Notes on Whitmores@Claybrooke Magna - 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 Whitmores@Claybrooke Magna?
(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

 

[Steve Maskery]

I have used them several times but not recently.

I think that you will be hard-pushed to find a better range of woods on sale in one place. The site is HUGE, and they specialise in English Oak and Elm. But you will find everything else there as well. I once had a conversation with, I think, the owner, certainly someone senior, about how the American cherry we get over here seems to be so inferior to the AC that we see displayed on the pages of Fine Woodworking Magazine.

"Are you in a rush? Come with me."

He took me to the most wonderful stack of American Cherry I have ever seen. Waney edged, just as taken off the mill.

It's a great timberyard.

So what's the catch?

It is expensivo. Get top quality, pay top price. If you want to pick you own boards, and you can, you will pay even more, because someone has to supervise you whilst you Umm and Ahh over boards, rather than taking them as they rise. And that is fair enough.

Also don't expect just to turn up and have free range of the place. You need to book an appointment.

They are not "just down the road" from me, but if there was something that I wanted that I couldn't get more locally, I would not hesitate to make the journey.

 

[PAC1]

I agree with all Steve said. They are not set up for small orders, pen or turning blanks but if you want excellent sawn oak and a good range of other sawn timbers they know their stuff. I have used them for 20 years. They will deliver but it can be expensive unless you buy a large amount. A few years ago they took over a yard in Cheshire which does machining, cladding etc

 

[kdampney]

Reposted here as requested by Newbie_Neil:

Whitmore's Timber
Main Road,
Claybrooke Magna,
Leicestershire
LE17 5AQ
01455 209121
https://whitmores.co.uk/

Please bear in mind this was my first visit to a timber merchants, and it was over 3 years ago.

Are they hobby friendly?
Fairly. They had a small offcuts section which was useful for scroll-saw practice, but mainly cater to trades.

Can you self-select or is it by appointment?
By appointment - they had already selected timber to match my requirements (I didn't ask if they allowed self-select)

Will they deliver?
Not sure.

Do they have online ordering?
No

Are prices displayed at the yard?
Not that I saw, but I had to order before seeing the wood anyway

Do they sell domestic hardwoods?
Yes

Do they sell other hardwoods?
Yes

Do they sell softwoods?
Yes

Do they sell manufactured boards?
No

Do they sell turning blanks?
Not sure

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

Will they cut to length to fit in your vehicle?
Probably, if you let them know in advance

Do you have any comments?
Perhaps it was just when I was visiting, but I had to make an appointment to order the wood, which was selected by them, wait for a certain time, and then drive through and they brought it out on forklifts.

 

[PAC1]

Reposted here as requested by Newbie_Neil:

Whitmore's Timber
Main Road,
Claybrooke Magna,
Leicestershire
LE17 5AQ
01455 209121
https://whitmores.co.uk/

Please bear in mind this was my first visit to a timber merchants, and it was over 3 years ago.

Are they hobby friendly?
Fairly. They had a small offcuts section which was useful for scroll-saw practice, but mainly cater to trades.

Can you self-select or is it by appointment?
By appointment - they had already selected timber to match my requirements (I didn't ask if they allowed self-select)

Will they deliver?
Not sure.

Do they have online ordering?
No

Are prices displayed at the yard?
Not that I saw, but I had to order before seeing the wood anyway

Do they sell domestic hardwoods?
Yes

Do they sell other hardwoods?
Yes

Do they sell softwoods?
Yes

Do they sell manufactured boards?
No

Do they sell turning blanks?
Not sure

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

Will they cut to length to fit in your vehicle?
Probably, if you let them know in advance

Do you have any comments?
Perhaps it was just when I was visiting, but I had to make an appointment to order the wood, which was selected by them, wait for a certain time, and then drive through and they brought it out on forklifts.

Yes they deliver but at a cost and not cheap
Yes they have an online presence but only for some machined profiles and manufactured products