Buying wood

[Stooby]

Does anyone have recommendations of the best websites to buy wood from? I would like to try different wood types for scroll saw and then want to make a pine display case for my wife's jewellery, sort of like a shadow box. Hobbies sells the boards at the right size but other suppliers may have a wider range. Also I could do with pine board or ply for the backing.
Also does anyone know of and local suppliers in the Peterborough area?

 

[markblue777]

Hi Stooby,
I have not got anything from these yet but they do different packs.
http://www.britishhardwoods.co.uk/timber/timber-hobby-packs.html

Looks fairly interesting and when my back log is complete I will probably order a few bits from them myself.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Stooby]

If I am looking for local suppliers what should I search for? Timber merchants tends to mainly bring up building suppliers. Are they likely to carry the right type and quality of wood? My problem is that at 37 years of age I have only just discovered woodworking and am feeling a little bewildered by things.

 

[Roughcut]

A search on this forum show's this supplier (Mac Timbers) in Oundle, Peterborough plus a few others:
where-do-people-get-their-timber-from-t68202.html

 

[Roughcut]

For softwood (pine) I would recommend staying away from the DIY store chains if possible and use a local wood yard or even a decent builders merchants. Ask them for timber commonly referred to as Redwood.
Visually check the timber first before buying as some will try to flog you anything. Some small defects are to be expected.
Try to avoid timber with too many knots, twists, shakes, blue staining and cupping as it won't be much use to you.

 

[jonluv]

Hi Stooby
I live in the wilds of Somerset and don't have a great local selection of Timber Merchants (Yandles are a long way off)

I made friends with a local Joinery Company by taking some of their off cuts and making a few pieces for some of the staff including the owner, the result is that I can ask him to buy wood of any type on his account and pay him cash.

This enables me to get prices I couldn't get from the Importers who would not deal or deliver to someone such as I

I started the process by cutting a desk top sign of the Company name and gave it to the MD as a thank you for the free off cuts,later on I cut some words for other Staff

When I order my Pyrography Birch Ply in 8 x4's the lads cut it into manageable pieces

I was very nervous of asking such a favour but it all has worked out well and the staff are really interested in any form of wood working

It is worth visits Joiners as they sometimes pay for someone to take their wastage/off cuts


John

 

[Stooby]

Thanks for the help everyone. The postcode finder on the home page tells me there are no wood suppliers within 50 km of Peterborough, is it working?
I looked at the website of the firm at Oundle, they look promising so I've sent them a message asking about their opening times. Little worried that they have a message that they are appealing an enforcement notice. Any idea what that may be for?
Roughcut what would you search for for local wood yards, Google and yellow pages keep defeating me.
Jonluv same question, do I just look up joiners to find local ones?
Sorry all, I am feeling particularly daft having to ask all these no doubt very basic questions. I am starting to realise I took easily to the scroll saw killing me into a false sense of security about my lack of knowledge about woodworking!

 

[Roughcut]

Thanks for the help everyone. The postcode finder on the home page tells me there are no wood suppliers within 50 km of Peterborough, is it working?
I looked at the website of the firm at Oundle, they look promising so I've sent them a message asking about their opening times. Little worried that they have a message that they are appealing an enforcement notice. Any idea what that may be for?
Roughcut what would you search for for local wood yards, Google and yellow pages keep defeating me.
Jonluv same question, do I just look up joiners to find local ones?
Sorry all, I am feeling particularly daft having to ask all these no doubt very basic questions. I am starting to realise I took easily to the scroll saw killing me into a false sense of security about my lack of knowledge about woodworking!

There is a Ridgeons and a Travis Perkins in Peterborough which will supply softwood (Redwood) and Plywood if you cannot find an alternative local source.
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=timber+merc ... terborough

For Birch Plywood in various sizes I have recently ordered from SLEC who offer a delivery service.
The quality is good and I received the delivery within a couple of days.
I ordered 3mm and 6mm plywood in 300x300mm sizes which I find convenient to store and use, and ideal for scroll sawing:
http://www.slecuk.com/catalogue/Wood.html

 

[Stooby]

I haven't cut anything that thin Rughcut, what are you hoping to make from it?

 

[Roughcut]

I am currently attempting to make a model fighter plane where a lot of the parts are 6mm Birch Ply, and I have some other projects in mind.
The 3mm will be used when I attempt some portrait work, which will be a first.
If it turns out ok I will post pictures on the forum.......
Will be a while yet though I reckon.

 

[jonluv]

Hi Stooby

I used Yellow Pages and the internet to find Joiners within 3 miles from my house and found 5.

The first one I called on was a 2 man Company with one of the chaps having a woodburner and taking the off cuts home , however he gave me a bag of hardwood bits and said call in when passing.

The second company was much bigger and showed me their bins and told me to call daily if I wanted and I loaded the car with all sorts including a load of 18mm Oak and Mahogany

Since then I have had as much MDF(6mm to 35 mm) and Ply ( 6mm to 25mm sometimes to 40mm) as I can use plus about 15lbs of Garnet Paper250 grit. loads of Pine ,Fir etc

I have not yet been to the other Companies but will get round to it sometime.

If I were to do it again I would take a couple of pieces of work with me on the first visit just to show them what I do

I feel that with them being professional wood workers they are happy to help the hobbiest and don't forget they have to pay to get their waste collected

John

 

[sneggysteve]

Hi Stooby,
I have not got anything from these yet but they do different packs.
http://www.britishhardwoods.co.uk/timber/timber-hobby-packs.html

Looks fairly interesting and when my back log is complete I will probably order a few bits from them myself.
Cheers
Mark

I used this company recently to buy some oak for a fire surround project and found them very helpful.

Steve

 

[NickWelford]

Thanks for the help everyone. The postcode finder on the home page tells me there are no wood suppliers within 50 km of Peterborough, is it working?
I looked at the website of the firm at Oundle, they look promising so I've sent them a message asking about their opening times. Little worried that they have a message that they are appealing an enforcement notice. Any idea what that may be for?
Roughcut what would you search for for local wood yards, Google and yellow pages keep defeating me.
Jonluv same question, do I just look up joiners to find local ones?
Sorry all, I am feeling particularly daft having to ask all these no doubt very basic questions. I am starting to realise I took easily to the scroll saw killing me into a false sense of security about my lack of knowledge about woodworking!

There are three specialist wood suppliers close-ish to Peterborough. MAC Timbers is good, but not open to the public generally. Mike will entertain you any time if you call him though. They have an open day four times a year when much timber is sold, and there are demonstrators, etc. Well worth going to. Next one is 6th April. The enforcement notice is a planning dispute and will possibly cause problems down the line, bl**dy jobsworths!!
There's another in Geddington, and one in Burghley park (bit pricey). I'm just outside of Stamford. Have a scrollsaw but don't generally do much, although I have a commission to make a full alphabet in different fonts, all about 6 to 8 inches high for a new baby's room.

 

[Stooby]

Thanks Nick, I have been in touch with Mike and will head over for their open day on April 6 th. Do you know the names of the 2nd and 3rd you mention?

 

[NickWelford]

http://www.lincolnshirewoodcraft.co.uk/contact.html. In burghley park.
http://www.english-hardwoods.com in geddington. Might see you at mike's on 6th.

 

[Stooby]

Thanks Nick, I had seen the Lincolnshire one but as they were only listing thicker wood I wrote and asked if they did anything thinner for scroll saw as the only saw tool I have is my scroll saw so chance to thin down. I haven't heard back from them yet.