Notes on Sykes Timber@Atherstone- Can you PLEASE HELP?

[Newbie_Neil]

I am putting together a table of timber yards, with information from members who have actually visited the yards. Can you please help with information about Sykes Timber? You can see the timber yards that are already included in the timber yard link below.

Are they hobby friendly?

Can you self-select or is it by appointment?

Will they deliver?

Do they have online ordering?

Are prices displayed at the yard?

Do they sell domestic hardwoods?

Do they sell other hardwoods?

Do they sell softwoods?

Do they sell manufactured boards?

Do they sell turning blanks?

Are they a one-man-band or a small, medium or large yard?

Will they cut to length to fit in your vehicle?

Do you have any comments?

Thanks for your help,
Neil

NB I am trying to get the information from people who have actually visited the yards, not just their web sites.

 

[Alexam]

On two occassions I have visited Sykes they were extreemly helpful. They have an offcuts area with all sorts of timbers available and a massive covered storage for all your needs in hardwood and softwoods. You can order by phone or onliine and they will deliver if required. They are a large organisation and well managed and will cut to your request.

I was rather dissapointed on my last contact a few months ago when they were not prepared to be more selective on timber posts needed, but perhaps the person dealing with that (not the man I usually speak to as he was on holiday) was having a bad hair day.

In all, certainly worth a visit.

 

[RobCee]

Sykes Timber:

Are they hobby friendly? Yes. They are more geared up for larger volume trade, but are happy to help with timber selection and ideas if they know what you are trying to do.

Can you self-select or is it by appointment? A bit of each, they have an offcuts area where you can self select and the main yard they are happy to take you around and show you different ideas for your particular job. They will select the most likely candidates for you to inspect and collect.

Will they deliver? Yes

Do they have online ordering? No, it is all done over the phone or face to face.

Are prices displayed at the yard? Only for some of the offcuts. The rest is volume dependant.

Do they sell domestic hardwoods? Yes

Do they sell other hardwoods? Yes

Do they sell softwoods? Yes

Do they sell manufactured boards? Some of the more unusual ones, Birch/Marine Ply - I had a couple of sheets of chestnut boards from them last year that are 'popular with cabinetmakers'. They are glue-ups of ~80mm x18mm strips in 2400mm sheets (cant remember the finished width) and worked very nicely for a couple of my projects.

Do they sell turning blanks? Not specifically, although some of their offcuts could be used.

Are they a one-man-band or a small, medium or large yard? Large yard but I have always found them helpful and friendly as a hobby user.

Will they cut to length to fit in your vehicle? Yes they will.

Do you have any comments? I like dealing with them, not the cheapest, but the quality of timber I have had from them is great for my requirements.

 

[CaptainSawdust]

A massive thank you to everyone who has posted here. I always feel out of my depth going to a merchant because usually I fear I'm going to be laughed at for asking for a single board but I'm excited to look through their offcuts to get some bits for Christmas presents.

Will be heading to Sykes this morning on the back of this.

 

[memzey]

Are they open on Saturdays?

 

[Benchwayze]

Cap'n,

I never go anywhere else for timber for a special job. (When I was more involved.) I used to speak to a chap called Ben, who was always helpful; interested and certainly won't look down his nose if you are spending about £500.00, which I have usually done. ,

They are happy to let you collect your timber, but my last order was a good amount of Southern Yellow and Cedar.Too much for my roof rack! Sykes delivered free. All in all, I am a great fan of George Sykes's yard and incidentally, they do like to see what you manage to make with their timber.

I don't think they are open on Saturdays, but I ought to check the site. Sooner or later will need some more Southern Yellow Pine for a joinery bench. When? Gawd knows! :mrgreen: I got the idea from the RenaissanceWW on the Tube.

Finally, with Sykes's, the timber is always what they say it is... Quality and worth the effort and extra pounds.

Reminds me, I built my first dining suite from timber supplied by Sykes, when they were operating from Sheepcote Street in Brum.

Can't find any opening hours listed so I'd call them on a Saturday, and find out that way.

John

 

[bourbon]

http://www.sykestimber.co.uk/contacts.html

 

[Benchwayze]

http://www.sykestimber.co.uk/contacts.html

Ah well, I am 79 in February '18. I just checked my Plan box. All the B's are used up! :mrgreen:

Thanks Bourbon.

John

 

[Peri]

I sent off an email to Sykes enquiring about very small quantities of nice timber for box making and miniature furniture, and received the following fantastic reply

Hi
Thank you for your enquiry.

If you are in reasonable travelling distance from us, we do have an off-cuts shed where we have quite a range of timbers in various (mostly quite small) sizes.
We are open from 8.00am to 4.30 pm Monday through Friday and you are welcome to call in without notice, select your own piece or pieces from the shed and pay at the office. We accept Visa and Mastercard Debit and Credit Cards, cash or cheques with a guarantee card.

Alternatively, we do produce small hand samples of many of the timbers we stock, which are approximately 145mm x 67mm x 5mm.
We supply boxes which include one sample of each timber we have available as samples (normally about 30 pieces of different woods) for £25.00 + VAT inclusive of postage and packaging.

As an amateur wood-worker myself, I know just how difficult it can be to obtain hardwoods in small quantities, so I am pleased to say Sykes Timber does it’s best to supply retail customers as well as our main Trade customers.

I just took a very quick look in the offcuts shed and there were pieces of the following hardwood timbers available:
Ash, Balau, Beech, Sweet Chestnut, Ebony, Elm, Idigbo, Iroko, Jelutong, Hickory, Keruing, Lime, Maple, African Mahogany, Brazilian Mahogany, European Oak, Pippy Oak, Ammonia Fumed Oak, American Red Oak, American White Oak, Obeche, Padauk, Pear, Yellow Poplar, Plum, , Sapele, Teak, Utile, African Walnut, American Black Walnut, European Walnut,

In softwoods there were offcuts of Western Red Cedar, Cedar of Lebanon, Quebec Yellow Pine, Douglas Fir, Scots Pine, Sitka Spruce, Siberian Larch and Honduras Pitch Pine.

I could well have missed others. There are also some veneers and dowels in various timbers and sizes.
Prices vary from timber to timber and with size, but prices are marked on to most pieces and I saw one small piece of Scots Pine at £2.00 up to a large piece of Elm at £200 and everything in between.
All price are plus VAT.

Please let us know if we can be of further help.

Kind regards,