Thread: Australian vs US vs Eurepean timber

1. Australia for hardwood selection ( I can't go past jarrah)

2. USA for Price of everything to do with woodwork

3. But there is a huge range of timbers from the tropical forests of Asia.

I would prefer to be a woodworker in Oz, the timber we have available to us will satisfy my needs and aspirations until I go to the Great Woodshop in the Sky ... or the wood burning ovens in the Other Place. The only thing I covet from (particularly) the US is their fabulous availability of ply woods such as birch ply. I remember reading that there are "20 million registered woodworkers" in the US but this forum provides all of the company, counsel and critique I'll ever need.

fletty

Australia, we are blessed with some of the most unique timbers in the world. For looks, strength, durability we are spoilt for choice. Also, so many of the foreign species grow here anyway.

Ha! I could never win. I love things that I can't have, so being in Australia I love getting my hands on some of the exotic timber from south America, much of it via the USA. I'm sure if I lived there I'd lament the lack of readily available Australian timber.

I do agree on the price of tools and the like in the states vs here. Even availability of certain things is lacking here on occasion.

What's my answer? Anywhere, so long as I get to do some woodwork and I still have my eyes and all of my fingers.

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Hi Polar Bear

Having just discovered a local timber mill that can supply all the exotic timbers I want, Where else would I want to be?

Cheers
Wolffie

Originally Posted by fletty

I remember reading that there are "20 million registered woodworkers" in the US but this forum provides all of the company, counsel and critique I'll ever need.

fletty

How do you become "a registered woodworker"?

Wolffie

European and North & South American timbers for me for their classic beauty and workability.

I guess I have to vote USA. The funny thing about woodworking is most of the power tools I have were made in China. LOL.

Bret

Without slipping into any tribal mentality, I'll take a stab at the question.

I am not very impressed with the indigenous trees in the United States with the possible exception of regions directly adjacent to the Caribbean or Mexico. While I know very little about European trees, I don't think they are terribly impressive either. However, what the U.S. has is a huge market for timbers from around the world. I also sense that Germany, the UK and the Netherlands have pretty good access to international timbers. Unfortunately, I don't sense that the U.S. or Europe have very good access to Australian timbers. That's a price issue as well as a lack of name recognition for the timbers. There are a few places in the U.S. that bring in Aussie burls, mostly from Djarilmari. Gidgee is almost impossible to find here. Oddly, there is a guy in U.S. with 800 pounds of Purple Gidgee logs but is too lazy to send me pictures though I bought two logs a few years ago. The bottom line is that the timber goes where the money is. The U.S. is a huge, relatively wealthy country. So, I'd say the U.S. is the most diverse timber market for woodies.

Originally Posted by Wolffie

How do you become "a registered woodworker"?

Wolffie

Join a forum and buy a pair of bib and brace overalls.
Cheers,
Jim

Runge, how about black walnut?
You're right that timber follows the money like everything else. You've just to look at some of the old woodworking books.
Cheers,
Jim

Well I started turning at around 13 and have lived in half dozen countries on a couple of continents and a few islands to boot. Always had an eye for local timbers even when I wasnt turning.
We are blessed here with a huge variety of highly figured timber, OK its hard, damn hard some of it, but the variety is boggling.
I just spent a few days in the Central Highlands of Queensland chasing down some blanks among other things. And theres another huge variety out there, largely un tapped by most of us, TTIT aka Vern will tell you. He has cataloged nearly 500 varieties in his area and has along way to go yet

Ok the timber goes where the money is, but they are buying from Oz around probably 10% of the range. We on the other hand can get the full range with a bit of effort for zip if we try.

Oz gets my vote

When I was last in England (about 30 years ago) there didn't seem to be much choice at all unless you went to a commercial yard. Retail outlets seemed to be pine and chipboard centred. Of course Australia was much the same apart from Meranti and the local oak/ash species. Things have changed a great deal since then since the market for decent wood has expanded.
Derek might be interested in this. An old bloke I met in England used to enthuse over Jarrah. He called it Australian Mahogany and would reminisce about going to the docks and choosing baulks of it.
Cheers,
Jim

I have a soft spot for Australian Hardwoods as well as our Cedars.
use a lot of radiata due to its availability, usability and its relatively cheap. I hold the Hardwoods up as "special" and try to make the bits I use as "monuments" to the species. I don't like to stain anything. If I am after a particular colour for something I will choose a timber with that colour.
What gets under my skin is the amount of good descent Hardwood that go into pallets and the like. I know its not all furniture grade but I am sure a lot more of it could end up in our sheds if it was a little more readily available.
I was talking to our local hardwood miller about this subject. His trees come from private blocks (farming country) and he cuts mainly scantling and sleepers which all end up in garden centres in Sydney. I was telling him that furniture grade seasoned hardwood could fetch him 2-3 thousand dollars a cube. He hesitated for a few seconds because he is selling his green timber for $1100 ( I think). I just think its a shame to be "wasting" such a resource.
I might be biased but I think we are in a pretty good situation here in Aus not only because of our freedom but we can (at a price) have access to the worlds timbers if we really need to.
The way things are at the moment with Bunnies as well as our independent and locally owned and run hardware/timber outlets we are offered first Radiata and pyneboard but hardwoods are available through specific ordering along with plywood. At least this set up makes using hardwood something that is (out of the box) and not "same old same old".
Contrary to that sheila from Austar, who accused me of not being Australian, because I won't watch sport on TV, I am damn proud to be an Aus and bloody thankful for living here!!!!!