Looking for source of hardwood for PhotoVcarve.

[kristenanne77]

I found a place that sells thick hardwood boards about 12 inches wide and 3/4 to an inch thick (very expensive) , but they would have to be bandsawed into slices (also very expensive and risky depending on the woods grain properties etc.).
They also have wood which is about 1/2 inch thick but only 3 inches wide. these would have to be glued. (they aren't cheap either).
I don't mind paying for good wood, but so much is wasted with a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch thich board for such a thin carving!
Does anyone know where I can buy thin "slices of hardwood approximately 11 x 11 x 1/4 inch or 8 x 10 x 1/4 inch to use for PhotoVcarve?.


The only other alternative would be to go to the big box stores and look for the thinnest pieces of hardwood I can find and glue them together to make a decent size PhotoVcarve.
has anyone glued wood together before carving?


Thanks
K

[scottp55]

K, I've had VERY good luck with these guys-Have ordered 4 times and a dozen pieces each time and very consistent quality(also it's pre-sanded) and dimensions.
http://ocoochhardwoods.com/scroll_saw_lumber.php

[ChrisInEstes]

K, I've had VERY good luck with these guys-Have ordered 4 times and a dozen pieces each time and very consistent quality(also it's pre-sanded) and dimensions.
http://ocoochhardwoods.com/scroll_saw_lumber.php

Thanks for the question, Kristenanne, I've had need for thin stock from time to time myself, and haven't come up with a goodly valued option.

And for Scott: Thanks for the link... And here's a bunch of info & questions that I figure will be good info for myself and anybody else with the same initial question as Kristenanne.

I priced a 1/4" thick by 7" wide by 24" long piece of Hard Maple at $8.50 from Ocooch (your link). That's about what 5/4 S1S would cost me at me localish hardwood lumber yard, but then consider all the machinery, material waste, and time of getting thick wood down to thin wood and $8.50 is a good value. The few times I bit the bullet and purchased the thin stuff from my localish supplier, their stock was mostly badly warped, getting even a 3" wide flat piece was difficult, and the price was crazy high. What widths, thicknesses, and wood species have you purchased from Ocooch? Were they flat, or warped when got them? Did they stay warp-free? I live where the humidity is normally 10% - 25%, so that's hard on straight wood.

Thanks!
Chris

[glenninvb]

I'll second Ocooch, they are great to deal with and ship fairly quick. If you need thin or pre-dressed hardwood in various specie they are hard to beat.
Also for 3/4 and thicker in many species is BellForest products, The photos for handpicked are what you receive.
Baird Brothers also sells quality dressed lumber and mouldings

Obviously mail-order has its limitations on pricing, but is handy for small projects or specialty lumber if you don't have a yard nearby that sells exotics or even decent domestic for a reasonable price

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/exotic-wood/
http://www.bairdbrothers.com/34-x-7-12- ... P3860.aspx

P'S. If nothing else, the bellforest specie chart on my link is nice

[kristenanne77]

Thanks.
Just ordered some.

K

[scottp55]

I've only bought the 4 and 6" stock in 1/4". ALL were .25-.27" and all were flat when they were arrived. They apparently use an accurate thickness sander as they arrived somewhere around a 180-220G finish both sides. They wrap the heck out of it with that stretchy(heat shrink?) tape with not an inch exposed. Not a cull in the bunch. 2 had maybe a 1/16" cup the first batch after a day unclamped(summer 85F/85% humidity) so now I unwrap and immediately clamp after unwrapping and let acclimate to house/shop. No problems since.
No work on my part at all, and they are ready to carpet tape and cut:)

[scottp55]

one more.

[scottp55]

Hard Maple, Curly Maple(fit my definition too), Black Walnut, Padauk, Wenge, Lacewood, Bloodwood,Cherry, Purpleheart.