# Scrollsaw hardwood sheets



## Alexam

I have been trying to find a source of scrollsaw sheets for my son, who is fed up with only using ply. 

Are there UK suppliers of various size sheets for scrollsawing and can anyone give me a link please. Otherwise, alternative suggestions for obtaining supplies of various woods for this.

Alex


----------



## bodgerbaz

It depends what size and thickness you are after Alex.

You won't find hardwood 'sheets' because sheets are manufactured and hardwoods are naturally grown. You can have hardwood faced plywood otherwise it'll be a plank of some description. The width of hardwoods tend to be up to say 6" - 8" wide and approx 1" thick. But sizes can vary a lot and you may find something a bit wider and or thinner. Someone recently posted a link to a hardwood supplier but I can't remember which thread it was in.

Hobbies and others sell some short and really thin hardwoods but if you want, a non standard thickness you may need to start with a thicker size and run it through a thicknesser. The disadvantage of this method is that you need to own or have access to a thicknesser and all the shavings represent money down the drain . . . . unless you have a rabbit !!

Barry

EDIT: Found it through Google, have a look here http://www.britishhardwoods.co.uk/timber.html


----------



## Roughcut

SLEC offer a small selection of hardwood sheets.
However their sizes are limited: http://www.slecuk.com/catalogue/Wood.html


----------



## jonluv

Hi Alex,
The widest standard plank of hardwood I have ever bought is 225 mm (x 25mm) at about £15 per metre.I think most good Timber importers stock this as a norm .

Depending on what you are doing a good option is to buy softwoods and stain the wood as required.


John


----------



## Alexam

Thanks for the replies to this. All very helpful and will be working on it.

When the woodworking shows are on, such as the one in Somerset - 'Yandles', are there suppliers of thin wood there, or is this not usual?

Alex


----------



## jonluv

Hi Alex

I live in Somerset and occasionally visit Yandles and although they have a good selection of woods it is aimed at turners .
I did ask them if they would rip some planks from 40mm plus to 20mm and they said the couldn't ,did not understand this as they have their own saw mill a short walk from the store .

John


----------



## Alexam

jonluv":2ive5l0k said:


> Hi Alex
> 
> I live in Somerset and occasionally visit Yandles and although they have a good selection of woods it is aimed at turners .
> I did ask them if they would rip some planks from 40mm plus to 20mm and they said the couldn't ,did not understand this as they have their own saw mill a short walk from the store .
> 
> John




Thank's John, I appreciate your efforts.

Still looking at options and it may be that a thicknesser is the way to go. I have a bandsaw, but limited to 6" depth cut, so will be looking for something bigger.

I will need to limit the thicknesser to about £300 and am scouring the web sites to see whats available. Fox 10" or Triton 12" are within that, but there are probably more. I would consider second hand, but probably only off another member as the integrity of what's offered by memberrs would seem higher.

Any suggestions appreciated and will probably come down to Yandles on Friday.

Alex


----------



## bodgerbaz

I have tried re-sawing in the past with varying degrees of success and have ripped some 1" wood into 2 x 1/2" to save wasting money. I've tried running it through my table saw at max height with the guard removed (scary stuff :shock: ) then turned it through 180 deg for a second pass but it's NOT to be recommended (hammer) 

I've also ran some through my bandsaw but ended up with a very wavy cut and both pieces had to have several passes through the thicknesser.

What you really need is a bandsaw re-saw blade which is about 4" wide.

Note:
Sorry about the references to inches. I learnt feet and inches and metric at school then tried to use metric when I left but most of the plans I use are American who still use inches so I've gone back to inches. The other thing is perception. I can imagine what 3 feet or 1 mile looks like but 4 km? That could be from London to Brighton for all I know 8)


----------



## bodgerbaz

I went to Yandles a few days ago to get some of their A4 sized oak offcuts but couldn't find a single piece. They used to have them thrown in a bin and sell them for a £1 or £2 each and I thought with the Spring show coming up I'd grab some before they all go. No such luck, never mind. I did get some lengths of rustic oak, ash and tulip wood which will keep me going for some time.


----------



## marcros

bodgerbaz":gvruy3em said:


> I have tried re-sawing in the past with varying degrees of success and have ripped some 1" wood into 2 x 1/2" to save wasting money. I've tried running it through my table saw at max height with the guard removed (scary stuff :shock: ) then turned it through 180 deg for a second pass but it's NOT to be recommended (hammer)
> 
> I've also ran some through my bandsaw but ended up with a very wavy cut and both pieces had to have several passes through the thicknesser.
> 
> What you really need is a bandsaw re-saw blade which is about 4" wide.
> 
> Note:
> Sorry about the references to inches. I learnt feet and inches and metric at school then tried to use metric when I left but most of the plans I use are American who still use inches so I've gone back to inches. The other thing is perception. I can imagine what 3 feet or 1 mile looks like but 4 km? That could be from London to Brighton for all I know 8)



you would need a well set up bandsaw and a decent blade, but it is perfectly possible to resaw to the capacity of the bandsaw without having to resort to a resaw. 

The issue with cutting an inch board down the middle is that sometimes the timber will release tension, and you can end up with 2 not very flat boards. Storing this thin timber and keeping it flat is another issue, and probably why it is not easy to buy.

ChippyGeoff did a post about scroll saw material the other day- may be worth a look.


----------



## Alexam

I am pleased to say that my bandsaw will cut a 1/8" or 1/4" set at 6" and it comes out reasonably smooth, so that's not a problem. We have recently bought some wider planks of various hardwood and it would be nice to be able to cut them thin also, but the 6" bandsaw is limiting, hence the thought of upgrading.

Within the £300 range limit and 10" to 12" thichness, would there be any thicknessers to definatly avoid, or ones to definantly consider.?

Alex


----------



## marcros

you will need more than a thicknesser. you need to get the first side flat, so need a planer thicknesser (or separates). It will be the width that is 10-12". Dont worry too much about the thickness- you can deal with that using other means.

I have separates, so cant really help on the combined machine. You should be able to get something secondhand though.


----------



## RogerP

Alexam":31spa2vd said:


> ........
> Within the £300 range limit and 10" to 12" thichness, would there be any thicknessers to definatly avoid, or ones to definantly consider.?
> 
> Alex


 All the ones I seen are chiwanese and all very similar. Most (all?) of the sub £500 ones have brush motors and are extremely noisy. The better, much quieter induction motored ones are all £600 +.


----------



## jonluv

Just come back from local timber merchant 12 mm x 220 mm Douglas Fir and bit of Western Red Cedar for 75 p pm, very wet but will dry ok, also got some redwood 22mm x 170mm for £2 per metre.

The owner gave me some 200 mm x 12mm damaged planks free probably can use 70 percent --- there are some nice people


----------



## Alexam

NIce one Jon, must try the local sawmilkls.

Alex


----------



## Heinz Elbers

Hi, a rather late answer but I'm struggling with the same problem these days.

If your son is really after sheets than the best option would be veneered plywood sheets.

Here in the UK I use mainly Hobbies in Norfolk to get mahogany, walnut and oak panels, 10 cm wide and 6 mm thick and usually 45cm long. I just saw that they have now obeche and mahogany in 250 x 500 mm as well.

As other readers mentioned before, woodturning blanks can offer a great source of very differently coloured and grained woods.
Toolpost in Didcot, Oxfordshire has a great variety of domestic and exotic turning woods on their website and their shop in Didcot is worth a visit. Been their during an Open Day with woodturning demonstrations. 

And now it's time to get back to my scroll saw.


----------



## Lons

A visit to some local salerooms might be worth the effort Alex. Old furniture especially wardrobes cupboards and bookcases can yield thin panels. I've had oak and walnut from wardrobe doors sides and backs, sometimes can be a pipper to sand through the stain but worth considering.

EDIT:
Heinz has suggested veneered ply but veneered MDF is also readily available, I've had quite a lot of 6mm sheets.


----------



## Heinz Elbers

I try to avoid MDF for fret and scroll sawing to avoid wearing a dust mask all the time while working. 

It's worth visiting the US-based Ocooch Hardwoods website.
I contacted them after finding out that that they sell up to 8" wide and up to 1/2" thick hardwoods in a great variety. 
Admittedly, international shipping is not exactly cheap, but then it's in $, so not that bad. 
As I have so far no resawing facilities, it's time to save up for some 8" wide boards. 

And finally, with the help of Google translate a visit to the online shop from the German scroll sawing magazine Feinschnitt kreativ can also find some interesting offers.
It's somehow funny, that I have all their magazines and never attempted any of the bigger projects for a lack of wood and only now had a look at their shop where you can get woods like elm, walnut, cherry, pear and others at 450 x 450 x 10 mm boards and even some veneered plywood with walnut or bamboo for example.

Maybe I should start putting some of my veneers on plywood sheets and sell them to raise money for some hardwood.


----------



## Lons

That reminds me that not too long ago I noticed (possibly TK Max ?) selling table mats that were only around 8 - 10mm thick and maybe 200 square, bamboo strips but I've also seen olive serving boards at only around 12mm.
Might be worth a look for small projects as they were not expensive.

Just going back to my comment re old furniture, some of the panels I reclaimed were a good 300mm wide. Must get around to using them up.


----------



## aramco

so far no one has mentioned stiles and bates they have a very good range of woods, some local grown and some exotic and the service is exemplary, and they will talk to you on the phone, so you get what you want cannot praise them high enough, they do mostly cater for turners but will cater for all sorts of trades and hobbiests give them a try nothing to loose.

take care
John


----------



## AES

Another possible source is that from time to time, members here offer all sorts of interesting off cuts for sale - too small for furniture, etc, but ideal for us. Just keep an eye on the For sale column here.


----------

