Thread: [Beginner] Should I steer clear if extremely dense timber?

Richard

Snakewood is "extreme" in almost every way you can imagine. Some properties here:

Snakewood | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwood) (wood-database.com)

Assuming the figures quoted are true it gets close to double the next nearest timber in almost every direction! i have not worked with it, but it is almost certainly hard on any tools. However, I have to say it would not normally be considered for a project such as a work bench primarily because of cost. Were you quoted any prices? Snakewood normally would be used for smaller high end projects. HNT Gordon have at times used the wood in their specialty planes (at a premium price) instead of Gidgee, which is their stock material.

Specialty Snakewood No.20 1" Shoulder Plane – HNT Gordon & Co. Classic Planemakers Australia

I would be looking more towards other more common hardwoods.

Regards
Paul

Thanks, it's not all JUST for a bench, it's $880 for 15M of 250x50mm tallowood for the top and 10M of 250x75mm snakewood for the frame.

Originally Posted by rthorntn

Thanks, it's not all JUST for a bench, it's $880 for 15M of 250x50mm tallowood for the top and 30M of 250x75mm snakewood for the frame.

I really don't think it would be genuine (South American) Snakewood - even if it could be bought in those dimensions, it would cost you an arm and both legs!

Thanks, it's NSW, Australia, so maybe locally one of our natives is also known as that?

I tweaked my post, it's not 30M it's 10M.

Richard,

This is what is usually called Snakewood:

BE4BA2EA-E289-4958-9F18-E577D5197DC6.jpeg

As Bushmiller says, it is ferociously expensive.

The Snakewood that BT sells is probaby Snakewood Dillenia. All very confusing, these names

Brian

Thanks, is Snakewood Dillenia more suitable then, I can't find any info on it?

Does AU$880 for 15M of 250x50mm tallowood and 10M of 250x75mm snakewood dillenia sound about right then?

Sounds like it comes with some "Snake oil"

As you are starting out you do need a bench but you can save yourself a lot of bother and money and build it out of something thats easier to work. Pine will make a perfectly functional bench and for hundreds of years thats what most carpenters used. You will have way more chance of success and have a bench to make stuff on sooner. Save the harder stuff for down the track a bit.
Regards
John

Thanks, I'm going to go with pine for now.

The great thing about a Pine Bench, is especially if its your first bench, when you get to wanting to possibly build Bench number 2, you wont feel so bad about using Pine.

We all want too do great from the beginning, but sometimes its good to take baby steps.

Cheers Matt .

Pine is great timber if it's clear and dry.

Trouble being is that people have become accustomed to getting knotty flaky crap.

I used to buy clear pine, which is really Siberian grown Baltic pine, for kids furniture. It was sweet stuff. All slow grown, tight rings and clear as good oak (not as strong obviously!).

For a bench, perhaps give Tassie/Vic Oak a look? It's heavy, hard and cheap.

Also, being thy first bench, you won't weep too much when you break it

Thanks!

Where would I find cheap Tassie/Vic Oak and pine in Sydney, that deliver?

Obviously I don't want DAR, what do I want though, lol I don't even know what the "rough cut" timber is even called?

Thanks.
Richard

rthorntn, where are you in Syd? Its a big place

Sydney has many excellent sellers. This group will know all of them

Thanks, it's Lane Cove, I was thinking sellers that have a flat delivery fee for Sydney, a Ute rocks up on the day kind of thing?