Timber grading especially Oak

[Pecker]

Hi all (again) I need to order some timber to make an oak bookcase.

I am totally confused by the grading system operated by some companies which use a QBA - QB1 - QB2 etc system.

The mill has given me a price for QBA which is the top grade. But I am not making a modern masterpeice here. Just a nice unit with character to fit in with others.
can I get away with QB2 etc???

many many thanks
mark

 

[engineer one]

not sure i understand all the marks, mark,(sorry)

have you thought about going for off cuts for much of it to
create the case. a lot depends upon the size of the unit,
but if for instance it is for home use, and your first time,
it may be worth seeing what a local yard has laying about
to save money.
remember with oak there is generally 100% wastage,
so even wood yards have spare, and that might suit.

paul :wink:

 

[Pecker]

Paul, it aint that simple unfortunetly. I need to order the stuff in for two reasons
1) there is no where within at least 80 miles of here that can supply oak suitable for a bookcase. (2 main timber merchants neither stock Oak - they order it in from Bristol and Newcastle respectively!)

2) this is quite a large object so length v quality is relatively, but not essentially, important.

When you have to deal with timber yards/mills via the internet/phone they ask what "grade" of timber you want, *Apparently* many of them now follow a European visual grading which starts at QBA which is finest quality joineray graded timber, then goes down from there. :?

mark

 

[engineer one]

mark, seems reasonable, i am sure someone like scrit might know
the grades etc.

what about yandles for the oak, not sure of my geography,
but might they not be nearer????

paul :wink:

 

[Pecker]

Bit far away mate :lol:
Trouble is most people don't realise Pembrokeshire is even there. St Davids is the only CITY... with a popluation of 1400 YES 1400 people !!!

We are about 100 miles from cardiff on the very western part of South wales. Most things (and people) stop at cardiff - Swansea if you're lucky.

This means that things like delivery has to be special - because it's not on route to anywhere - except Ireland via the fishguard/pembroke ferries.

It is a fabulous beautiful place with britains only national coastal park, unbelievable beaches, but supplies, oh boy, they are the bain of my life! Even Travis Perkins and Jewsons refuse, yes refuse, to quote for special such as Oak due to the problems of getting them here :? (unless I want to spends tons of dosh)

Any way LOl, thanks for the suggestion, but I'll have keep on pluggin away. regards
mark

 

[engineer one]

maybe one of the irish suppliers could help :lol: :lol:

might actually be easier to get bog oak than english :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

All this confusion on grading is due to a european standard.

I think as the name suggests, the aim is that timber grades are consistant throughout europe.

If they are quoting for QB it means its a waney edge board.
if QF its a square edge board.

QBA max diameter of knots=20mm
QB1 max diameter of knots=40mm
QB2 80mm
QB3 80mm+

QFA max diameter of knots=6mm
QFa-b 20mm
QF2 25mm
QF3 40mm

My timber yard still uses the old system of superprime, prime and first & seconds.

I think if you use prime and grade it yourself once planed, using the poorer pieces wisely it should do you.
ie if you only have one good face use it for skirting, etc

Hope this helps, sorry if some of it is teaching you to suck eggs!!!

 

[ByronBlack]

Senior, thanks for the rundown of the grades there, i'm quite a newb when coming to buy wood, so that has definitly halped me understand it all, and i'm sure it will be helpful to other simpletons like myself

 

[Mdotflorida]

Hi Mark

I'm not so far away from you. I'm just outside Carmarthen. I have had deliveries of Oak from British Hardwoods in the past.

I have also bought some hardwood and sheet material from Nottage Joinery in Pyle near Bridgend so they may be worth a call, and the last time I was in my local tool shop (Timberman in Bronwydd, Carmarthen) they were stocking some wood. May be worth calling them.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

 

[Anonymous]

Better just add that there are other factors which come into the grading such as spacing of knots, colour variation and grain angle variation, the euro standard is 26 pages of gobbliedgook

 

[Anonymous]

You must enter a message when posting

 

[WellsWood]

All this confusion on grading is due to a european standard.

I think as the name suggests, the aim is that timber grades are consistant throughout europe.

If they are quoting for QB it means its a waney edge board.
if QF its a square edge board.

QBA max diameter of knots=20mm
QB1 max diameter of knots=40mm
QB2 80mm
QB3 80mm+

QFA max diameter of knots=6mm
QFa-b 20mm
QF2 25mm
QF3 40mm

sorry if some of it is teaching you to suck eggs!!!

...on the contrary, actually a perfect example of why everyone here welcomes advice from "trade" people with your kind of experience, Senior.

Thank you.
Mark

 

[DarrenW]

Haven't used this place myself but stumbled across it on the tinternet a while back. They are a welsh company managing their own forests. They supply oak aswell as others. Not sure on price though. Its also abit of a trek (north wales) but at its local (ish) and sustainable.

http://www.coedceiriog.co.uk/welcome.html

Darren

 

[yellow_lamborghini_2406]

have you looked at www.dgheath.co.uk here in swansea they sould sell it

 

[Pecker]

WOW, thank you all guys. I will give some of these a go over the next day or so.

Senior, many thanks for explaing the basics of the euro system. I still work under the subprime, prime etc!

Even better is the cheap, cheapish, cheaper method :twisted:

Jeff, good to know theres some other mad fool from west Wales here!

Mark

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Hi,
Try these people

Let us know how you get off