Wood suppliers - where to go?

[Mike_5]

So far, I have just gone to the local B&Q to get my small quantities of wood.

A few people said there are better places to get wood from, I was looking for some suggestions?

I've watched some US YouTube videos and they often use Birch Plywood, I found some at an online supplier, but it was around £60 to £80 a sheet!! US they comment just under $50 a sheet for 3/4 inch.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[MattRoberts]

Just do a search for timber merchants in your area, and check that they aren't trade only. Also check what timber they supply. Some do just pine and ply, others do hardwoods too.

Birch ply (and ply in general) is massively more expensive here than the US, which sucks.

With all these places, you often get a better deal if you buy in bulk and stock up.

I tend to get roughly 20 meters of 1"x9" pine for just over a hundred quid, and that lasts me a few projects.

If you get stuff delivered, be sure to check it for quality / bananas etc. I prefer hand picking my timber at the yard

 

[Aggrajag]

You don't say what you're using it for but I've bought plywood from this site (http://modelshop.co.uk/Shop/Raw-Materia ... t/Plywood/) a couple of times and I've been perfectly happy with the quality for scroll sawing. You do get the odd "jigsaw piece" where they've patched it but you can work around those, or have them to the back if necessary.

 

[Glynne]

Not sure where you are in the West Midlands but I bought half a sheet of BB standard 18mm plywood from Wheelers of Short Heath and it cost ~ £18. It is also pretty ropey and I'm only going to be using it for jigs, mock ups etc.
If you are going to make anything worthwhile or need accuracy for things like jigs then you need to go for a higher grade quality birch ply and so those prices don't look too over the top.
If you're not a million miles away I'd always consider splitting a sheet with you?

 

[Bodgers]

Not sure where you are in the West Midlands but I bought half a sheet of BB standard 18mm plywood from Wheelers of Short Heath and it cost ~ £18. It is also pretty ropey and I'm only going to be using it for jigs, mock ups etc.
If you are going to make anything worthwhile or need accuracy for things like jigs then you need to go for a higher grade quality birch ply and so those prices don't look too over the top.
If you're not a million miles away I'd always consider splitting a sheet with you?

Yes, for that money I'm not surprised it is awful. In fact, they are probably pushing it classing it as BB.

To the OP - £60-80 isn't too far away for a decent grade baltic birch ply at 18mm for a full sheet.

Last time I bought a sheet of 18mm for S/BB grade baltic birch it came in at about £65 inc VAT. That had no voids and a few 'batman' style plugs. If you can find it much cheaper than that it is probably of lower grade.

There are other options if you aren't too bothered about the quality of the actual core.

Jewsons sell a Wisa 'twin ply' which I believe has softwood cores and a single birch face. Even that isn't a fantastic amount cheaper though.

If you can drop to 12mm things get reasonable amount cheaper...

As for the USA, I don't think actual decent grade stuff is that cheap there. Take this full sheet of baltic birch for example (approx 18mm):

http://www.menards.com/main/building-ma ... 479674.htm

That's over 70 USD without the rebate and you'll be adding state and federal taxes on top of that which means you are taking about 85USD+ which comes out at about £55-60...

Here it is 120 USD for a 18mm full sheet:

http://www.boulterplywood.com/MultiLayerPlywood_4.htm

 

[Alexam]

It's a big area West Midlands. Can you narrow it down a bit. I am over at Wythall (A453)and fortunately have a sawmills just up the road, but Sykes Timber at Atherstone is great and Ben Donnelly is very very helpful. Lots of offcuts and all the varieties of timber you are liklely to need. If you are my way,then PM me and perhaps I can help further
Malcolm

 

[Mike_5]

Sorry yes, I should have said where in West Mids, I live in Alvechurch (close to Wythal really) and work in Solihull.

I am actually on my way to Davies Timbers in Wythal today. I have been having some stressful times with kick back on my table saw, and the push stick got shattered on my last failure. I am going to build a cross cutting sled (Wood Whisper you tube channel is the one I'm going to make), so need to go and get myself some hard timber for the sled rails.

I want to build a workstation in the garage so I am going to need quite a bit soon. Will try the other place mentioned above too closer to the time.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Mike

 

[mind_the_goat]

I'm not sure building a sled is a solution to kickback, unless you are just crosscutting without suitable support.
Are you getting this cutting ply?

Check your fence is parallel to the blade, you may be trapping the wood between the blade and the fence.
Ensure you have the riving knife fitted, more important for solid wood but usually needed for the next item
Ensure the guard is fitted. As well as giving some protection to your fingers the guard could help keeping the wood on the table if it starts to lift. (don't be tempted to follow the common practice seen on you tube with no riving knife or guard)
Make sure the blade is sharp and not bent, with all it's teeth.
If you cut angles ensure the blade is angled away from the fence, so the wood does not get trapped under the blade.
If you get this cutting solid wood try using a short fence, clamp or screw a piece of wood to the existing fence so that it ends close to the front of the blade, not past the blade which your standard fence will do.

You've probably figured this out already but don't stand directly behind the blade.

 

[Mike_5]

The kick back has come down to a rookie error. When I did some dado cuts, I forgot to lift the riving knife back up over the blade. I watch a video yesterday on kick back prevention, and could of kicked myself for the stupidity. Thankfully to say, riving knife back to full extension and blade guard attached.

Decent prices on the wood I got yesterday at Davies Timber Whythal, non-specialist plywood sheets 5mm @£7 12mm @£18 and 25mm @£40.

 

[RogerS]

Given where you live, both Sykes and Whitmore's are not that far away and well worth going to.

They operate in slightly different ways although it's a while since I visited and so practices might have changed. Also I was trade which might make a difference.

Sykes...telephone ahead of what you're interested in, dimensions, timber, qty etc and they will have some stock for you, in a separate area to the main storage area, to look through and choose.

Whitmore's...you go down to the sheds (they have a lot!) accompanied and in your Hi-Viz jacket and they take down from the stacks bundles of timber, unband them, you go through choosing and putting to one side what you want, they then reband and then you move on to the next item you're after.

 

[Glynne]

Just to add to Roger's post, Sykes now have a small trade and hobby "showroom" where they sell various small amounts of hardwoods. You are unlikely to find much plywood in there but if you are visiting, it's worth a look.

 

[RogerS]

Just to add to Roger's post, Sykes now have a small trade and hobby "showroom" where they sell various small amounts of hardwoods. You are unlikely to find much plywood in there but if you are visiting, it's worth a look.

Doh #-o missed the plywood reference.

 

[RobCee]

In the Midlands, I can say that Sykes Timber (Atherstone) are awesome for 'real wood' as they hand pick for every project and will help you to understand what best suits your project if you explain what you are doing to them.
Also, Wheelers in Short Heath can source Birch Ply for you at relatively sensible prices, on request but usually within a week. If I remember correctly, they source it from Lathams, but I don't think they deal directly with the public, so you have to go through a supplier. I have used them for 3/4", 1/2" and 1/4" birch ply and have been pleased with the quality.