[URGENT] What size timber for my major?

[Skyscraper]

Hi sorry for how long this is, but i need help fellas.

Im doing my year 12 major project for school, which is gonna be like this:
http://cdn.custommade.com/8266/c/unique-coffee-table--UDU3OC04MjY2LjM2MTE2.jpg

I am gonna make it by layers, each layer of wood being shaped differently to build up the overall shape. It will be 40-50cm tall, 120cm long, 60cm wide.

I love the red mahogany stain used on it, and will probably do the same. The wood i have decided to use is Cowrie Pine. Now heres the question.

I have 2 sources i can get it from, idk whats better though:

1. In a search for wood pricing, my teacher at school told me of a person he knows who can sell me good cowrie timber. Dimensions of his planks are 130x25 = $12/LM. If i used this, I would need 5 planks a layer, which amounts to 100 planks @ the cost of about $1440.

2. I looked up a timber store, trend timber, recommended by teachers, who have quality wood and do good deals for students. I contacted them, and the dimensions of their planks are 300x25 = $22/LM. At this cost, id need 2 planks a layer, which is 40 planks, costing approx $1040. These are rough sawn, but the worker said he can saw em down for me. When i asked in regards to quality; 'mate, very good quality, smooth, no knots'.

Id imagine the bigger planks are better [2], as they r cheaper and less planks to join per layer. This project will be done over the next 8 months, and id imagine that I can glue and cut the layers at a layer a lesson, so I could finish them in a term [ 4 lessons a week, 10 weeks.] Will the size of the wood effect warping, make it move more, etc?

Whats the better choice?

[Enfield Guy]

Cool looking design. I wouldn't be making this in solid though. You would need 4 gorillas to lift it or move it. Expensive and a waste of good material. Veneer over a torsion box subframe is the way to go I'd reckon. Talk to your tutor about options in terms of method of construction.

[AlexS]

First, it's kauri, not cowrie. Understandable mistake.

I like the design - is it your own or a copy of someone else's project?
With the thin planks, you will need twice as much glue, and it will take twice as long to glue up. Do you have that time?
Trend will almost certainly be good quality, but it would be unusual to get so much poor quality anywhere that you couldn't make do. A few knots, as long as they aren't loose, aren't a problem. I'm not sure how well kauri takes a stain - you probably should give it a light coat of shellac first, but others here may have better advice.
Personally, I'd go for the thicker boards.

[Greg Ward]

Why not use red cedar?
Colour will be closer to mahogany, and it will take a stain, you can buy it is 75 mm thick planks if you want and it can be purchased at around $15/ lineal metre for 25mm thick boards at 200-250mm wide if you check around. I guess you will be thicknessing the boards at the school?
Greg

[Lumber Bunker]

year 12 eh?
Your WAY behind... I don't think you have the time. Isn't it already due?
Make a 1:5 scale model out of MDF and paint it.
and hope that your portfolio is awesome!!!!!

[wun4us]

year 12 eh?
Your WAY behind... I don't think you have the time. Isn't it already due?
Make a 1:5 scale model out of MDF and paint it.
and hope that your portfolio is awesome!!!!!

Maybe I'm wrong too, but when our grandaughter (living with us then) did her year 12 major assignment (in clothing though) last year, it had to be in around the middle of the final year. It had to be decided towards the end of year 11 as I remember; how could we ever forget the "what am I going to do Nan?".......luckily the chicken came home to roost!

Maybe not all is the same though.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Ignoring the time issue, personally I'd build that up from thinner planks, as this would give you greater control over the final profile. ie. it has smaller 'steps' which also means less removal of waste.

Less waste = cheaper materials cost in the long run, assuming you guesstimate the amounts correctly. Although it'd cost more in both $$ and hours to glue up, I suspect it'd still be the more economical way to go.

I'd also cut out any excess from the interior sections, to lighten the overall weight.

[corbs]

I'm pretty sure he's making the project next year. Time frame aside it's an interesting project. Making it out of Cedar will lighten the weight a fair bit. Making it as a torsion box frame with veneer covering would be hard to get the curves right. It will be hard to stain with long and end grain all over the place too. Interesting project and keep us posted with the progress.

Another thought, have you priced that piece of kidney shaped safety glass yet?


Corbs

[artme]

Have to agree with Bevan> Solid timber will make that one hellish weight to lift.

You could make it in much the manner you suggest but take the weight out of it by having it hollow.t to

Are you going to make an exact copy, or vary it to suit yourself and gain more Brownie points??

[Mr Brush]

No there's an idea.......if the section tapered substantially towards the floor, some of the cutouts from the upper pieces could be used to make the lower sections. This would reduce the waste from "horrendous" to merely "lots"....:)

A bit like the bowlsaver thing for turners.

I agree that with so many curves a torsion box would be a nightmare.

[KorDes]

From a manufacturing point of view, you would be saving yourself alot of time and money by choosing the wider board.

Work smarter, not harder.

Goodluck

[wun4us]

This piece appeals to me...it's got graceful flowing lines, topped withe the accent of glass, yet not at all ostentatious. Quite beautiful, but difficult in its own way. I'm no craftsman and would heaitate to attempt making it.:rolleyes:

Full marks if it comes off, and if you do it, how about keeping us up to speed woth some pics?

[rustynail]

Ideal job for cedar. Kauri is hard to stain as the end grain is like blotting paper and comes up very dark. This will mean a lot of streaking due to your layers. A grain filler would help if your sold on Kauri.
The advantages with cedar are lightness in weight, borer resistance and stability not to mention the colour is pretty close to what your after. I've got plenty of cedar flitches if your interested.

[ian]

Hi sorry for how long this is, but i need help fellas.

Im doing my year 12 major project for school, which is gonna be like this:
http://cdn.custommade.com/8266/c/unique-coffee-table--UDU3OC04MjY2LjM2MTE2.jpg

I am gonna make it by layers, each layer of wood being shaped differently to build up the overall shape. It will be 40-50cm tall, 120cm long, 60cm wide.

I love the red mahogany stain used on it, and will probably do the same. The wood i have decided to use is Cowrie Pine. Now heres the question.

I have 2 sources i can get it from, idk whats better though:

1. In a search for wood pricing, my teacher at school told me of a person he knows who can sell me good cowrie timber. Dimensions of his planks are 130x25 = $12/LM. If i used this, I would need 5 planks a layer, which amounts to 100 planks @ the cost of about $1440.

2. I looked up a timber store, trend timber, recommended by teachers, who have quality wood and do good deals for students. I contacted them, and the dimensions of their planks are 300x25 = $22/LM. At this cost, id need 2 planks a layer, which is 40 planks, costing approx $1040. These are rough sawn, but the worker said he can saw em down for me. When i asked in regards to quality; 'mate, very good quality, smooth, no knots'.

Whats the better choice?STOP and rethink how to build your project.

where does it say it has to be solid?
how are you going to create those flowing curves if you are cutting each layer individuially?

I suspect the original is either veneer on a substrate or made of carefully matched blocks

my inclination would be to brick lay the rough shape using a relatively bland wood and then use a power carving tool to shape it.

However, before I started the build I'd experiment to find the combination of wood, stain and finish that came closest to the look you're after

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Looks like most of us are on the same page.

Not practical making it solid; instead, build up the sides in a segmented fashion leaving it hollow inside and carve that to final shape.

[AlexS]

There are a number of problems to sort out, but it's a beautiful design. Make sure you document all the problems that we are raising, and how you resolve them.