Timber suppliers?

[DarrenM]

Hi all, new to the forum and a hobby woodworker. I have recently converted my garage to a workshop and am in the process of designing a quality workbench complete with front vice and tail vice. The problem I have is obtaining timber for the bench top. I have found two online companies that supply timber, SL hardwoods and British hardwoods, but they are pricey as I would require planed timber as I don't own a planer/thicknesser. Does anybody know of any timber suppliers in my area? I am in Surrey, just outside Farnham. My other option is to purchase a bench and I have found some very nice ones at good prices, in fact they work out cheaper than I could make it for. Any help on the timber suppliers would be great.

Thanks

Darren

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Darren

Welcome to the forum.

This link will give you the suppliers you need.

You have to get used to the fact that you won't be able to buy the timber for the cost of most items that you see for sale.

Cheers
Neil

 

[mr]

Unfortunately I think you will find that the prices you have seen aren't vastly more expensive than anywhere else (though don't rely on web site prices to be accurate particularly with SL hardwoods) An investment in planer thicknesser or a couple of hand planes is probably worthwhile as you can then dispense with the PAR stuff and make a saving. Alternately use a different material for the bench. I used contruction type pine for mine, it cost under £100 and had done decent service. A look round some skips might find you a solid door which you could use. Sorry not to be more helpful.
Cheers Mike

 

[Walnut]

I bought one for my husband as he wanted a nice looking piece for his workshop and it was the cheapest way to go ...

however all the guys at work, have mostly MDF tops, which get replaced when no longer workable (they do last a very long time). The benches frames are made from bits of 3 x 2 or thereabouts :wink: and they all have clamps, mostly home made as well :roll:

So it really depends on how posh you want your bench

 

[DarrenM]

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't intending getting a planer/thicknesser, at least not yet but i am certainly looking at quality hand planes. Currently I only have an old Rolson no4 bench plane that was given to me by my dad a number of years ago and he'd had it a long time. I have recently stripped it down and given it a good tune up, it is currently cutting better than it ever has. I keep looking at the LN planes, fabulous but expensive. I'm thinking a jack plane or jointer plane should be my next purchase. As far as MDF bench tops go, I had considered this option, with a 3"x2" pine framework which will house drawers.

 

[tiler99]

Hi Darren

Welcome to the forum.

This link will give you the suppliers you need.

You have to get used to the fact that you won't be able to buy the timber for the cost of most items that you see for sale.

Cheers
Neil

Notice the big empty space in Birmingham :?

 

[kafkaian]

Notice the big empty space in Birmingham :?

Exactly. It's pathetic

 

[andys wood shed]

Notice the big empty space in Birmingham :?

Exactly. It's pathetic

Is this any help

http://www.laver.co.uk/birmingham.asp

Regards

Andy

 

[Paul Chapman]

As far as MDF bench tops go, I had considered this option, with a 3"x2" pine framework which will house drawers.

Hi Darren,

MDF works really well as a bench top. I wanted to make a traditional bench from beech but at the time couldn't afford it in terms of time or money, so I made a temporary bench from MDF. It's been so successful and lasted years, that I've never bothered to build a beech one. I'll try to do some pictures later if that would help - it's probably similar to what you have in mind but without the drawers.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DarrenM]

As far as MDF bench tops go, I had considered this option, with a 3"x2" pine framework which will house drawers.

Hi Darren,

MDF works really well as a bench top. I wanted to make a traditional bench from beech but at the time couldn't afford it in terms of time or money, so I made a temporary bench from MDF. It's been so successful and lasted years, that I've never bothered to build a beech one. I'll try to do some pictures later if that would help - it's probably similar to what you have in mind but without the drawers.

Cheers :wink:



Paul

Thanks for that Paul, some pics would be great. My thoughts on it were to perhaps laminate two 18mm MDF boards to give a rock solid 36mm thick bench top. I'd need it to be thick as I'd like overhangs on either end to accomodate a tail vice at one end and a front vice at the other. I like drawers as I find I can get a lot more in them than cupboards and I can put inserts and dividers in them to house smaller items. Besides, it gives me a chance to use my newly aquired woodrat to cut the dovetails for the drawers.

Darren

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks for that Paul, some pics would be great. My thoughts on it were to perhaps laminate two 18mm MDF boards to give a rock solid 36mm thick bench top. I'd need it to be thick as I'd like overhangs on either end to accomodate a tail vice at one end and a front vice at the other.

OK, I'll do some later this evening or tomorrow. Mine's about 7'x2'. I used three layers of 18mm MDF, lipped with soft wood then glued together. Solid as a rock I have two Record 52D vices fitted to mine. The only problem with doing the top is that you will need plenty of G cramps and curved cauls to cramp it up and get even pressure, but mine worked fine and has remained dead flat.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[kafkaian]

Notice the big empty space in Birmingham :?

Exactly. It's pathetic

Is this any help

http://www.laver.co.uk/birmingham.asp

Regards

Andy

Thanks Andy, although that's a treck out for us Brummies along the winding roads of the Black Country.

I don't know how well Manchester and other major conurbations are provided for and the South certainly seems much better. But Birmingham is atrocious.

What do other Brummies think?

 

[harryc]

I would second that not much in the second city. I have usually ended up ordering from SL Hardwoods and British Hardwoods and relying on the timber turning out to be what I wanted it to look like.

Harry

 

[JFC]

There is an Alsford timber in Cobham , not too far from you.

 

[engineer one]

why not check out waste kitchen counter tops for the workbench.

mine s a 30 mm beech thing from ikea which fortunately i got for nada,
but it is often suggested using it for router table tops, and the
support is then up to you.

whilst drawers are useful underneath, you do need to recess them, otherwise they will interfere with clamping up. :?

paul :wink:

 

[DarrenM]

why not check out waste kitchen counter tops for the workbench.

mine s a 30 mm beech thing from ikea which fortunately i got for nada,
but it is often suggested using it for router table tops, and the
support is then up to you.

whilst drawers are useful underneath, you do need to recess them, otherwise they will interfere with clamping up. :?

paul :wink:

Yes, as well as recessing them back from the front face, I was thinking that i'd also leave an open space between the underside of the bench top and the top of the drawer unit. This would allow dogs to protrude.

 

[engineer one]

reading the recent issue of popular woodworking, chris swartz suggested using a bench no wider than 600 mm because you can get to the back more easily.

i have also seen the dc type which uses a slide out panel inside the well to allow you to remove it and then help with the clamping.

paul :wink:

 

[Chris Knight]

Notice the big empty space in Birmingham :?

Can anyone comment on this list of supposed Birmingham based suppliers?

http://www.locallife.co.uk/birmingham/t ... hants3.asp

A lot of timber suppliers, especially those in business for a long time don't have websites or if they do, really bad ones, so without personal knowledge it's difficult to assess them.

 

[woodbloke]

Engineer one wrote:

i have also seen the dc type which uses a slide out panel inside the well to allow you to remove it and then help with the clamping.

I have this facility on my bench and it's quite useful....when I remember to use it as it enables you to get a G cramp or similar on to the bench from the other side - Rob

 

[Locton]

darren hi,

i also live in farnham, when i need timber i use ether sl hardwoods or wl west which is on the list of timber suppliers supplied ny neil. you will need to speak to the small user department at west.

it does not take too long to get there from farnham & well worth a visit, but you need to make an appointment.

either way surfacing & thicknessing yourself will ceratainly be the cheaper option.