Wood Sources

[Dotte Courtney]

Can anyone tell me the name of the company that sells wood for the laser that already has a lacquer finish on it. I read it in here once but can not remember the name, I think it was mentioned that the company does not stock the wood so delivery takes awhile.
Thanks, Dotte

[Shaddy Dedmore]

http://www.coloradoheirloom.com/index.htm
http://www.studioworkshop.com/
http://www.laserbits.com/

I do most of my wood through Colorado Heirloom.

Shaddy

[Jeff Chumbley]

Shaddy

Have you ever ordered walnut wood sheets, part number wus 105? I received one order that was terrible. The color was no where near what you see on the website and there was finish peeling off of it. They gladly picked up the material and resent out another order but it too was no where near the dark walnut color that you see on the website. I am calling them again tomorrow to have them refund now.

As far as ordering wood, I am finding that at both Colorado Heirloom and Studioworkshop the quality is good but the lead times are not really appealing. In most cases that I have seen its about 2 weeks.

Jeff

[Joe Pelonio]

I don't normally use the prefinished made-for-laser wood because of price and uneven quality. I prefer to finish it myself. I do have some tools but also am lucky enough to have a woodworking/cabinet maker two doors down from the shop. My usual source is Rockler, they have many locations mostly in the west, east, and great lakes areas. Often I'll stop and see what's on sale and get a bunch of it, like the baltic birch, or 1/8" & 1/4" veneer plywoods. http://www.rockler.com/retail/retail.cfm

[Shaddy Dedmore]

I bought some thinner stuff through Laser Bits last year and I liked it a lot. It's what I made all my ornaments with. I guess they don't sell it any more because I just bought some a couple weeks ago (just the cherry and maple, not the walnut) and it was thicker. And the finish was starting to peel up in the corners. Pretty disapointed in the quality.

I'll probably make it out of the solid stuff from Colorado H when I run out of the old thinner stuff.

I'm a woodworker too, but the pre-finished sheets from CH are more evenly finished than anything I myself can do. Maybe I would if I could get the sheets cheap enough, but I don't have a local place selling unfinished stuff that is any cheaper than buying the prefinished stuff from CH.

Shaddy

[Bob Tate]

Hi, it is hard to do better than Sloans Woodshop http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/

but if you want I can e-mail you a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet I did with pricing and notes on everyone I could find.

Lazerwood (www.lazerwood.com (http://www.lazerwood.com)) is the only one I know that prefinishes their wood. After the treatment I got there I will never order from them again. I would not recommend them.

Sloans turns out good wood, sanded both sides. I just put a couple of coats of Wipe On Poly on it and it is ready. Only takes a couple of hours with waiting for the Poly to dry.

I currently have an order in with Heritage Building Supplies in Minnesota. Prices were good but they are about a week late on my order right now. I will just have to wait and see.

[Dotte Courtney]

Thanks for all the great input, I ordered from lazerwood.com 4 weeks ago and the order just came yesterday the customer service is horrible with no explanation to why it took so long.
Thanks again, Dotte

[Bob Tate]

I just received my first shipment of wood from Heritage Building Specialties
www.heritagewood.com (http://www.heritagewood.com)
Really great wood, and the prices were great. His price for 12" X 12" glueups can not be beat.

[Carla Lange]

I'm looking for a wood called hoop pine for laser cutting ornaments. Does anyone have a clue where I might buy some?
Thanks,
Carla
ps I just cut my first ornament on a 45 watt laser, I did vector only, used 20/100/5000 and dpi 300. The finish on the alder wood melted, what did I do wrong?
Thanks again:)

[Bob Tate]

Your settings (except the PPI) look normal. The PPI should only be between 400 and 500 for cutting wood. The 5000 setting is fine for Acrylic as it gets the edge real hot and smooths the edge like flame polishing. If you try those settings again, with the lower PPI, I am sure you will be a lot happier.
You are still going to get some discoloration on the cut edges, due to the heat involved, melting resins in the wood. I normally clean that off with Murphys Oil (Orange) Soap.
Bob

[Jeff Chumbley]

Carla I cut 1/8 red alder on my epilog 24tt 45 watt using 12/100 100 dpi and it cuts fine. Dont get a real dark burn look on the edges either

[Carla Lange]

Thank you Bob and Jeff, I'll try again, and again, and again (grin)
I just love this thing!
I still haven't found any Hoop Pine.
Anyone know a source?
Thanks,
Carla

[Bob Tate]

I do remember reading several years ago about Hoop Pine being an Australian product. True or not I do not know. I have never seen any. Maybe you should inquire with one of the Australian members if there are any.
Bob

[Carla Lange]

Yes, it is an Austrailian product.
A shop in St Augustine, Florida uses it, but I'm not sure where they get it, or how they import it. I just thought some of the members might know. I have a couple of ornaments made from it, it's really nice wood.

[Joe Pelonio]

Hoop pine comes from rainforests in Australia and New Zealand. There are people growing it on plantations there but they have a long plant-harvest cycle and thay take many years to produce cones. There are wood suppliers in those countries that sell it but according to a cousin's husband that lives in New Zealand, it's expensive even there, plus you'd have to pay for international shipping.

[Carla Lange]

Well RATS! I was really wishing I could come up with some. Hmm....I wonder how much I could get in my suitcase on the plane:D

[mike klein]

Has anyone heard of or ever purchased hard woods from http://www.thinboards.com/Index2.htm

From what I see they carry quite a selection.

Mike