Thread: Timber for scroll sawing

I believe there is a place in Queensland that sells timber for scroll sawing. A search of this forum should give you the name.

Longer than usual drill bits? not sure why you would need them for scroll sawing?

Peter

Hi Peter Semple
I will search the forum as suggested. I have attached a photo of the current projects in box making and these are cut from a single block and can be three to four inches deep, so the drill bit will need to be longer than usual in the cutting steel section.

Lili B

Here is the thread I had in mind https://www.woodworkforums.com.au/sho...ht=thin+timber

Still no idea about those drill bits though.

Peter

Thanks I guess the annual holidays will be up north. Can't get much in Deniliquin, unless we want to mill our own white ant infested bush timbers!!

LiliB,

I grow and mill Paulownia. I can do special orders of non standard size timber if given sufficient time. I have even produced timber 1 mm thick after dressing. The only problem is that I don't find it economical to produce, say, just $50.00 worth of timber for a special order.
Paulownia stains very well so you could achieve colour contrasts this way. Really I am only trying to help a woodie so send me a PM if you want to follow up the offer.

John

You can purchase what they call the "long series" drill bits but the smallest diameter or bore that they make in that series is 3mm and 1/8th". The long series is available at Bunnings in the tool department.

Hi Nice to hear from you both.
Methusalah, thanks for the tip. We must visit Bunnings and have a look.

Whitewood, I don't know Pawlonia wood at all. I only know what a glorious ornamental tree it is, and its wonderful orchidlike spotted bell flowers. I will look up Pawlonia on the hardness listing of the timber merchants in Melbourne. I imagine it is soft, and quite nice to work. Will send a PM for futher info from you, when I work out how!!


LiliB
Grateful for all help.

Have you tried talking to woodworking clubs in your area?

When I first moved here from overseas 9 years ago I tried to find some small pieces of native wood to send to my son who is a turner... it was like there was this cloud of secrecy... nobody could tell me anything. Not until several years later , after joining our club did I find the "secret"....
Sometimes the club is given wood, they have to wait a long time for it dry , then every so often some of it gets milled and sold to the members.

A good place to get pine is
Costa's Treeland He slices it to whatever thickness I need - size is about that of a sheet of paper...

And yes.... a thicknesser would be good.... you could then get recycled timber - I find some of that really good!

Juvy

Hi Keju
I know what you mean about the getting of specialty timbers. It is easier to get into the Kremlin than to get answers, it seems to me. I guess it all takes time, and there is much to be learned. I have talked to timber merchants in Melbourne & Canberra and I can get beautiful exotic woods, but I think that a thicknesser is really the only viable option. I am a lover of exotic woods, and hardwoods, so David rarely works in pine, except in situations where things might be painted.

We are in a town where I think the woodworking club has folded, possibly due to many older members passing on, and few young people interested. I know when we move from here, the first priority will be to join a club, not just for the wood and good advice, but for the camaraderie. The clubs seems wonderful, full of people willing to give of their time, experience and skills. I have never seen its like elsewhere. There appears to be a lack of the competitive, ugly edge that often goes with being in a club.

Next time we're over in the high country, we will have to get to Costas Trees and see what he can do for us.

Meanwhile, thanks again


LiliB

Keep hearing of you scroll sawyers having problems sourcing suitable timbers, can you post up a list of the sizes and types of timbers you're looking for? Reason for asking is that I think that I could grab a few small logs from here & there and mill them for the express purpose of being used for scroll sawing.

May also be able to have a look through some of my bits and pieces to see what could be scrounged up that would be suitable for you that could be used now.

Following on from that: what width is desirable? I am just starting to consider thin pieces of timber, given that so far I was interested only in carving, then in turning. Having bought 1/2 tonne of reject 200x19 flooring boards and a 17" bandsaw, I think that with access to a jointer/thicknesser I will be able to make as much thin timber as I want... provided is not wider than 200mm. Had only one attempt so far and it worked fine.

I don't know about anyone else, but my prefered thickness is anything up to about 20mm, depending on the hardness of the wood. For portraits I like using 5-8mm. As for width.... that's hard to say ..... it depends if I cut a portrait or if I cut say something like a x-mas tree ornament. I can use wood as narrow as 40mm , sometimes I've searched for something 350mm... but for me that huge. The most common size I use is about the size of a sheet of printer paper.

I often use other woodies left overs.... not much gets thrown away around here.
Last weekend we srolled on old CDs! lol Prefer wood any day tho!
Of course cost is a big consideration... naturally free is best

Juvy

Hi Frank & Ernest
Now that's what I call lateral thinking!!! It's that kind of thing that forums are excellent for. I've never considered seconds from manufacturers, or millers, but there must be scope to get such materials.

Do you have any trouble with the tongue and groooving? David tried to sand away tongue and grooving from a little sample of cedar floorboard (Hasn't got his thicknesser yet), and it was hard going to work the timber to usable levelness.

I'd love to know just what you do to work the floorboards to usable pieces.


LiliB

Hi Lili. This is my experience, for what it's worth.

1- Supply: look at the buy,sell swap forum, Studley organises inexpensive packs of reject QLD timber. One tonne pack should last you a very long time! If you have the space, buy 2 or 3 to save on transport and you might never have to worry about supply again.

2: Processing. By joining a WW club I have arranged access to joiner and thicknesser, easier than finding a place for them in the shed. For the moment don't use them enough to justify purchase, but at the worst a couple of grand would fix that too.

3: Method: - cut off the tongue with table saw if you have it or bandsaw.
- cut the board in half with the bandsaw, groove side up.
- pass through jointer and thicknesser. With a bit of luck, you get two 8mm thick boards. Depending on final thickness you might/ might not be able to use the groove width.

Good luck!