Price of walnut

[mickthetree]

Just been to my local timber merchant for some planed AB Walnut.

Can someone check my calculations please?

1 x 20mm x 290mm x 2740mm = 0.016m3 or 0.565cubft = £195

I make that £12187.50 per cubic meter or £345 per cubic foot.

If this is right, I'm giving up woodwork here and now.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

0.015892 cubic metres

Yes, you're right. However, you need to know the sizes they had in stock and then add on a cost for cutting, planing and thicknessing.

Ouch, it still seems quite a markup.

 

[Lons]

Bl**dy hell, if that's the price I'll be selling on the lumps I have in stock. :shock:

Metric calcs look ok to me so I guess they're trying to take your eyes out.

 

[Chrispy]

It may be because of the sizes you've given, that's going to take a lot of looking to find a good enough piece that long and wide with out defects and is straight enough! does it really need to be that size?

 

[AJB Temple]

That is a very long and wide plank. It will add massively to the cost as they will probably end up with a lot of waste. If you have a cutting list, discuss with them the most economical way of achieving it.

 

[mickthetree]

These were pieces they had already in stock prepared. Only need to make a table top up 1200 x 260 x 20 but they didn't have any smaller bits. I would have bought smaller pieces and jointed them to get less waste but I got the distinct impression that the chap in the yard had no time for the likes of me. They guy in shop seemed more welcoming but those prices wont see me going back any time soon.

http://www.chilterntimber.co.uk

They are not really a proper hardwood timber yard, but they do have a fair bit so thought I'd get an alright deal

They had various sawn boards, but again felt I wasnt their sort of customer so left.

Well I've just called them back and they have confirmed that these are the correct prices for walnut per cubic foot or cubic meter irrespective of the length or width. They charge purely by the cubic meter.

 

[memzey]

That's very interesting Mick. I'm based in St Albans and have used those guys before for sheet goods (ply mainly) but had noted that they do have a pretty good selection of hard woods as well. I was also considering SL hard woods in Enfield who have a better range of stock. Are you aware of any other proper hard wood supplier in our neck of the woods (no pun intended) which we should consider?

 

[petermillard]

+1 for SLH; they quote ~£50 + VAT for a 2400 x 19 x 140mm ABW, or ~£105+ at 265mm wide. I've bought boards 'blind' from them before and they were very decent.

HTH Pete

 

[mickthetree]

Thanks for the recommendation chaps
I've noticed a few small saw mills around recently but yet to visit. These would be for native air dried hardwoods, but I don't know of a proper supplier of kiln hardwoods in the area

 

[Lons]

What about something like this as an option?
http://www.worktop-express.co.uk/wood_w ... linth.html

 

[Adam9453]

give Eastern Hardwoods in harlow a try, I've always found them very helpful.

 

[custard]

Rough sawn, kilned Walnut boards, either English or American Black, should come in around £80 a cubic foot. But you can expect 30-50% waste from that. PAR boards will be more expensive, as will the very highest quality examples and larger dimensions. But having said that I've bought rippled, super wide (500mm plus), super thick (60mm plus), and exceptionally well figured boards, and have never paid more than about £120 a cubic foot.

I wouldn't personally buy from SL Hardwoods, but only because I want to choose my own waney edged boards, however SL are a good price benchmark and if you don't have a choice but to order over the phone then you can be reasonably confident they'll deliver fairly consistent, mid-range quality boards at a reasonable price,

http://www.slhardwoods.co.uk/products/s ... sawn-board

 

[mickthetree]

Thanks for the recommendations all. I'm working on a number of suggestions now and will try to post back with the outcome.

 

[Woodchips2]

Another firm to try is Andy Harrison http://www.aharrisonwoodturning.co.uk/Timber.html in Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire.

Regards Keith

 

[John15]

Hi Mick,

I've bought Oak and Cherry from Good Timber near Northampton which wouldn't be too far for you. I've seen American Black Walnut there - their price for sawn is around £100 cu ft depending on thickness. They seem to have a good selection of hardwoods and have a comprehensive pricelist for sawn and planed boards on their website. http://www.goodtimber.com/cgi-bin/newbuild.

John