Need some source help for thin wood

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Jerry944t

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Jan 23, 2014
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Location
Newtown Square, PA
I've done a few Celtic knot pens and they are fun and attractive. The problem I'm having is that I don't have the equipment to cut scrap thin enough to slip into the saw kurfs.
It's been very hit and miss using my band saw so the question is where can I get wood thin enough to slip into saw cuts without cutting it myself?
Any help appreciated
 
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I have found bundles of vineer scraps on eBay. The price was reasonable, they are very thin and its hit or miss depending on your saw kerf.

Dave
 
There is a lumber dealer near here that sells thin wood stock - 1/16" thick up to 1/4" thick. The selection is fairly limited - walnut, mahogany and boxwood - but that's fine since when used as a decorative inlay, the main thing is that the color contrasts with the color of the base blank. It's not cheap, but a 1/16" thick piece that is 4" wide by 2' long goes a long way.

You can cut your own, but that requires precision cutting. I've cut inlay material on a table saw - my experience is that it's naive to believe that you can cut the exact thickness you need. Instead, it seems that the smart approach is to make it thicker than necessary, and then sand it down to the desired thickness. If you don't have a thckness sander (I don't), then it is necessary to attach a handle to the strip for sanding - hot-melt glue can be used to attach a scrap of plywood or MDF for sanding that will later just peel off without damaging the strip.
 
Thanks. Some good ideas. I have been cutting pieces a bit thicker and then sanding but that is tedious and very prone to breakage.
I was also thinking that thin sheets of colored plastic might work but, again, I haven't found a source.
 
I have used dyed veneer from Woodcraft, like this primary color pack and this multi-colored pack. The brand is Sauers, and there are other vendors online.

I've found that the thickness of an individual sheet is either 1/32" or 1/64" depending on the species of wood that was used to create the dyed veneer. Most of the straight grained veneer is 1/64", which means you can combine four thicknesses to match a 1/16" kerf blade, such as a circular saw blade.

It's pricey, but that trains you to make fewer mistakes. :smile:
 
You can order thin wood from Lee Valley. I think Bear Tooth Woods has some thin plastic.
 
Veneers

monophoto said:
There is a lumber dealer near here that sells thin wood stock - 1/16" thick up to 1/4" thick. The selection is fairly limited - walnut, mahogany and boxwood - but that's fine since when used as a decorative inlay, the main thing is that the color contrasts with the color of the base blank. It's not cheap, but a 1/16" thick piece that is 4" wide by 2' long goes a long way.

You can cut your own, but that requires precision cutting. I've cut inlay material on a table saw - my experience is that it's naive to believe that you can cut the exact thickness you need. Instead, it seems that the smart approach is to make it thicker than necessary, and then sand it down to the desired thickness. If you don't have a thckness sander (I don't), then it is necessary to attach a handle to the strip for sanding - hot-melt glue can be used to attach a scrap of plywood or MDF for sanding that will later just peel off without damaging the strip.
Click to expand...

Think musical instruments supplies , pool cue supplies
Cue Veneer
Veneer
Atlas Billiard Supplies - Inlay Materials
https://www.cuesmith.com/colored-veneers.html
 
Mike, thank you for linking those sources. The variety of colors and pricing are favorable compared to the packaged sets I referenced.
 
I made a discovery. If you don't mind plastic you can buy hundreds of guitar picks from Ebay for a inexpensive price. The are the right size and come to many different colors.
 
Need thin plastic? use old credit cards, caps off soda bottles, Guitar picks, just about anything. The color variety of those 3 sources alone are nearly endless and the best part FREE.
 
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