Wood

[Littlemantodo]

Any suggestions where is a good place to buy wood?
I'm still very new to woodworking and my last project I made from one board of pine bought from B&Q. Is pine the best option? Is was nice to work with and gave a good finished effect. Is B&Q the place to be... I very much doubt it, but not sure where else is better.
I've got a few small projects to do, mainly practising skills and polishing up skills with the tools I have, but am looking to make a toy box in the near future. Any suggestions as to which wood is best for this type of thing, or was I right with the pine?
Any help great fully accepted.
LMT

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Have a look at a builder's or timber merchant's for softwoods. What you bought at B&Q was probably spruce not pine, and redwoods tend to be a little easier to work and finish. Watch junk shops, skips etc. for things to break, sometimes you can find nice bits of wood for small things for next to nothing or free.

 

[8squared]

B&Q is not the cheapest by far.

I get twice the amount of wood for half the price from my local timber place.

So best to find what timber places are close to you and pay them a visit get some prices and compare to what you may get from B&Q.

 

[Littlemantodo]

Local timber merchants it is then!

What kind of wood is light? I'm making mainly toys at the minute and have used pine and it has been quite heavy. I have a decent sized piece of spruce but can't figure out if the pieces would be any lighter? Any other suggestions for a hard wearing light wood?

 

[JakeS]

Any other suggestions for a hard wearing light wood?

Spruce is about as hard-wearing as cheese. You can get cheese in squarer, straighter pieces, as well. Plus it tastes better!

My first thought it tulipwood/American poplar. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall it being relatively light*, and it's definitely harder than spruce or pine and reasonably cost-effective.

* (well, it floats at least! ;-))