# Hardwood ready for scrolling



## titchard (19 Nov 2011)

Does anybody know why it is so hard to find hardwood that is ready to be used on the scroll saw. By that i mean a decent variety of woods in different thicknesses,widths and planed. Hobbies do a selection of hardwood like this but they are limited to 0.8mm to 6mm in depth and 4 inches in width. I have been finding it so hard to find what i need that i am looking into buying the machines so i have the ability to do it myself. This is obviously quite expensive for what i actually make on the scroll saw just as a hobby but i find it quite limiting not being able to find it. All the sites online that i have found that do such a service are american so if anyone knows any good places i would love to know about them.


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## adidat (19 Nov 2011)

cant help with your wood dilemma. but that chess set looks excellent, any more pictures?

adidat


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## titchard (19 Nov 2011)

Unfortunately not yet. I have cut all the pieces out for 2 full sets which are waiting for a little sanding and a paint job before christmas. Ill put some pictures up when its finished which should be the middle of next month. Thanks


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## Chippygeoff (19 Nov 2011)

Hi Tichard. 

I had the same problem as you and if I had a planer/thicknesser it would not be a problem but I cannot have one because of the neighbours as they make one hell of a noise. This time last week i was pulling my hair out as I just could not locate a company that would supply me with planed timber. One of the things you may well use depending on what items you want to make is top grade birch ply which is readily available but if you are like me you want hardwoods. I located a company in Wiltshire who have their main base in Holland and they specialise in walnut as well as other hardwoods and they said they would ship my order over with their normal consignment but I am waiting for them to come back to me with a price. I have also found a local sawmill who said they would plane timber to my needs and they do all manner of hardwoods and I am meeting them on Monday so the situation is looking hopeful.

There are companies about who import hardwoods and also prepare timber to customers requirements like skirting boards, architraves etc. I must have sent out 20 e-mails and made as many phone calls and out of all of those I have one who will supply me so I have three possible sources of timber at the moment. I just cannot get my head round this problem of timber supply, you would have thought you could get everything you want locally and firms would only be to pleased to plane up some timber for us scrollers.

Geoff.


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## titchard (19 Nov 2011)

Thank you for your reply. 

I am glad to hear that it is not just me that is faced with this really annoying problem. I have tried alot of different companies and found that even the places that can do this service are not really intrested in doing the small quatities that i would like. I work all over the country and look places up whilst travelling around the UK and the problems are the same all over. I am sure if we went to an independant furniture company they might do it as a favour as a one off but i would just like to go online or in a shop that just sells small sheets in different thicknesses and a nice variety of hardwood. 

Maybe if i end up buying a planer/thicknesser i should offer my services to all the fellow scrollsawers of the uk. It must just be a lack of demand as to why people dont already supply this service but from all the forums i have been reading theres seems to be alot of people who need it just like us.

Rant over


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## Chippygeoff (19 Nov 2011)

Yes Tichard, it is a problem that many of us face. I know some of the lads on here do have their own planer. As you said, some companies wont like messing around with small quantities and I feel furniture makers will want an arm and a let to plane some timber. I got hold of a pile of teak planks today that were supposed to be planed but they were sawn but I know a guy who will plane them for me but his planer is on its way out. A belt sander would do the job but it depends on how accurate you want to be. Be interesting to here how others manage.


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## DaveyP (20 Nov 2011)

I've been kinda getting around the problem by resawing with a bandsaw, but of course am limited by the max size I can get into my bandsaw. (about 145mm)

PAR 3 meter lengths x 19mm thick (various widths 115 / 140 / 165 / 190mm)

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/SL-Hardwoods-L ... 34.c0.m322


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## RogerP (20 Nov 2011)

> I had the same problem as you and if I had a planer/thicknesser it would not be a problem but I cannot have one because of the neighbours as they make one hell of a noise.


A PT with an induction motor is not _that_ noisy - it's the brush motored ones that are so incredibly bad. The one I have (only fairly cheap job) does not send one running for ear protection and is the noise is certainly less intrusive than that of a router. None of my neighbours or my wife have ever complained. 

I only have a small hobby workshop but If you're passing by Gloucester any time I'd be happy to plane small quantities of timber (max. 260mm wide).


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## titchard (20 Nov 2011)

Hi DaveyP. 

I was going to buy a band saw to resaw with but have been advised that i would be better off getting a thicknesser planer to make my own stock and then i save up and buy a band saw aswel. I was told that when you resaw on a band saw that the cuts can be a little wavey so not as acurate as i would like. Is this true?


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## titchard (20 Nov 2011)

Hi RogerP

Unfortunately I live in Leeds but thanks for the offer. Can I ask what machine you have and what you like/dilike about it. I really cant make my mind up on what to buy i have been looking at the Sip 8x4 thicknesser planer but i dont know if 8" is going to be wide enough for me. The only problem is that im finding any larger machines seem to rocket it in price.


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## Chippygeoff (20 Nov 2011)

Hi Tichard.

I have got a bandsaw that I bought a couple of months ago, A jet one that cost almost £1000. It is a great tool that I use a lot but I would not use it to cut hardwoods for scroll saw work. It is very hard work sanding the saw marks off the timber, BOTH sides. It is easy to buy timber to most thicknesses for the scroll saw in a sawn state so a planer/ thicknesser would be your better bet. I cant help you with any advice on the sip planer. I was shown some timber a while back that had been cut on a band saw and I was impressed but then the guy had a machine that cost thousands and blades that took him ages to sharpen in a certain way but in my book I would not do that as I could not stand the hassle.


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## RogerP (20 Nov 2011)

titchard":3sz31y1l said:


> Hi RogerP
> 
> Unfortunately I live in Leeds but thanks for the offer. Can I ask what machine you have and what you like/dilike about it. I really cant make my mind up on what to buy i have been looking at the Sip 8x4 thicknesser planer but i dont know if 8" is going to be wide enough for me. The only problem is that im finding any larger machines seem to rocket it in price.


It's those small 8x4 machines that are so noisy. I have the next larger size, the SIP 01454 10x6 which has an induction motor.

Of course you could hand-plane.


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## titchard (20 Nov 2011)

Hmmm. 
I would actually rather use a hand plane than buy a machine i wont be happy with. I think i may have to save a little more and buy a better one. I know if i dont i will only be disapointed.


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## titchard (20 Nov 2011)

Just found this place
http://www.fac4.co.uk/page17.htm

looks good and it cost £45 a year and then £5 an hour to use.


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## geertswaans (20 Nov 2011)

how about exotic timber in tonbridge?


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## titchard (20 Nov 2011)

That one looks promising thank you.


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## titchard (22 Nov 2011)

Exoctic timber does look quite promising . Thanks


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## DaveyP (23 Nov 2011)

> I was told that when you resaw on a band saw that the cuts can be a little wavey so not as acurate as i would like. Is this true?



Well .. yes and no, lol

Yes to saw marks but only wavey if there's a problem

Using a resaw guide (either home made or one from a shop) and follow the line + practice (feed smoothly) and good blades from Ian will mean that only a bit of sanding will be required.

The resaw guide can be as simple as a bit of curved moulding attached with double sided tape, but apart from the practice and anything else ... I'd say that its the blade that's most important for success (sometimes don't even need to use a guide.. just the plain fence and slice as thin as ham from the butchers, not as thin as tesco's wafer thin ham though)

P.S The only downside of course is that your limited by the max height your bandsaw will take


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## titchard (24 Nov 2011)

I have just been to visit the workshop which i put in an earlier post and it looks really good so i will have access to a very large band saw table saw thicknessser etc. Im actually looking forward to making my own stock. The band saw was very large so i cant see myself having a problem resawing any hardwood of any size. now i just need to find a good supplier. I have noticed quite a few around leeds so i will be paying a few of them a visit and seeing whats what.

thanks for all the help


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## DaveyP (24 Nov 2011)

Now you have access to the tools ...lol

Don't forget that some nice lumps of wood can be found on ebay, and that 125mm hardwood decking can be sliced up. :wink:


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## Shannow46 (19 Dec 2011)

I Had the same problem in that planners are so expensive. I now by old furniture that gives a plentiful supply of good widths and depths. I just won a bid on ebay for an old oak side board for £5.50 they come up now and again. Tip make sure its not worth much before you sacrifice it to the saw. 

This method has given me a ready supply of decent wood with need of little prep. the draw widths range from 1/4" to 1/2". the backs are oak ply. The side top and draw fronts up to 3/4

Another tip is use Baycrazy. com you put your post code in and it give you all the stuff on sale local to you you select the distance you are willing to travel. Worth a try in the absence of an expensive Planer thicknesser. 

Regards S


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## Lumberman (22 Dec 2011)

I have been struggling for years trying to find varying thicknesses and widths of wood, even if you can get it planed it is expensive and inconvenient to have to keep going back and forth especially for pieces of small dimentions. The only answer is a planer/thicknesser although these can be expensive if noise is a problem I know the cheaper ones make quite a lot of noise, but what the hell as long as you are using the machine at a reasonable hour every one has a certain amount of freedom in their own home. I have just had a big birthday wife asked me what I wanted guess what my answer was .... a planer/thicknesser, I am now the proud owner of a Metabo 260 P/T, haven't had a lot of time to put it through it's trials properly yet, but so far I like it a lot. It is very quite for a medium sized planer.

Harry


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