Thread: American Oak availability?

Australian Furniture Timbers
Plummer Rd Port Melb

US Oak is amongst the most expensive timbers on the market. You might find Japanese Oak or one of the other true oaks to be cheaper. They all look much the same.

Cheers - Neil

Thanks Neil, I'll pass that on to him.

just remember that there are two types of US oak, red and white. The only one I have used with any success has been the white. Most supplies are not uniformly dry so if you are resawing you tend to get diffrential bowing due to the difference in moisture content on the two sides. This is enhanced when you want to do bookmatching as the "wet" and "dry' sides stay together! Not the easiest timber in the world to work with but very rewarding.
Jacko

An unlikely source for red and white oak is Henderson Hardwoods in Esperance WA. Phone 08 90713707, e-mail [email protected].

The proprietor, so I am told, has family and forest land on the east coast of the US and, periodically, ships milled timber to Oz.

I know the business actually exists because I have been there to have a look. At that time, some 6 months ago, there was very little stock. I was told that Mr Henderson was about to head to the US to organise a new shipment and would be back by Christmas, last Christmas. I have not been back since, but hope to do so soon.

At that time the price for oak, his best quality, was $11.99 per linear metre for 100 x 30 mm off saw up to $30 plm for 300 x 30 mm. I thought that was quite high, particularly as what was available was the remains of a consignment after the very best had been picked out by people who got there before me.

He had some lesser quality stuff for $2.50 - $3.50 plm less than the good stuff.

I also saw some 50 mm thick oak and some hickory, birch and loblolly pine in his racks.

The Victorian Woodworkers Association is currently holding a competition called the Iveco challenge. The competition involves making a woodwork piece from a crate that formerly held motors for Iveco trucks. The crates are imported from the US and many of the crates have American Oak and other suprises.

To enter the competition you need to part with $20 or $25, pick up the crate from Lyndhurst (near Dandenong in Melbourne) and make something. Email John Monument from the VWA [email protected] for further details.

This may be a cheap way of obtaining American Oak and entering a competition. Just be warned that the crates are large so you may need to break them up in Lyndhurst otherwise take along your trailer or truck.

hi all,
getting off the track a bit here , but i was watching a show on lifestyles tonite called a river cottage , anyway it couldve been oak (although pommy) lean to that his sheep was giving birth in.
the amazing thing was that the lean to was made with bark to bark slabs 8 to 16" wide , what a waste , i nearly cried.

seeyasoon mik.