Where to buy timber from in Melbourne?

[Petewright]

I'm new to woodturning and was wondering where the best spot to buy wood for turning at a reasonable price, Im looking for both pen blanks and bowl blanks.
thanks in advance

[Gabriel]

Depending on where in Melbourne you are, pops shed in churnside park is a great start for those things

[rod1949]

Masters. But make it quick.

[Paul39]

Look in construction skips, keep your eyes open on trash pick up days for tables, chairs, set out. If you see tree loppers working, stop and ask for a few bits. Pallets set out beside or in skips behind stores. Motorcycle crates from Asia sometimes have very nice exotic timber.

If you are just beginning to turn spoiling free timber doesn't hurt as much as bought.

[hughie]

Dont buy unless you have to. Tree Surgeons/ tree loppers etc , get onto your local guy and see if he will oblige. Most do and quite often they will drag some pieces home and leave in the yard for anybody to pick up. OK they will be green for the most part. But suburban timber can quite amazing as they are planted for looks and many would fall into the area of exotics, over the years I have picked all many of strange and wonderfully figured pieces this way.

[Squiddy]

Masters. But make it quick.

Just curious as to what sort of wood would you buy from masters for turning? Sorry if that seems like a newbie question I'm just learning which timbers are goodie turning and I thought masters etc would only have Cyprus / pine etc which when I took my first goblet to the club which was made of Cyprus (unbeknownst to me) the comment made was 'nice work! All you need now is a decent piece of wood

Cheers,

-Scott

[issatree]

To Petewright, Squiddy,
Pete it makes it rather hard with a Location of " Australia ".
Why not just put Melb.
Makes it easier to help you.
You need to carry a small Hatchet, & Hand Saw. I prefer a H/S to a bow saw.
Keep an eye out for the " Fencer " as he wood have some Red Gum Posts, & you really only need one, he most likely have some old 3x2'sin Hardwood, & you wood not need much of that either.

Squiddy, I'm not sure if their " Cyprus " is the same as the " Cypress " I use, as it is a much unused, underestimated timber around, not only that, it is lying all over the place, FREE.

[Squiddy]

To Petewright, Squiddy,
Pete it makes it rather hard with a Location of " Australia ".
Why not just put Melb.
Makes it easier to help you.
You need to carry a small Hatchet, & Hand Saw. I prefer a H/S to a bow saw.
Keep an eye out for the " Fencer " as he wood have some Red Gum Posts, & you really only need one, he most likely have some old 3x2'sin Hardwood, & you wood not need much of that either.

Squiddy, I'm not sure if their " Cyprus " is the same as the " Cypress " I use, as it is a much unused, underestimated timber around, not only that, it is lying all over the place, FREE.

Oh! My mistake I'm sure it is Cypress as you suggest. It may be looked down upon by some but I thought that it looks pretty cool and it smells good too! This is the goblet I'm referring to:

370348

Cheers!

[Simplicity]

Squiddy
If you come to the next Melbourne get together end of the month
I bring some red gum fence post for you(free)
Cheers Matt

[Paul39]

Oh! My mistake I'm sure it is Cypress as you suggest. It may be looked down upon by some but I thought that it looks pretty cool and it smells good too! This is the goblet I'm referring to:

370348

Cheers!

Very nice!! Good looking shape and you dealt with the knot at the bottom without tearing the goblet out of the chuck.

Lumber yards will sometimes have off cuts where someone wanted a certain length and had no use for the remaining foot or two.

I have gotten slabs from a saw mill free that have wonderful figure and spalting. These are the first cut off a log that are usually discarded.