Exotic Timbers

[Lowlife]

Hi, my first post and I'm hoping someone can help me find a supplier of exotic timber offcuts.

I have a quantity of Teak and Mahogany offcuts from my latest boatbuilding project, I want to use some of it up by making heirloom boxes as presents for family and friends, the timber I have will be great for the basic box construction but I'd like to get hold of some more exotic timbers to dress them up a bit.

Ideally I would like to buy a mixed bag of different species, but all I can find are pieces suitable for bowls and pens, nothing really suitable for boxes, I don't need very large pieces, the biggest would be for say a lid, or a front panel, think shoebox size boxes.

I could just go to somewhere like Moss & Co in Hammersmith and select pieces, but I rather like the surprise element of mixed bags!

Any ideas?

 

[OldSchoolTools]

A couple of tips and usually turn out to be cheap if not free,
go to any of your local joinery manufacturing companies that make hardwood products, tell them your a teacher and looking for some off cuts for the class,
you can pick up some nice timber when you see some of the old pubs being ripped out and refurbished, same goes here tell them your a teacher you will be suprised how far it gets you.

Gary

good luck

 

[jph]

I have some walnut that may be suitable. 125mm x 8 mm about 1000mm long. 30 pieces
Also have some waney edge 1 and 2 inch but with woodworm damage.
I am near Dunmow Essex

John

 

[geertswaans]

just phone exotic timbers in tonbridge and have it posted

 

[Lowlife]

Do they sell assorted packs?

 

[geertswaans]

not as such
im sure if you phone him and explain the idea that you are looking for he can put together a selection. he has some 6, 8, 10 and 13mm in stock (padauk, steamed pearwood, pencil cedar, spalted beech, purpleheart , zebrano etc). if you dont mind bigger pieces, he's got a lot of flitches around which you could cut to your desired thickness.
hes also got a lot of veneers and inlays
Geert

 

[adidat]

not quite sure how exotic this will be

http://www.slhardwoods.co.uk/Products/Turning-Sacks-and-Pallets-Palletsofhardwood-7869.aspx

give them a ring they used to do sacks of offcuts

adidat

 

[Lowlife]

I've bought packs from SL Hardwoods before, it's where I buy most of my boatbuilding timber in fact, the packs are just offcuts from their normal range of hardwoods, not really exotic, very good value though. We bought a pallet-load for work, so we always have plenty to hand should we need some in a hurry as we often do.

I'll give the place in Tonbridge a ring tomorrow and see what they can do, thanks.

 

[marcros]

if you are after exotics for box lids, why not look at veneering- you can get to use some timbers that wouldnt be affordable in solid, and offcut bundles are plentiful.

 

[Lowlife]

Yes I have a large selection of veneers already and will certainly be using some of them, some rare burrs for instance which would be far to expensive in solid, I want to use some solid for inlays and edging though.

I found myself very near to Hammersmith yesterday morning on my way to see a client, so I made a slight detour and dropped in at Moss & Co., they had a few exotic pieces but not as much as usual, I bought a nice piece of Padauk and another of Wenge which will do for starters, I'll have a proper dig through my box of offcuts at work as I'm sure there's some interesting stuff in there somewhere.

Incidentally I can recommend a visit to Moss's just at the moment for anyone in the area, in their showroom they have a display of the most beautiful wooden boxes made by a young local craftsman, his workmanship is unbelieveable. If you can't get there to see them he has a website at http://www.mjsoflondon.co.uk which is well worth a look, although having seen them for real I can say the photos really don't do them justice.