Buying wood

[Anonymous]

Avoiding the local DIY stores, I wish to buy small quantities of various hardwoods for making toys and puzzles.

There are several suppliers listed in various woodwork mags, which advertise sawn/PAR boards of varying thicknesses and widths.

There are also local sawmills to me (W. Sussex).

From anyones experience, how small amount do these places sell.? I don't wish for several cubic feet, just some small boards e.g. 8" *1" * 2'.

Anyone recommend any suppliers who will ship within the UK?

 

[sawdustalley]

What you want is to goto the local sawmill, and ask for OFFCUTS small bits and bobs of all types of wood they will have piled up somewhere.

It will be cheap and maybe even (if you're lucky) free, so you can use alot of different types of wood. I'm sure they'd be more than happy for you to take some of it off their hands.

Perfect for what you want.

 

[Charley]

I also live in West Sussex and buy my hardwood from Wenban Smith in Worthing.

They have an offcut section in their main building and most days when I go its filled with hardwood the prices are cheap too and if you get the right person on the till they give it away

Their Address is:
14 Newland Road
Worthing BN11 1JT
Tel: 01903 230311

 

[Anonymous]

One way that I have found is to find a local firm of cabinet makers, or shop fitters, or similar, as they are often more than willing to part with offcuts that are large enough to use on smaller projects.

 

[Anonymous]

I also live in West Sussex and buy my hardwood from Wenban Smith in Worthing.

I've been recommended to visit Wenban Smith before. If only I can find the time on a Saturday morning......bit difficult when the head of the household is only 9 weeks old!!

Is it just a case of taking what you find there, or will they cut off a short length of any long boards??

 

[Anonymous]

Following James's suggestion, I visited http://www.wlwest.co.uk (near Petworth, West Sussex) at the weekend and I obtained this lot:

It was in a big box labelled as 'Firewood'. Being a bit of a novice, I have no idea what species all the bits are, but I am assured that it is all kiln dried hardwood offcuts from the sawmill. The box it topped up nearly every day, so if I run out, there should be more!

There are no large lengths there, but my projects plans are for toys, puzzles and decorative items (no furniture), so it's all good stuff for me.

It filled the back of my Rover 214.

I did part with money for it.

Any guesses how much?

 

[Charley]

I wouldn't like to guess how much you paid for that lot but as their offcuts (and were labelled firewood) I bet you got them for next to nothing

How much did you pay :?:

Petworth isn't far away from me in Worthing so I might visit wlwest and see what they offer 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Paid a whole £5 for that lot.

If you fill up a pick-up or trailer, they ask for £15.

It makes each bit only a few pence, so the cost of practising woodworking skills doesn't cost a fortune!! (I may even produce something worthwhile)

They are easy to find.

Head out of Petworth towards Midhurst on the A272. At Halfway Bridge, Selham is signposted left, opposite a pub. Just a couple of 100 yards down there on the right.

They have a Small user and enthusiast 'shop' but it was closed when I got there.

You might want to wait until we have had a couple of dry days, as the offcut box is kept outside. (Got my lot drying of in front of a fan!)

You can't really complain at what you find there for the price.

 

[Charley]

£5 ??? Can't be bad :lol:

Thanks for the tip and directions, I'll try and go next week...

 

[sawdustalley]

WOW - FIVE QUID

If only I had a 'Local sawmill' Maybe it's worth a trip someday. Just buy as much as I can.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, it's a massive 22 miles from Guildford.

The route is http://www.multimap.com/map/aproute...99830,149584;493236,121827&rn=GB&rt=route.htm

(I hope that link works!! )

If you can get onto the A272 between Petworth and Midhurst, then follow the rest of the directions I gave to Charley.

 

[dennyk]

Anyone know of any sawmills in the Merseyside area?

 

[aldel]

Practically all of my timber is free!
Of course they are smallish bits, plank ends etc. but are a mixture of hard and softwoods. I do bag up myself and donate a fiver or so when there are some especially choice bits.
As a bonus the softwood will generally be of joinery quality rather than the DIY shed rubbish.
The secret? Find a local joinery workshop!
The fact is that these shops have to pay a considerable sum for disposal of scrap so that they are only too pleased to have it taken away. To keep the owners sweet always take some MDF and useless bits away too as no-one wants it. You will occasionally find that small pieces can come in handy for jigs etc.
One day, a large shopfitting company dropped off a large lorry load of recovered maple for free!!

Regards, Aldel

 

[JFC]

I put a post up a little while ago asking if anyone near the Twickenham area can use small offcuts as i get loads of them normally 300mm or smaller . The offer is still open