Wood materials

[Dave @W]

I did a quick search here but only found a couple of suppliers of wood materials noted. A couple questions - first, are there any domestic USA suppliers of metric cut wood items? I've found a few doing a Google search but they appear to? supply material in inch dimensions, Yes, I can convert but those dimensions aren't usually an equivalent size. Second - is Cornwell Model Boats in the UK a good supplier even with pricy international shipping. If it ends up that international suppliers are what it takes, so be it

 

[zoly99sask]

From Germany

https://modellbau-holz.jimdo.com/startseite/zum-shop/holzleisten-h%C3%B6lzer-von-l-bis-z/

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

I did a quick search here but only found a couple of suppliers of wood materials noted. A couple questions - first, are there any domestic USA suppliers of metric cut wood items? I've found a few doing a Google search but they appear to? supply material in inch dimensions, Yes, I can convert but those dimensions aren't usually an equivalent size. Second - is Cornwell Model Boats in the UK a good supplier even with pricy international shipping. If it ends up that international suppliers are what it takes, so be it

I had the same problem regarding hull planking and ended up cutting my own on the band saw. For mast dowels, there was no solution until now. Thanks to @zoly99sask for the link to the German supplier! Vielen Dank!

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

the lumberyard will cut metric material check out the link at the right side and the milling chart on the site.

 

[Dave @W]

Thanks for the info, folks
I guess I could try to make some of my own planking but a 10" table saw might not be the best tool even though it's been fully accurized with a set up plate and my Last Word dial indicator. The Lumberyard appears to have some interesting woods too.
Appears that building metric measurements based models for us in the US has a big drawback for additional materials. Oh well, that can make it interesting.

 

[Philski]

Thanks for the info, folks
I guess I could try to make some of my own planking but a 10" table saw might not be the best tool even though it's been fully accurized with a set up plate and my Last Word dial indicator. The Lumberyard appears to have some interesting woods too.
Appears that building metric measurements based models for us in the US has a big drawback for additional materials. Oh well, that can make it interesting.

A tablesaw is a very accurate tool but even with thin kerf sawblades, you'll lose a lot to sawdust. A bandsaw would be a better choice - particularly resawing. I buy woods from a local hardwood supplier and I do mill down to small metric sizes. Final ripping is done on a Proxxon mini-saw. Works great! And I have a LOT of cutoffs/scrap of mahogany and sapele from furniture projects.

 

[Donnie]

I would contact Dave Stevens of the Lumberyard www.dlumberyard.com and see how he can help you.

 

[zoly99sask]

I would contact Dave Stevens of the Lumberyard www.dlumberyard.com and see how he can help you.

@Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)

 

[Bob Ellis]

I did a quick search here but only found a couple of suppliers of wood materials noted. A couple questions - first, are there any domestic USA suppliers of metric cut wood items? I've found a few doing a Google search but they appear to? supply material in inch dimensions, Yes, I can convert but those dimensions aren't usually an equivalent size. Second - is Cornwell Model Boats in the UK a good supplier even with pricy international shipping. If it ends up that international suppliers are what it takes, so be itin

The only timber worth buying from Cornwall is maple. Boxwood and pear are difficult to find in the UK and will generally require home milling. I buy planed cherry (poor man's pear) in larger offcuts from eBay and mill with a bandsaw. I avoid walnut, it's too soft with open grain, basswood isn't a finishing timber unless you're painting with a good matt enamel. The good stuff I get from Hobbymill in Estonia....at a price! In the UK we have no choice but to mill.

 

[Dave @W]

Two of you folks have recommended a band saw. Unfortunately I don't have room for another pretty big tool one in our very small new house. That also brings up a question since in our previous home I did have a smaller one, seldom used as the accuracy was pretty poor when doing resaw work. Mind you, the materials that I'll need are in the 1-2 mm thickness or thereabouts. My history with a band saw is that you might be within 1mm plus or minus tolerance, I just looked thru a couple pages on AMAZON and it appears that there are many hobby size saws, good and terrible ratings that use a 4" blade with a thin kerf. A local lumberyard has a great selection of the usual and exotic woods so could that be my answer?

As a newbie (well, returning modler), I do appreciate your recommendations and help

 

[Bob Ellis]

Two of you folks have recommended a band saw. Unfortunately I don't have room for another pretty big tool one in our very small new house. That also brings up a question since in our previous home I did have a smaller one, seldom used as the accuracy was pretty poor when doing resaw work. Mind you, the materials that I'll need are in the 1-2 mm thickness or thereabouts. My history with a band saw is that you might be within 1mm plus or minus tolerance, I just looked thru a couple pages on AMAZON and it appears that there are many hobby size saws, good and terrible ratings that use a 4" blade with a thin kerf. A local lumberyard has a great selection of the usual and exotic woods so could that be my answer?

As a newbie (well, returning modler), I do appreciate your recommendations and help

The Jim Byrnes table saw is widely regarded as the best. I don't have one due to the postage to UK. I use a Proxxon FET which is a very poor second unless you carry out a lot of modifications.

 

[Dave @W]

The Jim Byrnes table saw is widely regarded as the best. I don't have one due to the postage to UK. I use a Proxxon FET which is a very poor second unless you carry out a lot of modifications.

I would suspect that the postage and possible duties and possible VAT would put that Byrne's saw out of sight especially if you added any of their costly accessories. Interesting how costly these mini saws can get but I'll still have to think about that and maybe Santa .....
Yjanks for the good info

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Two of you folks have recommended a band saw. Unfortunately I don't have room for another pretty big tool one in our very small new house. That also brings up a question since in our previous home I did have a smaller one, seldom used as the accuracy was pretty poor when doing resaw work. Mind you, the materials that I'll need are in the 1-2 mm thickness or thereabouts. My history with a band saw is that you might be within 1mm plus or minus tolerance, I just looked thru a couple pages on AMAZON and it appears that there are many hobby size saws, good and terrible ratings that use a 4" blade with a thin kerf. A local lumberyard has a great selection of the usual and exotic woods so could that be my answer?

As a newbie (well, returning modler), I do appreciate your recommendations and help

Would you say this $180 benchtop band saw purchased at Harbor Freight is too large for your space? This saw has been here in the room where I work for a couple years now and it's quite handy for ripping planks narrower and general parts fabrication. I can set the fence with a tolerance of +/- 0.1mm, and this is not a high quality saw.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

i do not rely on a bandsaw or table saw to do finish cuts or close tolerances i do all my finishing by sanding by hand, with a thickness sander, and or a disk sander.

I would suspect that the postage and possible duties and possible VAT would put that Byrne's saw out of sight especially if you added any of their costly accessories. Interesting how costly these mini saws can get but I'll still have to think about that and maybe Santa .....
Yjanks for the good info

somewhere on the forum there are discussions on table saws and their cost. You are correct the cost of a Byrne's saw is really really expensive when everything is figured in. Personally for the cost i would get a bandsaw and a thickness sander and both are less than the cost of the Byrne's saw.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

i do not rely on a bandsaw or table saw to do finish cuts or close tolerances i do all my finishing by sanding by hand, with a thickness sander, and or a disk sander.

Ditto!

 

[Dave @W]

The band saw above is about the size I had - and I just do not have the room for that size tool and maintain a happy spousal relationship with my wife. Yes, I could "throw" the car out of the garage but in Upstate NY that is not a pleasant option. I do other woodworking and do have a JET 10" table saw along with a router table and a drill press plus a work bench, cabinets and tool boxes I wont part with. A planer or thickness sander just wont fit either. Then a disc sander? Has to be a table sander but that., in my opinion is not a good way to do much more then finish a part to size not make up a 1or so foot long piece of wood to fit a hull planking job.

We seem to have gotten away from my original question of where can I (WE)source additional metric csized wood strips/planks and odd pieces, preferably in the US and in pretty small quantities to finish a model (I added a bit of definition to the original).

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

We seem to have gotten away from my original question of where can I (WE)source additional metric csized wood strips/planks and odd pieces, preferably in the US and in pretty small quantities to finish a model (I added a bit of definition to the original).

i can do that at the Lumberyard here on the sunny shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland Ohio.

i remember many years ago i was knee deep in snow this time of year today i am outside in a T-shirt

 

[Dave @W]

i remember many years ago i was knee deep in snow this time of year today i am outside in a T-shirt

Ahhh yes. Two years ago we had 37 inches of heavy wet snow on Thanksgiving. My snow blower had a huge problem moving it.
Not T-shirt weather here but decent here in the foothills of the Adirondacks

i can do that at the Lumberyard here on the sunny shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland Ohio.

Can you do small quantities?
Moving from 4000sq foot house with a 30x30 foot garage to 1400 sq feet and a small single car garage is cramping my hobbies and pastimes and my storage spaces are really limited for excess "stuff"

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

The band saw above is about the size I had - and I just do not have the room for that size tool and maintain a happy spousal relationship with my wife. Yes, I could "throw" the car out of the garage but in Upstate NY that is not a pleasant option. I do other woodworking and do have a JET 10" table saw along with a router table and a drill press plus a work bench, cabinets and tool boxes I wont part with. A planer or thickness sander just wont fit either. Then a disc sander? Has to be a table sander but that., in my opinion is not a good way to do much more then finish a part to size not make up a 1or so foot long piece of wood to fit a hull planking job.

Sounds like it's back to the coping saw and sanding blocks. Slower, but they do work. Again, Dave Stevens can provide metric sized lumber. Just tell him what you need. He's great to work with.

 

[Kevink]

Sounds like its time to consider a thickness sander. I have an old one from Preac which has done yeoman service over the years and is starting to show its age. I did a favour for a friend recentky and they decided to give me a Jim Byrnes thickness sander for Christmas. Cant wait to get it. To get the tolerances you are referencing can only be done on a thickness sander. My Jim Byrnes works great but the saw blade has been known to bend slightly so the dimensions change. Its so easy to rough cut on the table sand and get the finial dimension on the sander.