Author Topic: Blanks  (Read 5133 times)

Offline Katchin

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Blanks
« on: March 09, 2011, 01:38:12 PM »
Does anyone have a good cheap supplier for blanks? Or a good suggestion for obtaining the wood.

I'm after pen blanks, bowl blanks and spindle blanks I guess. I realise the main suppliers have them, like stiles and bates, but hopefully there a few cheaper suppliers too.

I'll be making my own blanks too of course, but I am currently limited to silver birch, so variation would be good.
John Simon Lawrenson

admalin

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Re: Blanks
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2011, 04:01:05 PM »
Your nearest club seems to be in Barrow. I suggest you contact them and seek their advice.
If you fancy a drive down to Daventry, you could come to the WoodWorks exhibition on May 7th & 8th.
There will be plenty of english hardwoods on sale.
Tony Malin

thebowlerhattedturner

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Re: Blanks
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2011, 06:23:27 PM »
Hi Katchin,
              this is a question that most turners ask at one time or another. I get my timber from joinery companies if I want kiln dried stuff. Some of them are only too glad to get rid of it, normally if it is less than 2 ft long it won't go through their machines. I do buy some from timber merchants but you usually have to buy the whole plank from them and my other source is tree surgeons. They have to pay to take trees to landfill so you can normally get some good lumps from them for the price of a packet of fags. Keep an eye out if you have large country estates locally as they tend to lop their trees fairly often. Another source is the local parks department, get to know the head gardener and get him/her to let you know if any trees are coming down. I also keep an eye on the local planning applications in my local rag as if the tree is subject to a planning decision it is announced there.
Hope this helps
Regards
John

Offline Roger Groom

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Re: Blanks
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2011, 09:00:57 PM »
Hi Katchin
When I retired, I bought myself a three foot chainsaw and an Alaskan Mill attachment. Being the Secretary of our club I get phonecalls from the public, and several other Woodworking Machinery companies, requesting if we are interested in taking away a tree. I always visit and usually agree to cut it up on site and take it away for them. Tree surgeons charge megabucks for this service, so they are usually only too pleased to get rid of it for nothing. Some do however, request a sum and if it is too high I will refuse the offer and give someone else the chance. Doing this has paid for the chainsaw many times over and has provided me and some of the members with a copius supply of English Hardwoods.  And as already said, keep your ears and eyes open. The sound of a chainsaw running in your local vicinity should encourage you to follow the sound and see what, if any is available.

Offline Dave Atkinson

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Re: Blanks
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2011, 12:32:29 PM »
Hi there - give Ian Clarkson a call.  He's over in Hebden Bridge and he did have a number of blanks going cheap.

he's a tree surgeon and makes bowls  http://www.ianclarkson.com/

He was thinking of moving to Scotland but i think he's still there.  Most of the timber is english hardwoods - ash, sycamore, laburnum etc

Cheers Dave