Buying blanks

[ptygmit]

Out of a desire to try turning somthing other then pine or redgum, which are the only two easily available timbers round my way, i decided to see if i could buy a few blanks online. Im going to the Adelaide wood show in July, but frankly, im an impatient type and want to get my grubby paws on somthing in the meantime!!

Ive done a bit of research and there doesnt appear much online, that is easy to find anyhow. Does anyone know of anywhere that sells reasonably priced blanks? Im still pretty new to turning so i don't need amazing burls, just somthing new...

I found this site from the UK (http://www.stilesandbates.co.uk/shop...indle%20Blanks), and am pretty much blown away by how cheap they are. I think its about 2 bucks to a pound. Wheres the aussie equivilent to this company??

What do you guys do to quench your thirst for different timbers? (aside those lucky enough to have mates with property!)

[reeves]

PT, there are several threads dealing with this topic and several sites in australia where you can order blanks from. Some will be a little expensive, some will be green blanks. A lot is figured or burl so if you want plain wood blanks its often better to grab a chainsaw and find some local logs.

The links have been posted many times but do a google for woodturning blanks on the OZ google site.

try

http://www.thewoodsmith.com.au/thewoodsmith/
http://www.djarilmari.com/
http://www.woodcentre.com.au/
http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au/in-stock.html
http://www.tasmanianspecialtimbers.com.au/
http://www.aussieburls.com/turnblanks.htm
http://stores.ebay.com.au/TURNED-ON-...QQftidZ2QQtZkm

another good source is to check out local sawmills for offcuts, look around in the state forest for logs and bits and also check out farms for fence posts, sleepers etc, regularly visit the green waste section of yr local rubbish tip.

I aint been to Mt Gambier for years but I know theres heaps of wood down that way..;-)

[wtrueman]

If you have access to shipping crates, pallets, dunage etc, you can find odd pieces that can be glued up and turned. I've picked up oak, mahogany, maple and even black walnut doing this. Good luck. Wayne T

[ptygmit]

Thanks for the tips guys, and the links. I found a few of those in my seaches on google, but a couple i missed and i will certainly get in touch and give em a try.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Or you could join the pen-swap on these forums...

[woodturner777]

another good place for Turning Blanks if you are still learning the Craft
is the good old Fruit tree, if some one is pulling out the tree, you can get some beautiful timber from Fruit trees, cheers Bob.

[Allan at Wallan]

A couple of suggestions:

Have a search on eBay for "pen blanks" - it looks a bit lean
on the site today but there are usually plenty available at
reasonable prices.

Join a woodworking club or watch this site for occasional
pen blank swaps.

Talk "wood" to friends or associates. Develop friendships
with people around wood such as getting offcuts from
furniture makers, obtaining branches from tree fellers
and keep your eye out for discarded items on roadside
council collections.

Soon you will have more wood than you can poke a
stick at.

Good luck

[Brown Dog]

I recently lashed out and purchased one of the 250kg Tasmanian timber specials from one of the sites Reeves has mentioned...Gondwana Forest products

http://www.aussieburls.com/specials.htm.

with delivery it works out to be about $1.60 a kg which I thought was pretty good value. I was very happy with the selection of timbers I got in my pack. I also got one of his pen specials and some boards

cheers
BD

[woodturner777]

B,D, did you recieve any good Blanks of Myrtle & Ecalyptus Burl with that order or just Timber Blanks.? cheers,

[Brown Dog]

hi Woodturner..

No...there was no burl in this 250kg pack...but some nice chunks never the less .

cheers
BD

[woodturner777]

BD, well its good to know you got some nice big Blanks,
but i did not think you would get any Burl for that Price, you wait and see what Burl will be worth in a few more years,

[reeves]

BD, well its good to know you got some nice big Blanks,
but i did not think you would get any Burl for that Price, you wait and see what Burl will be worth in a few more years,

yes i think Brown dog got the standard turning blanks pack for $275 or so plus shipping. Their burls pack is $600 plus shipping which works out to about $3 kilo or so for all burls.

[Brown Dog]

yes i think Brown dog got the standard turning blanks pack for $275 or so plus shipping. Their burls pack is $600 plus shipping which works out to about $3 kilo or so for all burls.

Yep that right Reeves...it was the special they have advertised in the AWR.
$3 a kg I reckon thats a bargain for burl....way less than I can get it for around here. The last largish chunk of burl I bought locally cost about $80 .

cheers
BD

[Ray153]

BD,
I am thinking about going down the same road as you, the price seems pretty fair.

Can you give me an idea of the sorts of sizes you got in the pack? What sort of moisture content, was it half way dry or was there still green leaves and dirt around the roots on the blanks?

How did the blanks arrive, waxed all over or just the end grain?

[Brown Dog]

Gidday Ray

Can you give me an idea of the sorts of sizes you got in the pack?

The pack I got had everything in it from 25mm square 300mm long sticks to roughly 600x600x75mm blanks
here is a link to a pic of the blanks shorly after being unpacked

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...chmentid=45067

What sort of moisture content, was it half way dry or was there still green leaves and dirt around the roots on the blanks?

From what I have turned so far some seem very wet some not as wet. The sassafras was sopping wet and had some mold on it. The blackwood seemed a little dryer....but he does say the packs contain green timber nothing has been dried. Some of the Houn pieces still had bark on them but there was no leaves or dirt

How did the blanks arrive, waxed all over or just the end grain?

All blanks are completley covered in wax

hope this helps.

cheers
BD