Thread: Is it really Crapiata?

Originally Posted by Howdya do that

it seems to start to bend and warp before I get it home from the shop .

Welcome to the mad house.

Seasoning, they call it seasoning.

Most timber is seasoned on the back of the truck from the timber yard these days.

I do beleive there is a gooder grade of El Crappo.
I dont know where you will get it.

Al

Originally Posted by Howdya do that

I am wondering is there better quality/grades of radiata that you can use whilst on your learners permit and throwing out every second piece because you haved stuffed up.

Don't know about your mitre 10 but when I'm getting any timber espically pine from bunnies I go through every piece they have in the size I want and pick out the straightest with the least knotts even if I have to pull every length out and stack to one side , I always put back what I don't use.
Places like bunnies and mitre 10 sell at a price and it is not necessary of finest quality, so take your time and pick the eyes out of it.

Here in Newcastle we have better timber yards but the better quality stuff costs more, to buy and in petrol to get there.

I know it's out of the area for most of you but Walker Bros Timbers at North Gosford NSW have crapiata, select radiata, and clear radiata. The select and clear are knot free and the clear is almost grain free. I have used the select grade and it is realy a nice timber.

So long story short, yes there are good grades of radiata available and the price is quite reasonable. Walker Bros charge for select what Bunnies charge for crapiata.

Originally Posted by Termite

and the clear is almost grain free. .

Thats MDF.........

Al

Welcome aboard Howdya!
My tips are:
1/ Try to find some older secondhand stuff, recycled old furniture, house framing or floorboards. That stuff was often cut from larger, older trees, consequently better timber to start with, and well seasoned.
2/ Progress from Pinus to Auracaria, the southern pines...hoop, bunya, paranha or kauri (yeah alright its not Auracaria, but closely related ), they're much nicer to work, and have a better colour IMO.

Good luck,

We have a very large builders hardware store in Tamworth and they actually sell a furniture grade Radiata which has less knots and is straighter than what you can buy from bunnings.

Although a few knots in it can give it a bit of character.

I have seen better Radiata in glass packing crates picked up from glass suppliers for nothing.

Basically, Mitre10, Bunnies and their ilk sell what John West rejects. I've noticed that the local Mitre10 is generally better quality than the local Bunnies, though.

I've copped a lot of flak in the past from fellow woodies when I salvage felled pines from backyards and road-sides with as much enthusiasm as I would for native cherry or more exotic trees. But after ripping and seasoning I usually end up with some truly glorious timbers, especially from the 100yo+ trees, at much less than I'd pay for equivalent grades through commercial enterprises.

Of course, the same blokes who laugh at me tend to get their noses out of joint when they try sweet-talking some out of my shop. "I can get it for less at [insert hw store here]" is a common complaint.

Fair enough... let 'em buy their crapiata from there and leave my stash alone.

Yep most large hardware stores buy 290/19mm merchant grade(lowest) and get it cut up... and charge you more than what you'd pay for top clears grade at a real timberyard!
For 290mm I'll pay near $12pm here at a hardware store(small town symdrome)... I get it from handypine for about $3pm!(and its the same grade)

What Termite said...

The construction grade stuff will be from small logs, near the centre of logs etc. It will have knots and probably juvenile wood, and chances are it wont be properly dry. As it dries out in your shed it's going to warp like crazy. If you put it on fillets and put some heavy weights on top for a few weeks it will help, but it's still low grade wood.

The clear and select grades are sawn from the outside of better logs, usually the butt logs that have been pruned of branches to produce clear timber. Of course you pay a premium for this, but it is much better wood (or at least less crappy)

Cheers

Ian

I buy mine dressed in full packs that come from wespine . Mostly 120/35 ,140/35 , 190/35 and a few 45mm thick as well . I buy 1-2 ton a time and redress it as i need it ....most of it it graded non-structual . after all the wastage , still ends up 1/10 the price of wholesale... I also pick up skip dressed jarrah and redress it too ...
secret supplier !!!!!!!!!!!

Hi all.

I usually buy clears 290x19 x 6m, and various materials used for studs, plates, roof trusses and cut it up as required. It is usually in the shed for up to two years before use. Do not usually have aproblem with curling or twist when making any thing. I have noted that straight of the saw pine will do almost everything you dont want it to do. See the bits of furniture I have made from pine here. I have some other timbers I have saved for when I have more experience and I am approaching that time.

http://gallery.groov-e.com/

Regards Mike

I have also been told that clear and select from Matthews Timber in Melbourne is cheaper than radiata from other major large outlets.

I recently made a box for a mate where he supplied the pine from a large hardware retailer. It was heavy and full of resin - and he paid good money for it.

This is akin to selling petrol with 30% water in it and paying top prices.

I guess these outlets consider their customers as suckers and rip them off accordingly.

Thanks for the welcome and good advice mixed with humour. I would rather read the posts all day than work. I have been offered the timber from an 100 year old woolshed as long as I pull it down. They tell me its cypress pine.
Is cypress good to use:confused:

Originally Posted by Howdya do that

Thanks for the welcome and good advice mixed with humour. I would rather read the posts all day than work. I have been offered the timber from an 100 year old woolshed as long as I pull it down. They tell me its cypress pine.
Is cypress good to use:confused:

Nice timber but too brittle for most stuff, it all depends on what you plan to do with it.

Al