Timber Supplies Bedfordshire

[Paul Holtom]

Hello there

I am fairly new to woodwork and have untill recently been working on knife handles which I very much enjoy but now want to have a go at a few larger projects and have a box in mind to house some of my knives.

My question is does anyone know of any wood suppliers in the Bedfordshire area that I could visit to select some timber. I have in mind a box something along the lines of Peter Lloyd's desk boxes and really want to find an interesting piece of ideally english wood to work with.

Many thanks

 

[dickm]

The obvious one is Bedford Saw, in Ampthill Road, although they mainly sell stuff for turning.
Worth trying some of the estate sawmills that still exist (Southill Park, for example, or Chichely sawmill, which is just over the border in North Bucks) There is a quite expensive timber supplier somewhere off Castle Road in Bedford, but I'd need to research to find their name.
Beyond that, I've not found many good sources.

 

[Paul Holtom]

Thanks for that Dick, so do you mind me asking where you use?

 

[DomValente]

I don't know where you are but there is a timber merchants in Bushey where I'm certain you'll find what you want, they always seem to have offcuts.
If you do find a decent one I'd like to know because the closest decent one to me is in Enfield.
I don't use the Bushey one because they never supply what you want on the day it's always come back in two days, but offcuts are always available.

Dom

 

[Majorlarf]

Hi paul
you could try Beds Timber Caudwell walk
I live a couple of minutes walk from there they are very helpful
I also use the for timber for work

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Paul

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[inventor]

...you could try Beds Timber Caudwell walk ...

Bedford Timber Supplies Ltd, Cauldwell Walk, Bedford MK42 9DT, 01234 272171

The obvious one is Bedford Saw, in Ampthill Road, although they mainly sell stuff for turning. Worth trying some of the estate sawmills that still exist (Southill Park, for example, or Chichely sawmill, which is just over the border in North Bucks) There is a quite expensive timber supplier somewhere off Castle Road in Bedford...

Very helpful saw doctors, with some supply of wood for turning:
Bedford Saw & Tool Co, Ampthill Rd, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK42 9JP, 01234 359808

Don't know anything about:
Southill Sawmills Ltd, Southill Park, Southill, Biggleswade SG18 9LJ, 01462 819173

I can't locate Chicheley sawmill.

I don't know what the one near Castle Road sells:
W Howkins & Co, 65-67, Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ, 01234 261143

For the record, I'll add the best I've found for fencing, doing custom sawn softwood with on-site pressure treatment, but no other timber:
Goodwood Sawmills Ltd, Beancroft Road, Marston Mortayne MK430QF, 01234 765 557

Can anyone add to this list, or describe in more detail what these companies sell?

 

[NickWelford]

If you're in North Beds, there's Good Timber in Nether Heyford - worth a visit

http://www.goodtimber.com

 

[Majorlarf]

I don't know what the one near Castle Road sells:
W Howkins & Co, 65-67, Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ, 01234 261143

They sell fencing & fence panels plus the odd bit of garden furniture as far as I know but i have not used them or ventured into their yard

 

[dickm]

Thanks for that Dick, so do you mind me asking where you use?

Well, I'll be honest, most of the stuff I've bought recently has come in job lots from Pughs in Ledbury!
But if you are prepared to wait for him to have felled the right species, Stephen Anstey at Chicheley estate sawmill on 01234 391340 always tries to be helpful. All his stuff is felled on the estate, and the estate owner plants more than he cuts, so is worth encouraging, although you will have to accept it green.
Goodwood sawmills are certainly fine for softwood. There is also a timber supplier in Aspley Guise, who is in the yellow pages, I think. I got a nice piece of beech to make a worktop from him a couple of years ago.
But compared to my original homeland of Herefordshire, it's not a brilliant area for getting timber.

 

[inventor]

That'll be
D Kinns
23, San Remo Rd, Aspley Guise, Milton Keynes MK17 8JY, 01908 582678
Timber Merchants

 

[inventor]

It's a little difficult to believe, but Jewson in Flitwick has a fully functional milling shop! I was in there today and they had a small amount of American white oak (very nice looking) and sapele (no FSC, I'm afraid).

 

[dickm]

[
D Kinns
23, San Remo Rd, Aspley Guise, Milton Keynes MK17 8JY, 01908 582678
Timber Merchants

That's the one.
I've not tried them, but MBC in Olney supply the usual constructional stuff, and also have a joinery business and machining facility that you have to walk through to get to plumbing supplies :? . They may well be able to source timber other than the carcasing stuff.

 

[homeinthecity]

Hopefully resurrecting this from 16 years ago…

Many of these suppliers have since disappeared. I was wondering if anyone had any more recommendations for buying small amounts of wood in the Bedford area?