sourcing or making thin wood for boxes

[tom coleman]

I need thin wood, pine and hardwoods for making small boxes. I am looking for dimensioned lumber in 1/4 and 3/8 thicknesses. Can anyone suggest a good mail order source? Alternatively, any suggestions for cutting same on a table saw.

thank you

[Guy Germaine]

Depending on the size of the boxes, look for some old pallets. A lot of times, the slats are 3" (or so) wide oak about 3/8" to 1/2" thick. You can plane them down and use them. Here's a picture of a cabinet I made for my Dad last year. The top is all slats from old pallets. I just planed them down, and jointed the edges.
http://www.fototime.com/8A6AE35B6E01EB7/standard.jpg

[Ralph Barhorst]

Tom,

Check this out. http://www.walllumber.com/thin.asp

[Mike Hood]

I've had a lot of fun making small cedar boxes using cedar closet liner. You can get a box for $30 or so and it contains many board feet of smooth accurate thin wood. (smells great too)

I make little knick knack boxes from it.

[Orval Schroeder]

Tom
try this site. They are in tennessee and I have ordered thin wood from them for laser work, only thing is they only take phone orders but will ship out same day.www.sloanswoodshop.com. Hey my sister and her husband have a home in Englewood on Arkansas street, we spent some time there last year and plan to go back this winter great area. Hope this helps

[Lee Schierer]

I make small boxes using dimensioned lumber. You can easly get two pieces of material from a piece 3/4" thick by resawing. If your saw is well tuned, it won't take a lot of clean up on the planer so if can be cles to 3/8 in thickness. You can resaw 1" material and get two pieces 3/8" thick. Looks like a good reason to buy a band saw and a planer. :D

[Mike Wilkins]

If you don't want to invest in a good planer, there are several mail-order sources of thin wood. Rockler, Woodcraft, Klingsopr's Woodworking Shop are some that come to mind.
Also check the back of the ww magazines for ads listing lumber dealers.

[Rod Sheridan]

I make small boxes from 3/4" lumber, resawed on the bandsaw to just under 3/8", then planed to 5/16" or 1/4".

It's the most economical way to use 3/4" material.


Regards, Rod.