Just joined .. and need some help please.

[Chris1965]

Hello to all, not sure if this is appropriate on this forum as all seem to run slightly differently, but wanted to say hello to all the woodturners and looking forward to interacting with you.

I need some help sourcing some wood for a special project, I require 2 pieces of Ash, kiln dried or ateast extremely dry, in this size ... 300 mm x 200 mm x 200 mm (post like).
I have tried my usual suppliers and had no luck, if anyone can point me in the direction of someone who can supply I would be extremely grateful.

Regards
Chris.

 

[adidat]

welcome along Chris, could you stick four pieces together to make up the piece?


have you tried devon hardwoods or yandles,

excellent name btw! :lol:

adidat

 

[CHJ]

Might be worth giving Yandles a ring in Martock, Somerset TA12 6JU, 01935 822207 if you have not already tried them.

Don't know that i've ever seen 200mm square stock lengths there but worth a try.

Can you laminate from smaller stock? could be a better and more stable option.

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Can you not laminate some pieces together? I imagine that its hard to find a piece that thickness at short lengths from merchants, you maybe better contacting local workshops.

Have you tried http://www.sykestimber.co.uk/ They helped me out with a small amount of Afromosia recently.

 

[Chris1965]

Thankyou for all your inputs, I had completely forgotten about Yandles !!

Due to the style and type of object, and the prestigeous customer, laminating is not an option, though I had considered it, I also considered dropping an Ash especially to supply the pieces and have them dried. But I pride myself on recycling wood and not deliberately cutting down tree's for pure vanity sake.

I made one discovery though, ash is used in the bell supports of churches, according to Nicholson's, the UK's premier belfry renovators, though that still does not explain why they didnt have any or could shed any light on where to get some !

The search is on !

 

[marcros]

If you are considering felling a tree and drying it, why not contact a few tree surgeons?

 

[CHJ]

You could try:--John Bradford if he is still in business. I found him to have a a very varied and interesting selection when I visited.

Burcombe Flower Farm,
Wiggaton, Ottery St. Mary
DEVON, EX11 1PU
Tel: 01404 814533
Please phone for an appointment, Selection of English timbers, both-air and kiln-dried.
Specialise in turnery blanks and carving blocks.

Species in stock include Acacia, Ash, Beech, Spalted Beech, Cherry, Sweet Chestnut, Elm, Wych Elm, Exeter Elm, Lime, Macrocarpa, Maple, Oak, Brown Oak, Tiger oak, Yew, Sycamore, horse chestnut, Cedar etc.
Workshops are. approximately 12 miles from Junction 30 M5 &

One or two others listed here might be of use

 

[jumps]

for that size I would contact a few firewood/log firms - they will have a few pieces that they have cut this winter but not split that you could arrange to kiln dry surely?

 

[Mark Hancock]

Chris

IMHO you are not going to be able to kiln dry timber 200mm thick. I believe the maximum possible is 75mm, maybe 100mm at a push. If laminating is out of the question your only option as I see it is to find someone who has some ash that has been converted and set aside for a number of years to air dry or salvaged timber.

 

[Chris1965]

Update.

Yandles were unbelievably rude and I have to say I was quite shocked by their attitude, Sykes Timber were very helpful and are going to try and source me some.
The irritating bit is I can get some from the USA easily, apart from the fact that FedEx wants £200 to ship it, so thats now a non starter.
Plenty of greenwood available in the size I need, but I have no clue as to how it will dry even after rough turning, you can kiln dry up to 4" in diameter, after that it would have to go into an industrial microwave, but they cannot guarantee the results.

Anyway thanks to everyone for their input.