drawer sides/backs but once cut these sprung badly and even planed down to 10mm are unusable. This could be bad luck or evidence of being kilned too quickly.

Although the boards were wide, they had a bit of wind and for my 700 x 1200 table top I ended up ripping, thicknessing and joining 6 boards but this enabled me to pick the best figuring and I have a nice flat (so far) 22mm thick top

Overall, I would say it is medium quality wood at a pretty good price and I can't grumble at that.

To put the price into perspective, on the same day I purchased 3 cube of 2" AWO that cost over £162. I have not processed any of this yet but it does look top quality.

Bob


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## wobblycogs (27 Aug 2010)

Thanks of the tip about oxalic acid I didn't know about that. I'm going to need to re-saw a few boards for door panels etc so It'll be interesting to see how that goes. I don't currently have a bandsaw though so that will have to wait.


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## 9fingers (27 Aug 2010)

You might be OK with slightly warped panels for your doors as there will be a much thicker frame all round to hold it flat.

I am a recent convert to oxalic acid treatment see https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/oxal ... 43878.html

Bob


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## wobblycogs (27 Aug 2010)

Thanks for all the help with my little (or should that be big) wood problem and especially to BSM for offering me some iroko offcuts. Out of the blue though I've just had a call from Oliver at Timports who has very kindly offered to send a bunch of stickers along with my firewood order next week - now that's what I call service.

Anyway, I couldn't concentrate on work so I decided to try out my new DIY track saw and whipped this bit of board out. The lines running the length of the board are from my planner which currently has really blunt and chipped blades.







Bob, I've had a read of your other thread about oxalic acid treatment. I'd be very careful dissolving oxalic acid in boiling water and certainly do it outside. I once burnt inside of my nose quite badly when I got a whiff of hot hydrochloric acid and trust me you don't want that . As a general rule with chemistry neither temperature nor concentration will affect the outcome* but they will affect now long it takes to complete the reaction. e.g. if you want it to go faster make it hotter or add more reagent or both.

* it's a lot more complex than this but this a good enough approximation for this situation.


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## JonnyD (27 Aug 2010)

You can never have too much wood  For stickers i generally rip up 18mm birch ply or mdf offcuts into 30mm strips and use them.

cheers

jon


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## aesmith (30 Aug 2010)

Any reason not to use Sterling board strips as stickers?


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## 9fingers (30 Aug 2010)

I have read somewhere that certain woods should not be mixed as some staining can occur. I would assume that using similar woods should not cause a problem.

However something as 'inert' as sterling board with a high proportion of glue & resins in it would not cause a problem.

I've used 18mm shuttering ply as stickers with oak and walnut and not seem a problem.

Might be worth experimenting? sort of 'stick it and see' 
:lol: 

OK hat, coat etc byeee

Bob


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