Selecting Timber At The Timber Merchants

[pollys13]

I've just received, Selecting and Drying Wood, a collection of articles appearing in Fine Woodworking magazine. I also have Peter Seftons, Timber Selection DVD, has a section on visiting a timber merchants.

When I'm ready to start making my replacement doors and windows. I want to be sure I know what I'm doing down at the timber merchants and select suitable timber and avoid any pitfalls. Are there any other books, resources, ( besides this forum ) that I should know about?

I have several books on, actual timber species, like uses, photos, characteristics, ease of machine and hand tooling. however these books don't cover the practical aspects of going down to the timber merchants and pulling boards out of a stack and choosing suitable timber.
Cheers.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

know already in your mind what you are going to use each piece for, check for how straight it is, fallen out knots or knots in places where you don't want them to be. Avoid any timber with the blue wood mold or any that's soaking wet and that's about it... It comes with experience I would say...


if you check those things it will already be more than what the regular person checks for..
Oh and there's 1 rule - leave the pile of timber the same way you found it after sorting through it.
There are some timberyards where they get rude at you for sorting out the stuff... I make sure to never return to such places.

 

[Superstrat]

I would love to be able to select my own timber for my furniture projects but my local supplier only supplies ash to order and not off-the-shelf. I send them a cutting list and they speak to their supplier. I always make it clear that I am using the timber for furniture-making.

So far their supplier has always provided good, stable, sawn boards. There are obviously occasional knots and defects but I've been able to work around these without much difficulty.

Maybe I've just been lucky?

 

[andersonec]

If the timber merchants are any good they should offer the advice you require.

 

[Mr T]

Best advice, always buy more than you need! It's better to have the freedom to select pieces to get grain contintinuity than try to get every last piece out of a limited quantity. You can only do that if you have spare wood to selct from.

Chris

 

[Mikelewis]

I am currently making 9 windows, 1 door and a patio door and decided to go with engineered oak due to its stability.

We get a lot of rain here, and the advice from people you had bought solid oak windows and doors is that they wrapped and twisted and were difficult to open and close. I bought the wood from lathams and are pleased with the product at roughly £10 per meter.

Thanks

 

[pollys13]

OK thanks everyone.