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Where to start
Hi all,
Over the last 12 months or so I've been trying to teach myself some woodworking after I found myself making a workbench for the shed because I was too tight to buy one, and I just loved it. I really enjoyed the process and since then have had a go at a few different things (all pretty simple), and I've picked up tools along the way as I've found I needed them. It's a slow process as I only have the weekends to play around, but I'm hooked. I've visited the forums here a few times to search for answers and ideas, but I'm still pretty low on skills and knowledge, so these questions might seem pretty basic here.
I've started out using my local hardware stores (bunnings, mitre 10) for my timber, but the selection is usually only pine or oak. I've had a bit of a play with both so far and I've been fine with starting out this way, but my question is where do I go from here? I would like to experiment with some more varieties and try some different things (so many great ideas on here) but I'm not real sure where to go, let alone what timber I should be asking for or expecting from local suppliers. I'm in Toowoomba in Queensland, about 2 hours west of Brisbane, but I'm just after an idea of where I should be going to and what I should be looking for or expecting, so if anyone could help I would really appreciate it.
Regards,
Shawn
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Welcome Shawn
Your best bet would be to attend this years Working With Wood Show (see https://www.woodworkforums.com/f135/www-dates-2014-a-183549). There you will meet up with a heap of woodies including many forumites at the Forum Stand (see https://www.woodworkforums.com/f135/forum-stand-help-brisbane-www-2014-a-183551). Lots of timber and machinery for sale of all sorts.
Then there is also the Maleny Wood Show on the Sunshine Coast, best place for heaps of timbers in Qld.
Cheers
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Hi Shawn,
Neil has pretty much hit the nail on the head :-) with his suggestions as too where to purchase timber however they are normaly only once a year. I have visited Lazarides a few times for bits and pieces and they have always had some nice and unusual timbers. but you will pay for it :( They can be found by clicking here
Another good place to keep an eye on is right here on the forums both in the market place and in the timber sections.
I hope that is of some help and welcome to the forums.
Cheers
Tony.
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wow, thank you for the quick responses. Both of the brisbane and maleny shows are just around the corner too. The wife and are expecting our first baby this week, due date was yesterday!, so I might be pushing my luck to get to either of these events in May, but I really appreciate you guys pointing those out as I probably wouldn't have found them before it was too late. (She's a sweet woman, so you never know my luck).
I'll keep a closer eye on the forum here to see what comes along as well.
You'll no doubt see me again, as I have a whole bag of stupid questions :U, and as I mentioned, I'm wingin' it here, so I'll be visiting often to get answers and ideas for whatever I might be working on. It's all pretty ordinary stuff at the moment, so I probably won't be thowing pictures around just yet, but I'm having fun and I don't mind that it's taking me a long time to skill up.
thanks again for your help. Talk again soon :U
Regards,
Shawn.