I am looking for dried wood to make boxes with. About 4" square x 6" length minimum. I am not to picky about the species right now as I am really just learning to make lidded boxes. A Canadian or US supplier wood be fine. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jay
Jay
May I suggest that you go out to the nearest wood pile and pick a few select chunks of firewood to use for learning how to make boxes. If you buy the wood for learning on, you will be very timid in your learning process and probably not be as creative or willing to take a "chance" if you have money invested in the materials. It is best at the outset to turn wood that is free - that way, you can screw it up or make something beautiful with very little concern for losing money!
FWIW
Ray Sandusky Brentwood, Tennessee USA
Firewood?? No kidding that's what I'm using as a source for "just playing about" wood.
Jay.. I'm getting back into small boxes again after a 10 year "vacation" from turning... I'm working with firewood for the first time (learned here in the rec) and it's ideal for boxes, especially if you happen to get a few pieces that will round and still have a bit of bark left...
I find that boxes work best for me "long grain" and a chunk of firewood 3 or 4" in diameter and 6 or 8" long is great for a box & lid..
As others have said, you have nothing to lose... the mindset is "the worst I can do is make shavings and fancy firewood"
One of my uncles used to work in a mill that got lots of it's machinery from the far-east. All the crates were junk hard-wood. But he could get lots of small pieces that were good
I used to have a friend that worked in a Harley shop... I don't know if they still do, but they used to ship the new bikes out of S. Dakota in packing crates made of 1 1/2" thick rough oak.. We used to make lots of nice stuff out of that, planed down to 1" or maybe 3/4", depending on the shape of the boards when we got them..
"Most of it is junk wood." Yes, it's mostly junk wood. After a while you get to know which is which. Exotic wood used for palette making is of a low grade. What is not sold for furniture making is sold at bargain price to make palettes. I live in close to a port city. When these palettes come in they are put aside and sold to friends that have the first pick. Usually the timber is very dark and has the appearance of dowdy lumber. My next door neighbors usually bring me palettes for kindling. When I see woods that could be of some use I may scrape the surface to identify the species. Most of the palette timber is used to start the fire. The good wood (about 7-10 % ) is checked with a metal detector and dressed and stored in door for future use.
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