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  1. #1
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    Jul 2013
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    Default Suitable wood for toy making?

    Hi,
    I am looking to try my hand at making some basic wood toys, and started doing some reading and thinking about what wood to use. Obviously pine is most available and easiest to manage so I asked at my local hardware store and was told that all the wood in the store was 'treated'. After looking around it was clear that they stock wood for the building and construction industry and so it makes sense that it be treated.

    I would assume that using treated pine is not a good idea for toddler toys and was wondering what type and where do people source their wood supplies for toy making?

    Thanks,
    Captain Kirk

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  3. #2
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    medowie
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    Default

    I just picked up some cheap DAR pine from bunnings.

  4. #3
    Join Date
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    Default

    There was some DAR pine and other timber types at the hardware store and when I inquired about them I was told that they were 'internally treated'. I have no idea what the means, but figured it was a poison of some variation so I decided to stay away from it.

    No Bunnings store where I am, so choice is a bit limited .

  5. #4
    crowie's Avatar
    crowie is offline Life's Good, Enjoy each new day & try to encourage
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    Default

    G'Day Jon,
    I use pretty well whatever I can scrounge; the old timber you collect from the tip or the roadside plus a builder friend saves me some of his offcuts/leftovers.
    The older timber usually has better grain/figure, is dry & straight ready for recycling.
    I use DAR Pine [from Hudsons or Bunnings] from time to time as a base for cars & trucks, but prefer offcuts of timber floor boards whether cyprus pine or other hardwood.
    The hardwoods machine better with the profile cutters for wheels and the colour is always great.
    Check out for any local area Timber Mills and as for offcuts; if you tell them you're doing toy making, I'm sure someone with oblige.
    Cheers, crowie

  6. #5
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    Default Internally what!!!

    What crap. You cant internally treat timber.
    If it is treated its on the outside that you can see, like the blue paint or the green arsenic treated timber that is on the kopplers logs etc it soaks in about 1/8in no more. Dont believe what someone working in a hardware shop tells you, they are no expert on anything (my apologies 2 anyone that works in a hardware shop because if u r reading this u r obviously u r the boss)A hardware shop should carry normal timber for normal everyday use in the home eg shelving, internals in cupboards etc I have never seen 290x19(12x1for the non metrics) treated pine in a hardware shop.I work full time on toy trucks and employ a worker , all I use is furniture grade pine. Metho based or water based (Ubeaut )coloured stains, water based varnish.

    PM(not prime minister)although things would be differant if I was.
    Phil

  7. #6
    Join Date
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    Sunbury, Victoria, Au.
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    Default

    What Prime Mover said.
    Also if you have the ability to plane down, look for some pallets. My local hardware usual has a stack of them for free.
    Russell (aka Mulgabill)
    "It is as it is"

  8. #7
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    If I need solid wood, I only use beech. In europe, all quality toys are made from beech. It is a hardwood and does not splinter. It is more expensive than pine, and can not be bought at the hardware store, but it is my no. 1 choice.

    That being said, almost all kinds of wood can be used for toys, just make sure the wood does not contain chemicals, and is sanded smooth.

  9. #8
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    I would say any clean and non toxic woods and as said above definitely no treated wood. Make sure it does not splinter easily. I can not say what type of wood as you will know what is available in your local area.
    Like Pogo02 I use beech as a starter wood

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