In need of thick oak for turning.

[Alastair1966]

I am after 5" thick oak for six legs on a 17th century oak table. Having lots of trouble finding even 3" stock. Can anyone help please? American or English oak will do. Thanking you. Alastair.

[ozwinner]

I am after 5" thick oak for six legs on a 17th century oak table. Having lots of trouble finding even 3" stock. Can anyone help please? American or English oak will do. Thanking you. Alastair.

17th century, thats pretty old, do you have any piccys to share?

Al :)

[hcbph]

Can you miterlock the corners similar to Stickley furniture and make your legs that way? Sorry, can't provide a source for lumber that thick unless you might find a sawmill willing to mill something for you that size.

Paul

[Shedhand]

I am after 5" thick oak for six legs on a 17th century oak table. Having lots of trouble finding even 3" stock. Can anyone help please? American or English oak will do. Thanking you. Alastair.G'day Alastair.
I have an idea Gunns Romcke in Glenorchy (Tasmania) sell both European and American Oak. Their phone number is: 03 6272 0068. Hope this helps.
Cheers

[echnidna]

Try an email to GlenK of this forum.
He's an arborist and has a collection of urban timber
He hasn't been around for a while but an email sent through the ubeaut system might reach him.

[Alastair1966]

G'day Alastair.
I have an idea Gunns Romcke in Glenorchy (Tasmania) sell both European and American Oak. Their phone number is: 03 6272 0068. Hope this helps.
Cheers
I tried Gunns but they only had 22mm stock. Thank you for your help anyway. Alastair

[ss_11000]

may be a stupid idea but if your going to turn it ( i thought that cos its in woodturning forum) is there a problem with glueing four pieces together like you would doing inside out turning and get the thickness that way?

[Shedhand]

Not so stupid mate. If he goes to a timber store that stocks the Oak he may - if he gets to sort through a recently arrived stock pile - be able to buy planks of 22 mm or whatever size that were ripped down contiguously. Glue them back together for a 130mm+ blank. It would be a fussy bugger who noticed the kerf was missing on the laminated edge face. my threepence ha'penny's worth. :)
Cheers

[Alastair1966]

Pretty good idea. Thank you. I will look into this. Alastair

[Zed]

you could try to contact arbourists/tree doctors in your area or advertise in your local papers. sometimes trees come down and you can get tmber that way.

cheers

[rsser]

Odd when you think of all the urban Oak plantings how little you see come onto the market. Wonder why. You get elm, plane etc.

[Shedhand]

I got a reasonable sized Oak in my yard..don't know what flavour it is though.

[rsser]

Well I guess we'd better come down, fell her and see ;-}

btw, how'd that lump of gidgee work out?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Hmmm... one of the blokes in our turning club has some Oak he offered to our members. I dunno what flavour it is though; it's white and the grain is bland, bland, bland. He still has most bit of it left from what I can gather.

However, he is a turner... and somehow I doubt he'll have anything of suitable length for anything except bowls or platters. :rolleyes:

[Shedhand]

Well I guess we'd better come down, fell her and see ;-}

btw, how'd that lump of gidgee work out?G'day mate. She's sitting there in my pile awaiting my tender ministrations. ;) When the bench is done I'll get cracking. I'm goin g to practice on a lump of crapiata though. :)
Cheers

[RETIRED]

Alistair. Unfortunately in this day and age it is unlikely and near impossible to get any timber over 3 inches thick.

There are some asian timbers that go up to 4" but even they are getting harder to find.

There are a few reasons for this. Among them: they can't kiln dry over 2" thick successfully. Cell collapse is the usual result.

Air drying is a hit and miss affair with thickmess over 2" and most timber yards don't have the space or time to look after it.

Larger size timber is unstable and can bend, twist, warp and go oval even if "dry". Have a look at old table legs.

Laminating is by far the best, cheapest and in this case, the only option.

Buy 6"x2", machine the 2 faces and join 3 boards together in a stack.

If you have never laminated timber before get someone that has.

The timber you are after is probably available at Mathews Timber in Nunawading.

HTH.