How much do offcuts cost?

[twodoctors]

A bit of a vague question I know. How long is a piece of string (and what type of string!)...

Not really bought wood before until the last week or two for another project. I found a guy who sells blanks for turning etc. Very nice guy who's also about 10 min drive from me which is handy. Having "wasted" money in B&Q getting small piece of Oak board for a tenner, he sold me a length of maple which is probably double the size of what I had for also a tenner. Not sure whether that's expensive or not...

Went back to him for more off cuts for scrolling. See picture. They are (from left to right) 2 pieces of European Steamed Beech, 2 thin strip of Red Meranti, 1 length of Oak, 2 lenghts of Canary Tulipwood, 3 pieces of Scandanavian Pine, and 1 length of American Ash. Got all that for a tenner. Is that reasonable?

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iHRAR ... ko6qUicnRA

Also got two length of offcut English Ash (about 180mm x 80mm x 20mm) for a fiver, from a bigger timber merchant. Again have I been ripped off?

If you are near Nottingham, where do you get your wood from?

Adrian

 

[AndyT]

Relax! There's no government regulated price list for small pieces of wood!

You've spent the price of a sandwich and a coffee on materials for a hobby you enjoy. That sounds positive to me.

I certainly don't think you were overcharged, even though woodworkers (myself included) love to tell stories of valuable wood they have got for nothing.

 

[twodoctors]

I certainly don't think you were overcharged, even though woodworkers (myself included) love to tell stories of valuable wood they have got for nothing.

That's the aim of the game isn't it? :-D

Thought I would get offcuts (or scraps to him) so I can make some bedroom door signs for the children (pale backgroud, red meranti/oak letters) and other things like intarsia. This guy is really nice and helpful (despite him aware that I'm not a big spending client). Spent half and hour for £10 worth of business. Can't complain I don't think. He also has Wenge and Zebrano in stock but I don't think I'm ready for those just yet!

Where does everyone else get their plywood from? I know B&Q does them but I'm sure they are overpriced. The timber merchant I know of also do them but comes in 5' x 5' x 1/4"sheet for about £10 and want to charge £10 per cut! I only drive a VW Up!

Adrian

 

[bugbear]

... even though woodworkers (myself included) love to tell stories of valuable wood they have got for nothing.

Do they?

post1034163.html?hilit=rosewood#p1034163



BugBear

 

[hammer n nails]

Lucky man think you did well

 

[Steve Maskery]

The two main large timber merchants in Nottingham are Brookes Brothers (although everyone knows them as Fitchett & Woollacott), on Lenton Lane Industrial Estate, and Gibbs and Dandy round the corner on Queen's Drive Industrial Estate (although everyone knows them as Nixon Knowles).

You won't get offcuts from either of them, but BB used to kiln their own timber and would often have a crate of "kiln samples" for not much money. I don't know if they still do, it's been a good while since I've been there. A lot of things changed after their fire.

 

[sunnybob]

"The timber merchant I know of also do them but comes in 5' x 5' x 1/4"sheet for about £10 and want to charge £10 per cut! I only drive a VW Up!"

Take a saw (hand or battery power) with you and buy the whole sheet. Wheel it out to the car park and cut it to fit your vehicles load space.

 

[twodoctors]

Thanks Hammer and Nails.

Good point sunnybob. Don't have battery powrred saw, and only a tenon saw...

Thanks Steve Maskery. BB do have offcuts but mostly narrow long planks of random stuff. So far bought 180 x 80 x 30 of English oak for £12 and similar size English Ash for £5. I'll stick my head round Gibbs and Dandy soon... Only down the road from work!

Adrian

 

[powertools]

The value of anything comes down to the price that people are happy to pay. You spent a tenner on some offcuts that you were happy to pay and will enjoy using and will create something that you are happy with and enjoyed making. Someone else may go to the local pub and spend that on 2 pints and their only achievement is to leave a stain on the bathroom floor when they got up at 3 am for a pee and missed the pan.

 

[Jacob]

All depends. I found myself buying small offcuts of birch ply on ebay, for a project - I didn't want a whole sheet. Fiver or so, but per square meter compared to a full sheet, very expensive.
Conversely - you can sell offcuts - a lot of makers only want bits and bobs, especially if they only make small things.

 

[Mike_5]

I am Birmingham based, and I haven't found a merchant that sells off cuts any cheaper that cut to size full length boards. The only off cuts they sell is "firewood" and you have to buy a black bag for £1 and hope you strike it lucky. I did manage to get about a 200mm x 600mm x 150mm piece of oak for £1 though

If we are allowed to drop suppliers names in here, I use Davies Timbers - they have an online price website.

 

[Estoril-5]

I am Birmingham based, and I haven't found a merchant that sells off cuts any cheaper that cut to size full length boards. The only off cuts they sell is "firewood" and you have to buy a black bag for £1 and hope you strike it lucky. I did manage to get about a 200mm x 600mm x 150mm piece of oak for £1 though

If we are allowed to drop suppliers names in here, I use Davies Timbers - they have an online price website.

Is that the one Wythall?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[oakmitre]

If you know anyone who puts down flooring, 18mm thick Oak offcuts are very easy to obtain.

The grooves on the reverse side vary in style and depth. I have had end of line 1.3 m2 packs from B & Q for £10. Also They sold all of the sample pieces off 50p each.

 

[lurker]

Assuming your "nice man" was trying to run a business you probuably took up ten quids worth of his time.

I buy sheet, but virtually everything else.
> Comes off skips; my main source is a local double glazing place wh give me permission to help myself
> Is given to me by folks who know I'd like it.
> Charity shop rejects

Down side is time and equipment to re saw.
Up side is its usually very stable as its dry
Could be down side but not for me: At least 50% waste but I have open fire so no waste

 

[ED65]

Don't have battery powrred saw, and only a tenon saw...

Get yourself a hardpoint saw then, v. v. handy. Spear & Jackson "Predator" saws are a decent choice, many here have one and like them and they're inexpensive.

Amazon stock them if you can't find them for sale locally.

 

[lurker]

I think I mentioned on one of your other posts I live fairly close.
You are welcome to come over and raid my stash. Also use my ts and bs.
But I'm not around much until Easter. After April things will get much better time wise because I am ceasing to be a wage slave. \/ \/ \/

 

[Mr T]

Anyone in the Leeds/Bradford area is welcome to have a pick through my off cuts bin. Any bits you take make a voluntary contibution of what you think they are worth to a local charity (Ilkley Tools for Africa). The contents of the bin depend on whether I've had a clear out recently.

My workshop is in Ilkley.

Chris

 

[twodoctors]

Thanks Lurker and Chris.

Might take up on your offer Lurker after your retirement... I'm nowhere near mine but I do have time off every now an then.

Bought a bandsaw yesterday... my workshop is adequately equipped for now.

:-D

Adrian

 

[ED65]

...my workshop is adequately equipped for now.

Except for clamps. The rule is: you can never have too many clamps

 

[Mike_5]

Is that the one Wythall?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Yup that is the one.