Where to get and what type of wood?

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jroach21

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Kennedale, TX
Since Im just starting out, I was wondering if anyone had ideas of where to get cheap wood to practice on? can I go to HomeDeopt and get some pine 2X4's and just cut it to the right size? Maybe a cabinet making shop and use their scraps? I would like to practice on something before I screw up a nice piece of wood. Thanks!
 
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if you use "cheap" wood, that will be the result of your turning, cheap

You will get so frustrated that it could turn ( no pun intended) you
against turning all together

my thoughts
 
Look for a local hardwood store that sells to wood workers. You can buy one board foot of many nice woods like purple heart, zebra wood and padauk. One board foot will give you a bunch of pen blanks. Good luck!
 
I got some really nice hardwoods from a wood floor wholesaler (retail dealers may be good, too.) The pallets that their floors are shipped on can be great - I've gotten purpleheart, Brazilian cherry and several other nice woods from them.

Be sure to make a pen for them of their wood. They will start saving all kinds of stuff that they would have pitched otherwise.:smile:
 
thewishman said:
I got some really nice hardwoods from a wood floor wholesaler (retail dealers may be good, too.) The pallets that their floors are shipped on can be great - I've gotten purpleheart, Brazilian cherry and several other nice woods from them.

Be sure to make a pen for them of their wood. They will start saving all kinds of stuff that they would have pitched otherwise.:smile:
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Purple Heart pallet? Cool.
 
Inexpensive wood sources?

Got a firewood pile?
Larger trimmings from trees and shrubs around the yard? Cut them down and let them dry (can be sped up with a microwave)

There are lots of places for free wood and you may be surprised by what's hidden on the inside of them.

Dan Masshardt said:
thewishman said:
I got some really nice hardwoods from a wood floor wholesaler (retail dealers may be good, too.) The pallets that their floors are shipped on can be great - I've gotten purpleheart, Brazilian cherry and several other nice woods from them.

Be sure to make a pen for them of their wood. They will start saving all kinds of stuff that they would have pitched otherwise.:smile:
Click to expand...

Purple Heart pallet? Cool.
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Purpleheart is the Oak of South America. Crap is everywhere.
 
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I have a friend in a cabnet shop and he saves cut offs for me. The other thing is go in a hike and look for wood that has fallen off trees and is laying on the ground. I have found many nice pieces of mesquite and other wood this way.
 
jroach21 said:
Since Im just starting out, I was wondering if anyone had ideas of where to get cheap wood to practice on? can I go to HomeDeopt and get some pine 2X4's and just cut it to the right size? Maybe a cabinet making shop and use their scraps? I would like to practice on something before I screw up a nice piece of wood. Thanks!
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find a local AAW affiliated turning club near you.

there are several around the DFW area.

then be really nice to the guys that are always out "hunting" trees - they'll keep you in more wood than you know what to do with.
 
Go to a cabinet shop and get cut off of corian. I just called 2 shops and they are willing to give me the cut offs. One uses corian and the other uses some sort of corian style acrylic. I also used Oak from my fire wood and folks here liked it.
 
The Penguin said:
find a local AAW affiliated turning club near you.

there are several around the DFW area.

then be really nice to the guys that are always out "hunting" trees - they'll keep you in more wood than you know what to do with.
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this is the best advice.
Other places ive got wood is custom window makers, the buy it by the pound bin at woodcraft and other pen makers who have moved on to better types of wood.
maybe post in wanted forum and ask people for some scraps and you pay shipping or something like that.
 
I am going to buck the trend and go back to the home depot 2x4. Pine is hard to turn and get a clean surface, but it will give you a feel for needing sharp tools and a light touch. Try to get the best finish you can on pine. Put away the carbide tools for a little bit. Learn to use a gouge, skew and parting tool. If you can turn pine clean, you will be able to turn just about anything.

Downed tree branches are good, but if you turn them while green it will be a lot different than turning dry wood. I love green wood turning, but not for pens. Dry fire wood is a good choice if you can cut it down to a reasonable size.

Best of all, find another turner. Most of us have wood to spare and they can critique your technique.
 
Watch for people throwing out old furniture. I picked up a nice oak headboard this past weekend and I recently found what looked like an oak dining chair but was actually quarter-sawn sycamore with an oak finish - made a lot of really nice pen blanks.
 
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kovalcik said:
I am going to buck the trend and go back to the home depot 2x4. Pine is hard to turn and get a clean surface, but it will give you a feel for needing sharp tools and a light touch. Try to get the best finish you can on pine. Put away the carbide tools for a little bit. Learn to use a gouge, skew and parting tool. If you can turn pine clean, you will be able to turn just about anything.

Downed tree branches are good, but if you turn them while green it will be a lot different than turning dry wood. I love green wood turning, but not for pens. Dry fire wood is a good choice if you can cut it down to a reasonable size.

Best of all, find another turner. Most of us have wood to spare and they can critique your technique.
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I agree about the pine and the old furniture. I once took an old painted table apart and stripped the 5 layers of paint off of it to find some of the prettiest birdseye maple underneath.

Don't worry about your turning being a pen just yet, just learn your tools. As you're doing that, keep an eye out for interesting woods and stash them. Once you feel comfortable, go play with the other stuff...
 
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The floor places are a great place..

Also, in AL we have people that sell truckloads of firewood along side the road. All hardwoods, for $5-10 you can get enough hard wood to keep you busy for a year. You just have to cut it up. In some cases, it is really dripping wet.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for free services at work. They normally let you haul away stuff. (Forget the Government environmental services, for some reason they are very possessive of the stuff they cut.)
 
Befriend a tree-trimmer! Ask them to save you a piece of hardwood when they have to trim or remove a local tree. Often they take out dead branches, which are ready to turn. Other times it is green wood and you have to be patient. Cut it into blanks and stack them and let them dry for future turning. If you make them a pretty pen, they will be bringing you bits of pretty wood for years!

Sharon
 
AAW clubs will often have wood cutting events. Contact your local Forestry Agent or Agriculture dept. There are quite a few pen turners in your area. Do a search in the members listings.
 
If you have a table saw or a bandsaw, you can get a crapload of blanks just from a 1" thick piece of hardwood -- poplar. It's a "utilitarian" hardwood, since it's not so pretty but it IS cheap. Oak, same thing. Maple is a favorite of mine. Any hardwood will do!
 
Some of the first blanks I turned we gifts from other pen turners. Several of the local people handed me a half dozen blanks and said use these to pratice. Then because they helped me.......I bought blanks from them.
The local turners are the best source of not only information but "where to get......" supplies. Another thing, IF you do get some from trimmers.......make them a pen. When you have a large chunk of wood.......get with another turner and cut it up together.......Half for him and half for you. Working together makes for fun times.

JMHO
 
You could turn pine and other lumber type materials and that would help some areas.

Cabinet shops today tends to use the compressed junk and you really dont want to be caught dead with that on the lathe, yes it's possible to turn it but you have major amounts of things to factor in, i.e. toxins.

I would have to say honestly that olivewood is the perfect starter wood to use. it's not to hard, not to touch, not harsh on tools, it cuts smooth and easy. You can do some serious precision with it to.

gimpy said:
if you use "cheap" wood, that will be the result of your turning, cheap

You will get so frustrated that it could turn ( no pun intended) you
against turning all together

my thoughts
Click to expand...

Would the same be true if I substituted words in what you said?

If you use "cheap" wood, that will be the result of your HOUSE, cheap. After all this cheap wood is used to make most homes with.
 
A recent find of mine...the BORG. Go back to the hardwood flooring dept. and get the 3/4" samples, 4"X4", 25 cents each. You can get 2-3 blanks from each one. They usually have oak, brazillian cherry, maple, etc. Already dried, just rip on the band saw or table saw (be careful, they're small) and turn away.
 
jroach21 said:
Since Im just starting out, I was wondering if anyone had ideas of where to get cheap wood to practice on? can I go to HomeDeopt and get some pine 2X4's and just cut it to the right size? Maybe a cabinet making shop and use their scraps? I would like to practice on something before I screw up a nice piece of wood. Thanks!
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Look on eBay - I got enough mixed woods at about 20 cents a blank to turn over 100 slimline pens....lots of practice....
 
joek30296 said:
A recent find of mine...the BORG. Go back to the hardwood flooring dept. and get the 3/4" samples, 4"X4", 25 cents each. You can get 2-3 blanks from each one. They usually have oak, brazillian cherry, maple, etc. Already dried, just rip on the band saw or table saw (be careful, they're small) and turn away.
Click to expand...

What is the BORG?
 
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