New to woodwork and wood yards

[doggerry]

Hi all

Just after a bit of advice.

I am new to woodwork and have decided to take it up as a hobby (I loved it at school) and I have decided to make some planters for the garden.

Ideally I would like to make them out of hardwood and have been thinking of Sapele. My problem is finding a wood yard. I have been looking through the forums and it seems that a lot of them are not interested in hobby woodwork.

Would anyone have any ideas of decent wood yards in the East Mids area preferably Nottingham/Derby ways.

I have looked at Fitchetts but there does not seem to be a price guide.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ged

 

[Spacecadett]

I have bought from Fitchetts before & they have been very helpful & I only buy a few bits at a time. I have had sapele from them before too, it may make an expensive planter though! You could pop in, give them a call or drop them an email for prices. Good luck!

 

[custard]

Welcome Ged, you couldn't have picked a better pastime, and planters are a great first project. But I'd question if Sapele is the best timber choice. Sapele's "ribbon grain" makes it quite tricky to plane, you can easily end up with loads of tear out which might be a frustration too far for a beginning woodworker. Sapele will soon fade to precisely the same shade of grey that all timbers end up at in the sun, and it's not a cheap option. So I'm not sure what it brings to the party?

Western Red Cedar might be a better choice. Widely available, reasonably rot resistant, not too expensive, and easy to work with.

Good luck!

 

[doggerry]

Cheers for the info. I will have a look at fitchetts again and also the Western Red.Cedar. I will need to get to know my woods.

 

[John15]

Hi Ged,

A cheaper alternative for garden items is treated softwood and it's readily available at wood yards.

John

 

[Steve Maskery]

Fitchetts are OK, it depends on who serves you. The main trouble there is that they no longer let you into the woodsheds to pick your boards. You tell them what you want and they go off and bring it out to you on a forklift. Take it or leave it.

My first call would be to Nixon Knowles on Longwall avenue, opposite Wickes on Queen's Drive, now part of International Timber. Not a huge selection of hardwoods, but all the main ones you are likely to want and you can buy just one board if you want, and pick it yourself.

 

[RobinBHM]

Sapele is only moderately durable, if it is hardwood you want then iroko would be a better choice and will be similar price range. Its not always the easiest wood to work with, western red cedar is easier although very soft. Siberian larch is durable and might be worth considering, it will work more like softwood but quite a lot harder and pretty durable.

 

[RogerP]

Of course it depends on the budget but English Oak has no equal, aesthetically or structurally, for this sort of job.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

My first call would be to Nixon Knowles on Longwall avenue, opposite Wickes on Queen's Drive, now part of International Timber. Not a huge selection of hardwoods, but all the main ones you are likely to want and you can buy just one board if you want, and pick it yourself.

+ 1

 

[lurker]

Welcome to the forums.

You need to start looking in skips, thats were I get most of my wood from.
the downside is you need storage space
And preferably a wood burner as the waste ratio is quite high

 

[HexusOdy]

Personally for your first project since school I would stick to cheap and cheerful pine. If you make any mistakes or have any waste it's not going to cost much. If it works out and once your hand is in a bit move to something else.

I wouldn't use treated pine though, its rough sawn and not great quality and by the time its planned and straightened you have lost the treatment. Just use untreated pine then treat it when built and stain or paint it.

 

[Steve Maskery]

If you do want to treat your pine, Nixon Knowles have their own tanalising tank. It's priced by the cubic metre and there is a minimum charge, so it may not be viable for a little project, but you simply tie your wooden parts into bundles, take it in one day and go and retrieve it the next.

If you carry it in your car, make sure you collect on a fine day so that you can have all your windows open...
S

 

[Baldyhippy]

I discovered this place at the other end of the A52.

http://www.eastmidlandswoodrecycling.org.uk/

Their prices are brilliant. You have to rummage and they have little hardwood but I shall be returning soon.