I Need Lumber Cut Into Strips...

[dustin wassner]

I am buying many packs of material like this consistently
I don't need it to be 2 ft lengths - it could be 8ft +...

I have tried calling several places locally to supply material like this but no one is up for it. Cutting it myself is really not an option.

I think my problem is I am not reaching out to the correct businesses to do this kind of work. Can anyone suggest what I should even be searching for when looking for a facility that can supply this? Sawmill?

thank you,
DW

[Bryan Lisowski]

Physically call the company and see if they will sell directly to you in the lengths you need, or maybe they know a distributor that isn’t well known publicly. Be aware you may need to buy a lot if selling direct.

[Bruce King]

So you need that thin wood in 8 ft lengths?
If you can buy it in thicker/wider pieces and take it to a cabinet shop they might size it for you. It will need to be wrapped up with something stronger or it will break when you pick it up.

[Johannes Becker]

I don't think a sawmill has the right equipment. The dimensions you reference are 1/16x3/32x24". That is about the cross section of a toothpick. Maybe you can look at a place that slices veneer? Commercial veneer stock is mostly thinner than 1/16. But it depends a bit on your end goal and how much you need. Not sure this is cost effective if it involves significant setup and operator time.

Best,
Johannes

[Jim Becker]

That's a specialized product and the average mill isn't going to be helpful to you. Cutting that thin/narrow brings a lot of extra cost and tools that are ideal for processing thin material and that's not what most mills do. I agree with contacting the "manufacturer" of the packs you are currently buying and seeing if they can provide you what you desire in a reasonable quantity that you're willing to buy up-front.

[Roger Feeley]

could you find 3/32" veneer and use a laser to cut it into strips? The kerf would be tiny if you can put up with the scorched edges.

[Richard Coers]

What is your goal? Appears to me you may be just after a cheaper price?

[Erik Loza]

One of the problems I see is trying to keep such a thin piece from snapping in the middle during handling, which is probably why they only sell such short pieces. Balsa or basswood are extra-fragile to begin with. Can you even buy an 8' basswood board?

Folks who do solid wood edgebanding are making something similar, but out of hardwoods. OP, what exactly are you trying to do? Maybe we can mindhive a better solution.

Erik

[dustin wassner]

I am after a cheaper price.

These hobby suppliers are clearly having someone cut this material for them and repackaging it so there is no way they are going to provide that kind of info. I am not sure who to contact to have this done locally. Local woodworkers /cabinet makers/lumber suppliers I have spoken to are not interested in or are not equipped to supply material like this.

The actual size I need is 1/16" x 3/8". I don't need it in 8 ft lengths, I merely mentioned the length because the hobby suppliers sell it in 2 ft lengths which is not a requirement on my part...

I am estimating needing roughly around 2500 ft per quarter.

[Mel Fulks]

It would be easier to get the right solution if we knew how it was to be used. If the strips will need to be bent, you will
have to specify straight with grain cuts or they might just break in use.
The material should have vertical grain.

[Brian Tymchak]

I am after a cheaper price.

These hobby suppliers are clearly having someone cut this material for them and repackaging it so there is no way they are going to provide that kind of info. I am not sure who to contact to have this done locally. Local woodworkers /cabinet makers/lumber suppliers I have spoken to are not interested in or are not equipped to supply material like this.

The actual size I need is 1/16" x 3/8". I don't need it in 8 ft lengths, I merely mentioned the length because the hobby suppliers sell it in 2 ft lengths which is not a requirement on my part...

I am estimating needing roughly around 2500 ft per quarter.

I wonder if in fact it might be more expensive to get such small dimension stock in longer lengths. Handling of such long and thin stock is likely to cause breakage. Packaging would likely be more difficult. Cutting waste is likely high for such thin stock so longer stock is likely more profitable in other applications. My guess is thin strips like you want come from cut offs that are recut.

[Steve Jenkins]

I’d check with the Wood Component Manufacturers Association.

[Rob Damon]

Oops, I shouldn't have responded to the post when on a conference call.

Yes large boards of basswood are available, I have one.

I would imagine that most of the thin strips are being referenced by OP are cut with veneer cutting knifes and not saw blades.

Laser cutting may be option. If you are buying 10000 linear feet per year, I would imagine it would be worth their time to setup custom cutting strips for you.

[Bruce King]

He said Bass wood.
what length do you want?

[John Stankus]

Y.... If you are buying 10000 linear feet per year, I would imagine it would be worth their time to setup custom cutting strips for you.

Yes, but isn't 1/16" x 3/8" x 10000 ft just under 20 bd ft net? Probably have more bd ft in sawdust from the kerf. The bundles linked to above seem to run about $79.23 per bd ft. (on the Wall Lumber site basswood is about $1.95 per bd ft, so a lot of processing and a lot of waste (+a significant markup)).

[Alex Zeller]

It looks like you can create an account with Midwest. They have a "cart" option so I would guess once you have an account you can buy direct from them. Since they have the special tools to make it I bet they will make any size or quantity you want. I'm sure they aren't going to want to deal with a guy who's buying 5 sticks but for the amount you say you are looking for I bet you could possibly get wholesale pricing.

[Richard Coers]

A simple Google search for 1/16 basswood brings up this source. I'm sure a veneer slitter or metal shear is used to size the stock you are currently buying. There are also leather tools made with a knife to size strips of leather. But I don't know if you are interested in sizing yourself. Add much labor and the cheaper price will disappear. https://ocoochhardwoods.com/scroll-saw-lumber/basswood/

[Jim Becker]

Can you even buy an 8' basswood board?

Absolutely. But I'm talking "normal" thickness boards. I have a nice 8/4 completely clear piece sitting in the shop right now for a couple guitar bodies. $6 a bd ft.

[Erik Loza]

Absolutely. But I'm talking "normal" thickness boards. I have a nice 8/4 completely clear piece sitting in the shop right now for a couple guitar bodies. $6 a bd ft.

See: You learn something new every day. I am still super-curious as to what the OP is actually building with these sticks.

Erik

[David Sochar]

https://www.wintersteiger.com/us/Wood-Thin-cutting-and-Repair/Machines/New-Machines/Thin-cutting-Frame-Saws

Look at the website above. They make thin blade resaws. They can bury you with those toothpicks in minutes. Their blades have very narrow kerf and can cut very cleanly.

Making those strips on the tablesaw will loose three times as much material as you yield.

Or, look up Marunaka Planers. They slice wood, so there is nothing lost to a kerf. Popsicle sticks are sliced, though the wood is usually steamed to make it more like hard cheese.

[Brad Shipton]

I would talk to a veneer supplier and see what ideas they might have. The 1/16" dimension is not unheard of thickness for veneer, and I suspect they could put you in touch with someone that could crank out heaps of product. I have always had good luck with Certainly Wood.

Certainly wood has a few different 1/16" thick veneers now, but not bass. https://certainlywood.com/woodmenu2.php?category=Special%20Thickness%20Venee rs

[Scott T Smith]

Most modern veneer slicing companies are not set up to produce a 1/16" thick product. If you can find a veneer slicer to make it, this would be your lowest cost option.

Second choice will be to have standard boards resawn into veneer, and then sliced to width. When you calculate in sanding, you will probably have around $2.00 per square foot for the millwork, plus the cost of the raw material.

I don't know how that compares with what you are currently paying.

[johnny means]

Have you reached out to any local cabinet/millwork shops? I'd gladly make a few thousand of those for shop rate. Of course, it would have to be a large enough order to offset set up time. There are lots of starving wood workers out there.

[John K Jordan]

Dustin,

Don't know if anyone mentioned them, but I order basswood from Heinecke: https://heineckewood.com/
I've bought 8/4, 12/4 and 16/4 planks. The quality has been outstanding. They shipped by UPS.

Maybe give them a call and ask if they can supply to your specification.

Depending on your application, you might want to make sure it is Northern Basswood rather than Southern. The northern grows more slowly giving it properties desirable for carving, chip carving, etc. I understand the faster-growing southern wood can be coarser. I do have a couple of boards of of southern basswood that seems OK so maybe some is better than others.

JKJ

[Mike Wilkins]

Lots of veneer retailers sell thicker veneers which are sometimes used to match older/thicker materials used in old furniture. I have seen it advertised by Certainly Wood, a veneer retailer. Might try to reach out to them to see what they offer.

[Mark Hennebury]

Those pieces would be cut on a slicer then sliced to width. Slicers can cut up to about 1/2" thick.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPdn-JxUEUc

[Jim Matthews]

See: You learn something new every day. I am still super-curious as to what the OP is actually building with these sticks.

Erik

He needs a bigger boat?
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kon-Tiki-raft

[roger wiegand]

I'd call whoever makes popsicle sticks.

[Charles Lent]

You might want to contact "Richards Craft Woods". He is in the Greensboro, NC area. He primarily supplies thin solid woods for crafters and scroll saw artists, but seems to have the ability to make what you are looking for. In volume he should be able to provide what you are looking for. https://www.richardscraftwood.com/ His phone # is 336-306-3986

Charley

[Erik Loza]

He needs a bigger boat?
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kon-Tiki-raft

Hilarious. The OP is still keeping us in suspense.

Erik