Thread: Timber selection

Nice task, Soth.

Another approach might be for you to go round your local timber suppliers and see what available and affordable in the dimensions required. Then rephrase the question as "Which of the following do you recommend for bookcases? Why?"

Pointless discussing woods that you cannot get or which are too expensive in your area.

Merry Christmas

Graeme

Hi Masoth,

I've sen a couple of bookcasaes lately, made from blackbutt and they looked OK.

That's my vote.

Best are Australian red cedar or rosewood, but may be difficult for you to get. Red River gum, local timber to you would be heavy, but can be beautiful.
Regards amd good luck
Greg

My vote would be light coloured Jarrah. Beautiful light red/pink tones. It would probably be difficult for you to scource in Mildura let alone select all light boards. I think Mildura is on the east-west trucking route right? If you were really interested in jarrah perhaps I could arrange it for you.

"to impress her with a furniture item showing-off the quality and natural feature of beautiful timber."

If you want feature grain camphor laurel has it by the bucket full, can be had at good prices too.
Got a style in mind?
Using featured wood panels accented with frame in plain grained wood is an idea, looks classy if done right.

TYVM. I have a very helpful staff a my local Mitre 10 - asking for specialty timbers is not a problem for them and they do take care.

Graeme - I did start looking and stopped when I ran out of patience, but had listed Black Bean (castanosppermum australe), blackwood (acacia melanoxylon), and Qld Maple (flindersia brayleyana);

3TS - is blackbutt an Aussiie wood?;

Greg - RRG was my first thought, but I have to pre-fabricate this monster, transport it to Adelaide and assemble it there (to let my G/daughter be part of the "build")

Marginata - "I think Mildura is on the east-west trucking route right? If you were really interested in jarrah perhaps I could arrange it for you." Yes! Thank you, a very kind offer, which I might take-up.

Harry - "Using featured wood panels accented with frame in plain grained wood is an idea, looks classy if done right." Mot sure I know exactly what you mean.

II am planning to not have a full back, but rather a "backstop" of about 100mm at the rear of each shelf which of course will not be seen when the case is full, so the sides and shelves front will be the major viewed parts.

Again, thanks

soth

Originally Posted by masoth

Graeme - I did start looking and stopped when I ran out of patience, but had listed Black Bean (castanosppermum australe), blackwood (acacia melanoxylon), and Qld Maple (flindersia brayleyana);

soth

Hi Soth

I have worked with blackwood and queensland maple and both wood look superb in a bookcase. Q maple is slightly more pleasant to work with as blackwood has an irritant in the saw dust.

Black bean has a good reputaton but I have never used it; perhaps someone else could advise on this one.

Merry Christmas

Graeme

Soth, your "mot" sure

Im referring to using frame and panel construction, the rails and stiles could be a plain wood like jarrah and the centre panels in camphor laurel.

"3TS - is blackbutt an Aussiie wood?;"

Your question made me google- and here's what I found...

Blackbutt--- Eucalyptus Pilularis, Commonly found in the coastal plains of Nth NSW to southern QLD.

---Eucalyptus Patens, ( also known as WA Blackbutt, Yarri, Swan River Blackbutt) Generallly occurs in small stands among Jarrah forests.

--- Town in Sth QLD named after the Blackbutt tree.

--- One of Australia's least flammable eucalypts, often after a bushfire only the butt will be blackened, hence the name.


How's that for Aussie?

If the home owner has tendency to paint everything white... be prepared for whatever you make to cop a coat as well.
I would be double triple checking first. No point spending a heap on beautiful timber to just get all the features painted over when a cheaper timber like pine or "mdf" will do.

I made a small hall style table out of cedar. Then SWMBO, "It's too light, go put some stain or paint on it". I then pointed out that this was the whole idea of using this beautiful timber to make the lovely colour a highlight.

It breaks your heart.

Some people just don't get it!!!

(Hall table was gifted to an appreciator rather than be bastardised)