Thread: Bugger! Now I have gone and ruined it...

Thanks Rustynail. I did mean metho.

I do not think you ruined it, keep going and be persistent. The second and third chopping board will be better as a result. Our learning curve can be very steep.

Personally I do not think the learning curve will really flatten out just remain steep.

I went back to my local timber yard this morning to ask them about the checking. They were horrified and most apologetic about the checking in the red timber as it should not happen and they will be replacing it.

The other timber I used (apparently it was Blackbutt) can be a problem with checking, so I will get a different timber instead.

Damn good service from The Woodage in Mittagong.

TORB - a couple of things. First, the kind of checking you are seeing can be caused by the timber getting too hot. Very easy to do, especially with an orbital sander. I do it myself regularly......

Second, I'm also in the Southern Highlands, The Woodage is just down the road, but its the last place I'd go to buy timber. Over several years, I've only had to buy from them from time to time (rush jobs); they are expensive, limited range of species, and I don't think much of the way they store their timber. They aren't really set up for the small woodworker to go through their stock and select boards, and if you just take what you are given the boards will often have a lot of wastage/defects.

Trend in Windsor is great for selected boards, when you want particular colour or figure, but are too expensive to use for everything. For bulk furniture timbers I now go to Yates (just up the freeway in Ingleburn) - good range, properly stored under cover, and very good pricing. I've also looked at Matthews in Sydney (haven't bought from them yet) - also good range, and happy to let you pick through boards to select.

If you've never been to Trend, go up and have a look if only to see the mind boggling range of timbers on offer, all well displayed in a huge showroom. They are having an Open Day shortly (18th/19th November), with turning demos, discounts, etc. You'll probably find several other forumites there too.

I forgot - another good local supplier is Phil Gould down at Nowra

The Allwood Workshop - Fine Timbers Nowra

Limited range of species, but he has some nice stuff and is very helpful if you want to select boards. Often has nice Blackwood (he uses it a lot in his own furniture making), and sometimes some nice Houn Pine......

Worth a visit if you're heading that way.

Howdy Neighbour (Mr B,)

Thanks for the great advice. Those options for timber suppliers will be very helpful. As it happens, I have to go to Nowra on Friday, so I will check out that recommendation first.

The guy at The Woodage told me that all the timber sold/used for carpentry jobs (not structural building stuff) is actually stored inside, but I must admit, the ability to pick my own is a definite plus.

TORB, I'm in the Southern Highlands as well (but only on weekends - up in Sydney during the week). You've got a few forum folks within cooee.

Another thing is that different timbers have different characteristics - some timbers check much more than others. I don't think of checking as a fault - more of a feature. I like the fact that timber isn't perfect - to me that adds to the beauty...

A mate of mine, who is a butcher by trade, took a casual job while the resident butcher took a holiday.
My mate is very fastidious, and a good clean down was job number one. The block was showing signs of checking, so, in the interest of hygene, he poured boiling water over the block and into the cracks. In no time at all, the surface of the block was a seething mass of maggots!
May I suggest that checking is less than ideal when it comes to timber in contact with food.

Mr B,

I went down to Nowra and checked checked out Phils place. I didn't need any timber but bought some anyway. He has some lovely stuff. Good quality, choose your own, and he is very helpful. I will be going back, even though its not exactly inexpensive.

Rustynail,

Thanks for the butchers story. I really needed to read that just before putting a steak on the BBQ for dinner last night.

TORB - thought you wouldn't be able to resist....

Trend is also a bit pricey, but worth a visit so at least you know what they've got. When you see the way they dress and display their timber, you'll understand why they have to charge a bit more.

I'd go to Phil or to Trend for the nice show timbers required for a piece, or to get particular colour or figure, then make up the balance of the "bulk" timber at Yates. For maximum number of weird and wonderful species, Trend wins hands down.