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Timber (Read 16107 times)
greg
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Timber
Jun 22nd, 2004, 9:11pm
 
As a hobby i would like to try a bit of woodwork / cabinetry.

So i dont look a total fool when i venture to the timber yard can you tell me

Are their standard sizes that hardwood is sold by

What standards of finish can you buy, ie, sawn, planed etc etc

Minimum qty that can be bought

What sort of timber would yards normally "have on the shelf"

Any other advice on buying from timber yards

Thanks very much
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WJOHNM
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Re: Timber
Reply #1 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 9:26pm
 
hi greg,
lots of sections available,
i will take it you dont have means of dressing the timber.
some standard dressed sizes are:
20x45          45x45        
20x70          45x95        
20 x95         45x145
20x145        45x195
some times it can be cheaper to buy say 45x95
rip it in halve to get two pieces @45x45
normally you can only buy the whole length
john
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greg
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Re: Timber
Reply #2 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 9:42pm
 
Cheers for that John.

When you say "dressed" what does that mean - one edge and one face planed or both edges and faces

I guess if you want to avoid knots then you pay a premium
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woodsmith
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Re: Timber
Reply #3 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 9:43pm
 
Hi Greg, it would help if we knew what sort of thing you are thinking of making and what sort of wood you have in mind.

You will probably find that hardwood (size-wise) is not quite so off the shelf as with softwood.

I am just about to make some bedroom furniture in oak; so I am looking for kiln dried. If I was building outdoor furniture I would use air dried.  First thing after roughly drawing up plans is to phone the timber merchant and ask him what stock sizes he has in at the moment. This time he has a lot of 35mm and will do me a good deal; so I now design up using 35mm section stock; this will come planed up, more or less ready to use.

Hardwood is the opposite to softwood in that the thicker the section the more expensive it is per cubic foot, this is because the thicker it is the longer it takes to dry.

As for quantity you can buy as little or as much as you want.
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WJOHNM
Re: Timber
Reply #4 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:04pm
 
when you said hardwood i took it as your standard meranti which they normally stock a lot of,
oak,teak,ash,etc they won't stock
probably on a order only basis,

get in there and have a good look through the timber
selecting the best in your opinion,if the timber is not up to scratch leave it Wink Wink Grin Grin Grin

i wouldn't advise you to buy oak,etc due to cost
if this is just dabbling in joinery.
if you want hardwood stick to meranti
hope this helps
john
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Dewy
Re: Timber
Reply #5 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:06pm
 
Hi Greg
Another thing to consider is that timber is normally sold by its rough sawn size. Most softwood is pre-planed so 25x75 is likely to be 22x70.
Hardwood is more often sold sawn so you need to plane it or get the yard to plane it for you. Pricey!
Hardwood is also sold by the cubic metre.
As Keith said. Contact your woodyard first to see what they stock & what it costs ready planed.
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greg
Re: Timber
Reply #6 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:07pm
 
Hi Keith.  To be honest dont know what my first project will be - will probably be something fairly simple like a book case but probably out of softwood - bit expensive to make mistakes on hardwood
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greg
Re: Timber
Reply #7 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:11pm
 
Hi Dewy.  I have a bench jointer so can do a bit of preparation and will invest in a bench planer / thicknesser

John - what is merant- never heard of that.

Can anyone tell me the name of a softwood - come from africa that looks very much like hardwood - had a unusual name - knew i should have written it down
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Re: Timber
Reply #8 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:14pm
 
Greg I'm making a softwood bookcase tomorrow, it's 2 metres high by 1 m wide. I'm using skirting as a plinth and architrave as a cornice. As a guide the wood cost about £50.
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WJOHNM
Re: Timber
Reply #9 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:23pm
 
i don't have the knowledge to post links greg,
have a look at   www.timbmet.co.uk
this is a supplier of timber that we use often
it will give you pictures of timber and various other information on origins,characteristics,etc
john
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WJOHNM
Re: Timber
Reply #10 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:25pm
 
the link works how the f%%k did i manage that
Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin
john
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Dewy
Re: Timber
Reply #11 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:26pm
 
Will we be seeing the finished bookcase in a future magazine Keith? Wink

I'm fairly lucky here for timberyards. There are 3 in a row with another 2 on the opposite side of the canal.
They are from the days when baltic timber arrived by ship and unloaded on the canal bank direct to the yards. The ships stopped 30 years ago but the yards remain.
As they are in competition, it pays to shop around. Grin

In reality I go to the yard that gives me good service.
If you need any help a good yard will offer it hoping you will become a reguar customer.
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Re: Timber
Reply #12 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:34pm
 
Dewy unfortunately not. It's surprising how much time is lost photographing and taking notes; and I need to make this tomorrow, including finishing.
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greg
Re: Timber
Reply #13 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 10:50pm
 
Which magazine do you contribute to Keith?

Will your shelves be fixed or adjsustable - if adjustable, what method do you use
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Re: Timber
Reply #14 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 11:00pm
 
helllooo greg

when you go in and ask for 2by 1 3by 1 4by one
planed or par[planed all round] you are asking for
1 inch by 2 3 4inch ect before planeing
same with mouldings arcatrave skirtings ect
so you take the start size minus about 5mm
for plaineng 2 by 1 =50+25mm -5 =45+20mm

buy it from the sheds sizes tend to be 2mm thinner

so dont mix and match
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big all ---------------  we are all still learning
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greg
Re: Timber
Reply #15 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 11:02pm
 
Good link thanks John - ive bookmarked it
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Dewy
Re: Timber
Reply #16 - Jun 22nd, 2004, 11:03pm
 
Not that I would give him a way but there are regular projects in The Woodworker including some MDF wardrobes. Wink Grin Grin  Lips Sealed
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