Thread: need help finding wood

We just had "Weisey Boy's Pallet Challenge" where a number of us made stuff out off pallets. I laminated a couple of boards together and turned a platter, so that is one possibility for you. (Although you need a thicknesser or jointer to smooth the edges for joining.)

Off cuts from kitchen places is another possibility. But you drive round too much looking for free wood and $20 for pine starts to look alright. (You don't need it dressed for turning. Maybe wander to the Outdoor building supplies bit and see what they have there.

Then there is always the logs at the side of the road. The fire wood pile....

You can also keep an eye on the for sale section here. There is a thriving black market in timber bits going on..

Originally Posted by new_guy90

hi all im have just started to get into wood turning and after some lessons have found it very enjoyable. i just bought a cheap second hand lathe thats in very good condition for its age and it came with 9 turning chisels and a home made scraper, so with the gear all here i have hit a snag when it came to the wood. i need some 70 X 70 pine to practice on so i asked at the local saw mill and they didn't have any so i went to bunnings yep they had it but for $20 for 1.8 meters and 3 meters for $34. there used to be a renovating place with second hand timber that i could have gotten hard wood from but it closed down ages ago so now im stumped, i dont like bunnings to much is that price to much? and where can i go to get some cheap second hand hard wood for some good jobs?

any help with this would be much appreciated

70 X 70 pine ? 70mm as in 3 inches ? or 70 cm as in 700mm as in 25 inches ?

i would like to see bunnies selling 25''x25''x3 metres long pine ??????????????????????? der

Originally Posted by robyn2839

i would like to see bunnies selling 25''x25''x3 metres long pine ??????????????????????? der

Try that one again , in clear and concise English

Originally Posted by new_guy90

hi all im have just started to get into wood turning and after some lessons have found it very enjoyable. i just bought a cheap second hand lathe thats in very good condition for its age and it came with 9 turning chisels and a home made scraper, so with the gear all here i have hit a snag when it came to the wood. i need some 70 X 70 pine to practice on so i asked at the local saw mill and they didn't have any so i went to bunnings yep they had it but for $20 for 1.8 meters and 3 meters for $34. there used to be a renovating place with second hand timber that i could have gotten hard wood from but it closed down ages ago so now im stumped, i dont like bunnings to much is that price to much? and where can i go to get some cheap second hand hard wood for some good jobs?

any help with this would be much appreciated

NewGuy,
Why buy wood ? , especially stuff so small . Look around for off-cuts , check out the building sites etc .
Firewood , old post , branches , whatever
Save the cash for tools
Are you wanting it for faceplate or spindle turning ? , either way , use what you find , its more fun

BTW New guy, What are you going to call yourself in a few months when you're one o' the old guys?

Originally Posted by tea lady

BTW New guy, What are you going to call yourself in a few months when you're one o' the old guys?

ya had to ask eh TL ya just had to mention it huh

Welcome to the asylum NewGuy

Hi New Guy....

Are there no firewood piles in Queensland??

Some of the neatest turnings come from wood that otherwise would have gone up in smoke!

Good luck.

Originally Posted by new_guy90

hi all im have just started to get into wood turning and after some lessons have found it very enjoyable. i just bought a cheap second hand lathe thats in very good condition for its age and it came with 9 turning chisels and a home made scraper, so with the gear all here i have hit a snag when it came to the wood. i need some 70 X 70 pine to practice on so i asked at the local saw mill and they didn't have any so i went to bunnings yep they had it but for $20 for 1.8 meters and 3 meters for $34. there used to be a renovating place with second hand timber that i could have gotten hard wood from but it closed down ages ago so now im stumped, i dont like bunnings to much is that price to much? and where can i go to get some cheap second hand hard wood for some good jobs?

any help with this would be much appreciated

Hi new_guy90

I understand how difficult it can be for someone just starting, to find timbers for turning at a reasonable price, preferentially, free. One thing is finding the timber, the other is processing that timber, mainly if it is in log form. A simple petrol chainsaw can do you wonders, to get the timber home then, and if possible, an electric chainsaw or a bandsaw to complete the process.
You will be surprised how much available timbers (trees, logs, etc.) is all around you, and the first place I would go would be the local "dump". Every rubbish dump has its greens section, and there is where you will find tree logs cut from the Council guys and private people. The second place would be the local "tree surgeon" they operate privately and remove most of the trees around their towns, a little cash or a carton of beer, can do the trick!. Ask around, neighbours, etc., some people would just be grateful to have their trees pruned or cut, at no cost to them.

Don't worry, in no time, you will be seeing timber everywhere, even in your sleep...!
Seriously, you have to "look" for timber as such, to see it, after that, you see nothing else, believe me, I know...! .

Good luck
Cheers
RBTCO

As a beginner looking at spindle turning, straight dry timber is what you want - pref. fairly even grained. So that $20 for a piece that will keep you amused for a couple of hours ain't too bad.

Some other options:
- residential fencing contractors: if you notice one working on your area ask if they have any cypress post offcuts (used for fancy picket fences) or if they are demolishing an old fence, any redgum posts (but this is not the easiest timber to be starting with)
- specialist timber yard: ask if you can go through their offcut bin
- house restumper: may be pulling out old redgum stumps (but same problem and you also often need to let them sit for a few months to dry)
- house wrecking (but beware of nails)
- timber salvage/recycler: check out your Yellow Pages

Roof truss plants generally have off cuts of 90x45 or 70x35. Rip in half and you have lots to practise on.

where abouts are you in queensland, i may be able to help.bob

As has been suggested above, finding wood isn't really a problem.

What is a problem is when you start looking at your Grandma's heirloom blanket chest or your neighbour's fence posts and think "Hmmm... I reckon I could make an [insert object name here] or two out of that!"

I used to (and still do) wonder around building sites and ask for access to their dumpster.
Most were obliging...Pallets are good too. Some clamps and pva glue .... And you can soon create some good bowl blanks.

Regards
Troy