Thin sheet material

[RichHox]

Hi everyone!

I've been on here a month or so and love what you guys discuss, dont always have much to add, but soon I hope to be able to contribute more when I know more myself!

Another question for the hive mind: I sometimes try to build small-ish stuff and I dont own a thicknesser, cant afford it right now. Is there anywhere anyone knows of that can supply hardwoods at 6-10mm thick sheets (Dont have to be particularly wide).

This would be for projects such as coasters and jewelry boxes. Currently I buy woodturning blanks and use the table saw to cut them down, but its laborious and not always THAT precise!

I have used timberline and hobbies, but their selection isn't always what I want. I've used species such as zebrano, maple, walnut, padauk.

My recent coaster project turned out great, but I definitely feared for my finger tips when cutting down some of the wood!

Thanks, Rich.

 

[marcros]

I wouldn't go in the direction of buying thin boards. I would suggest thicknessing with a hand plane instead. Minimal expenditure, a bit of a learning curve but it will put you in control. If you buy 10mm boards they will move all over the place and you can guarantee that they will be the wrong thickness for what you need!

 

[RichHox]

thanks for the advice. I should probably get myself a smoothing plane! Currently my block plane does the job on most of my projects

 

[J-G]

I wouldn't go in the direction of buying thin boards. I would suggest thicknessing with a hand plane instead. Minimal expenditure, a bit of a learning curve but it will put you in control. If you buy 10mm boards they will move all over the place and you can guarantee that they will be the wrong thickness for what you need!

I would repudiate that - as long as you are buying well seasoned timber from a reputable source rather than re-sawn part dry stock.

There is a company in Tonbridge, Kent that I've visited and bought from in the past that has a section on their web site specifically for 'Boxmakers Wood' where they list exotic timbers between 3 and 13mm thick. I bought some 10mm Burbinga to make my sister a Cutlery Canteen 3 years ago and I still have some left over which hasn't moved a micron.

One small problem is that the company name is used by two different companies - Exotic Hardwoods - the one in Staffordshire (from whom I have also bought stock but not thin boards) has a .com TLD, but the one in Kent has a .co.uk TLD. a link to their specific box maker page is Timberline Exotic Hardwoods | Specialist Timber - Boxmaker's Wood. I spent nearly 2 hours deliberating what timbers would be best for my project with no pressure but they are currently not open for visits.

Both companies are worthy of support but the Kent Co. makes a point of preparing thin timber for boxes.

I have no connection to either company other than being a satisfied customer.

 

[pe2dave]

Another question for the hive mind: I sometimes try to build small-ish stuff and I dont own a thicknesser, cant afford it right now. Is there anywhere anyone knows of that can supply hardwoods at 6-10mm thick sheets (Dont have to be particularly wide).

This would be for projects such as coasters and jewelry boxes. Currently I buy woodturning blanks and use the table saw to cut them down, but its laborious and not always THAT precise!

Thanks, Rich.

A bandsaw might be more appropriate than a table saw for small stuff?
Especially if you can clean up thin stuff post cut?

 

[RichHox]

I would repudiate that - as long as you are buying well seasoned timber from a reputable source rather than re-sawn part dry stock.

There is a company in Tonbridge, Kent that I've visited and bought from in the past that has a section on their web site specifically for 'Boxmakers Wood' where they list exotic timbers between 3 and 13mm thick. I bought some 10mm Burbinga to make my sister a Cutlery Canteen 3 years ago and I still have some left over which hasn't moved a micron.

One small problem is that the company name is used by two different companies - Exotic Hardwoods - the one in Staffordshire (from whom I have also bought stock but not thin boards) has a .com TLD, but the one in Kent has a .co.uk TLD. a link to their specific box maker page is Timberline Exotic Hardwoods | Specialist Timber - Boxmaker's Wood. I spent nearly 2 hours deliberating what timbers would be best for my project with no pressure but they are currently not open for visits.

Both companies are worthy of support but the Kent Co. makes a point of preparing thin timber for boxes.

I have no connection to either company other than being a satisfied customer.

Thanks for the reply and the advice! I've used the company who's link you shared. Haven't come across the other.

 

[billw]

I bought some 10mm stock from Timberline but the problem is it's comparatively very expensive.

 

[pcb1962]

Hi everyone!

I've been on here a month or so and love what you guys discuss, dont always have much to add, but soon I hope to be able to contribute more when I know more myself!

Another question for the hive mind: I sometimes try to build small-ish stuff and I dont own a thicknesser, cant afford it right now. Is there anywhere anyone knows of that can supply hardwoods at 6-10mm thick sheets (Dont have to be particularly wide).

This would be for projects such as coasters and jewelry boxes. Currently I buy woodturning blanks and use the table saw to cut them down, but its laborious and not always THAT precise!

I have used timberline and hobbies, but their selection isn't always what I want. I've used species such as zebrano, maple, walnut, padauk.

My recent coaster project turned out great, but I definitely feared for my finger tips when cutting down some of the wood!

Thanks, Rich.

British Hardwoods do hobby packs, including a thin pack.
I've had some of their bigger oak packs and they've been very good.

 

[Rorton]

how are you making the coasters, could do them out of thicker stock and then run them through the table saw after?

I had a go at these in a few different ways -

one was forming a 550mm long board which was about 110mm wide made up of a few types of timbers, flattened with the router in a sled, then sanded to the earth and back - second batch of pictures starts with much thicker stock and a different process - that may work for you based in the timber you can get?


You mention you don't have a thicknesser, do you have a router you could make a sled for and use that to plane the timber once glued up and dry? Ive been using that method for 18 months, only recently bought a thicknesser.

Various blanks flat and ready to cross cut

Crosscut to size

Finished

I then did a set for someone else and did it differently due to the timber I could get

Thicker pieces to start

Cut to similar sizes and pattern formed

Glued up - I put 3 sets of blanks together in 1 set of clamps here and glued them so they were a solid board in each set of clamps - this way, when planing with the router in a sled, its much easier work with one board than multiple small ones.

If you count 7 pieces of timber you see the pattern repeat

Forgot to take pics of the rest of the process, but after I planed the blanks with the router in the router sled basically rip each of the glued up blanks from the big blanks I made so I had 6 blanks in total to play with and each blank could yield 2 coasters, that's 12 coasters, - I then ran the blanks through the tables on their side, effectively re-sawing the blanks into thinner pieces which gave me 24 coasters - some split and broke as they do, but I was left with more than enough - will refine the process if I do any more

Sanded these, then finished

 

[TRITON]

Have you considered making a jig to hold the timber as you pass it through the saw ?. Certainly there are dangers involved of having fingers close to the blade, and its a practise that should be discouraged, although I understand when the needs must, the needs must, and you get use to it until...

Chap I worked with on using the table saw always had his sleeves rolled down and favoured jumpers with baggy cuffs. Until he noticed one day while reaching in to remove cut sections that the cuff of his jumper hung just above the open blade and realised that should the cuff contact the blade, his hand would be pulled down on to it. Disaster averted and took the time afterwards to make a jig to pass small section right through the saw.

 

[RichHox]

Thanks for all the replies!

Dave P - Would love a bandsaw! Think it comes under the 'too costly' parameter currently.

PCB1962 - I've looked at their site a few times, might have to consider that hobby pack, looks a very reasonable price!

Rorton - Cheers for all that advice and the pics. I do have an old makita hand router, I had issues when using it before because it would disintegrate pen blanks, but as a bigger piece I bet I wouldnt have that issue. Those coaster look great btw!

Triton - great advice. I saw a great video of someone pushing timber through a table saw, with various gloves etc on the timber and they all got obliterated! Will consider if a sled and table saw is a better way, definitely more control when doing it that way!