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Thread: Wood Blanks for Routing

  1. #1
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    Mar 2014
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    Wood Blanks for Routing

    Anyone have a source for glued up or otherwise 3/4 inch thick walnut boards say 12x18 or 18x18 inches? Unfinished suitable for routing projects. Prefer not mass produced in China!!
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  2. #2
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    Oct 2007
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    Dawson Creek, BC
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    Try looking for old 5 piece cabinet doors. I have used quite a few panels, and those can be found for free. Here is one from a couple of days ago. Walnut will not be as easy to find, but maybe??? I have been seeing some suppliers carrying wide glueups for shelving in nice woods, but the ones I have seen are mainly exotics and not walnut. Walnut will be a difficult one to find in good quality due to waste factors.

    DUCK_HUNT_01-BEF01_sm.jpg
    Last edited by Brad Shipton; 06-07-2019 at 10:49 AM.

  3. #3
    I would just mill and glue my own. That way you'll get exactly what you want. If there's a sawmill close to you then you'll probably get a better price than going to a lumber yard. I buy unsteamed Walnut in the rough KD to 8% to 10% locally for $5 bf and then mill it myself. The only hardwood supplier locally wants $12 bf for steamed Walnut, which to me is kind of muddy looking compared to the clarity and beauty of unsteamed Walnut.

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  4. #4
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    Yea, I make my own, too, which also means I can be careful with grain and color match and make any glue-up lines "disappear" so it appears to be a monolithic panel.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Any millwork shop or professional lumber supplier worth their salt will have the means to give you exactly what you want. Search your area... I don't think it'll be that difficult in your neck of the woods.
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  6. #6
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    Thanks guys but glue up would be difficult for me as I do not have a drum sander. I looked at my local lumber big box store but they were out of walnut nice enough to use. I need a dark hardwood that routs well doing details.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  7. #7
    Do you have a planer, Bill? How about a jointer? Either of those will work. A drum sander is nice but not necessary. Matter of fact, you can use your CNC to surface the Walnut. I've done that plenty of times even though I have a planer, jointer, and drum sander.

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  8. #8
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    No planer or jointer and I figure if I had to I would use a surfacing bit. Right now I am still tweaking the file to make sure its going to be ok before I use my expensive wood. I have been away from any CNC work for months so kind of relearning. Thanks for the feedback David.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  9. #9
    Move beyond the box stores...seek out a professional supplier that can give you exactly what you need. My supplier does glueups and mills it to spec making it hassle free and CNC ready. The material comes in +/-0.003 in most cases even tighter than that. I can't match that level of precision on my planar etc...and don't care to.

    In addition to that if you're caught up in the convenience of big box lumber you're really missing out on a whole plethora of species that would separate you from your cohorts. You're also missing out on quality because the big box stores it's all about cheap... which sadly seems to be an ongoing trend. It's not much more to get quality material served up to your specs. Hook yourself up.
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  10. #10
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    Your in an entirely different part of the country, we don't have those services here and if they did exist they would not want to mess with less than a $1,000 order. Our local Menards (midwest chain) is far, far better than Home Depot and much cheaper also. They carry a very fine grade of what I could call cabinet maker grade hardwood or other woods. They just happen to be out of walnut, and I have never tried cherry for detail router work so it might work also. There is also a Woodsmith store a 20-30 mile round trip that I could check, but you never know until you get there whats in stock or whats not.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  11. #11
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    You could call the Woodsmith store and see if they have what you want.

  12. #12
    Look harder...
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brady Watson View Post
    Look harder...
    How many of those carry the glued up 12 x 18 or 18 x 18 inch walnut I asked for? It has to be repeatable and dependable source for a new product line I am working on. Yes I just called two right now and its random length finished two sides, one has finished two side and one end but without a complete wood working shop I am out of luck.
    Last edited by Bill George; 06-12-2019 at 11:08 AM.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post
    How many of those carry the glued up 12 x 18 or 18 x 18 inch walnut I asked for? It has to be repeatable and dependable source for a new product line I am working on.
    You're not asking the right questions. Nobody carries 'the glued up' anything.

    Make some calls...You could have already found a source...
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  15. #15
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    I have located sources online one on eBay who will do as custom and bulk ship the other on Etsy. Much cheaper than me buying a planer and drum sander and trying to find a place in my shop. Local places do not want to bother with less than $1000 order, this is the busy part of the year for them.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

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