wood blanks

[Tom Godley]

Just wondered where people get dried wood blanks for turning.

I have been playing around with some wet wood from my area and some old fire wood that is best described as trash!!

So I thought that I could order up some nice blanks to work on. I have made a few out of glued up scrap. I am speaking of blanks for items larger than pens.


Maybe in a few years I will be able to have some of my own dried blanks!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Tom I get a lot of mine off the big auction place. Most times I can get kiln dried wood for pretty cheap to do lidded boxes, birdhouse ornaments, potpourri pots, etc. Shipping is going to get you no matter where you buy. I got 4 12" cherry blanks for $9.95 and for the same price some walnut, sasaffrass, and ash. You just have to watch. I just got some kiln dried African Coral wood for $9.00 plus flat rate shipping of $8.95.

[Al Wasser]

I also get some stuff from online auction. Realize that there is a huge difference in dealing with green wood and dry wood. I hate to spend $ for green wood only to have it crack. So, I suggest your learn how to handle free green wood before you buy it. Buy only dry wood although it is harder to turn. my 2 cents. You might give Johnson Wood Products in Iowa a call-- 563-933-6504. They did have a "bowl turners" package for about $50 plus shipping. I bought one a couple of yrs ago and it amounted to about $2 per blank for what I got -- some small, some larger but all useable

[David Walser]

Tom,

In addition to the auction sites, you can often find good blanks at your hardwood retailer. Our local dealer often has cutoffs that he sells rather cheaply -- good for small projects. At times, he also carries 12/4 walnut, maple, and other hardwoods, which is good for making your own pepper mill blanks or bowl blanks. I just picked up an 8/4 11.5" x 7' board of sapele (really nice grain) that I hope to make some nice platters out of.

Another source of dry wood is cabinet shops and furniture mills in your area. When I worked at a furniture mill, we used to sell our cutoffs for firewood. $15 for as much as your pickup would carry. You load. (That was in the 80's, so $15 was worth more back then.)

Good luck!

[Phillip Bogle]

I have bought a bunch of flooring leftovers from hardwood floor installers. It amounts to beer money for them but a good deal for you. Nice part about segmented turning is the ability to use pieces. I have had some substantial bd ft. and made jewelry boxes from left over flooring. Make sure it is not the laminated stuff, just the hardwood.

[Curt Fuller]

Tom, I think it's more of learning to recognize the wood that's all around you as good turning blanks. Road crews, power crews, and arborists are always trimming and cutting down trees. And your local green waste type landfill where your neighbors take their downed trees is a good source. You can buy some spectacular wood from sellers on that one site that starts with e and rhymes with Bay, but you pay the price for both the wood and the shipping. A decent chain saw, band saw, and a few saturday mornings soon pay for themselves and become part of the turning experience. But if that's not what you're into then just seach for turning blanks on the previously mentioned site and check out the vendor's stores. There's a lot of wood out there.

[Tom Godley]

So far I have been playing with wet poplar - I took David Ellsworth's class a few months ago and that is what he cut down from his land to work with. I live close to him so this is a very common wood in our area. He uses it in some of his own work and believes it to be a very nice wood to turn.

I am getting back into the hobby after many years -- I figured I would get some dried blanks in different woods so as to better understand how they turned. And how much to pay. I have also thought of gluing up some blanks from smaller boards.


A friend of mine is cutting down some Locust (he thinks) from some land he owns next week so I may get some of that - although I do not own a good wood vehicle!

A few weeks ago I was driving past some guys cutting up this massive walnut tree --- the lower trunk was very interesting. I did stop and ask about it -- it was as big as my car! Then I told them I just wanted a piece -- they were nice -- cut me two big chunks that just fit in the trunk!

[Jim Becker]

Tom, unless you are turning something like a pen that has to have absolutely dimensional "stability", you're best off turning wood that isn't formally dried. Dry wood is harder to work with, especially for the "harder" species. Most of the best material I've turned has come from off our property...maple, ash, walnut, etc...or from the local area as tree crew leavings, etc.