Collecting Wood

All I know about Bloodwood is sthat it is heavy. Wish I had a lumber yard that close.

-- Thos. Angle

As for your last question, I buy all my wood that way. I almost always design the project around the wood. The wood is what dictates shape, form, finish, details, etc. For me it is more about making something that best shows off a particularly amazing piece of wood.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

I buy it because it’s a great deal, because it’s pretty, because I haven’t used it before, because someone wants to get rid of it, because today’s Wednesday, because I’m paying a delivery charge anyway …

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

yes as a matter of fact i just bought some lacewood the other day out of pure impulse. it was so beautiful that i couldn’t not buy it. not sure what its going to accent yet but time will tell.

-- "Who but a fool would discard seeminly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent engineering" -- Aldo Leopold

I generally don’t buy on impulse, but I certainly do scavange free wood on impulse. Never know when it might come in handy!

-- Paul, Texas

I am also an impulse wood buyer – in fact I just ordered some Tiger Maple, cause I could:-)). Don’t know what it will become, or should I say what type of box it will become. I’ve worked with bloodwood one time before and was quite pleased with the outcome. It takes a very nice finish.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Dekker see my workshop . I never buy on impulse. I always have a project in mind. (Ya right) LOL

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Interesting topic. Oh yes, definitely – buy, scavenge, beachcomb or scrounge – all on impulse. If it looks interesting it’ll eventually end up being made into something. I can’t leave a stunning piece where it is; I might never see anything like it again. As many of you say; the wood will often determine what it’ll end up as. My wife and I have a great understanding. She knits and is exactly the same with yarns. We did an inventory & she has something like 45 miles of wool stashed away! Sshh! she hasn’t suggested I do the same with my wood.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Karson Your “collection” is impressive! But I must say, even more impressive is the fact that you can get work done in your shop! It looks more cluttered than mine!

YorkshireStewart, 45 miles of wool? Why not encourage your wife to do the same with your wood? That would mean you were entitled to 237,600 board-feet of lumber!! (more than Karson!)

-- Dekker - http://www.WoodworkDetails.com/Blog/MNagy/

That’s a good way of looking at it Dekker!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

I am always looking for wood. Sometimes you find a piece that talks to you, so you have to buy it.

Wood is unique. Once you find a unique piece you know that you will never find another piece exactly like that one, so you take it home with you.

Even at Lowes or Home Depot I look through the lumber (Douglas fir when I lived in California and Southern Yellow Pine here in Texas). I look for that perfect of quartersawn (or majority quartersawn) piece with a tight grain pattern. You don’t see them too often, but you do, and then you get a real deal.

Sometimes I stand around just looking at my wood collection. Then about six months ago a thought struck me. What the hell am I saving this stuff for. I have to start using it so as not to let the kids have it someday.

So now I am using it up as I come up with new projects.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Recipe for spalted maple (from local woodcutter)

Take maple log.
Put in pond for 2.5 years.
Remove from pond.
Mill into slabs of varying thicknesses.
Let dry.

Voila! Spalted maple.

We’ve made some nice bottle stoppers and pens out of his offcuts. Brown, red and black colors mixed together naturally really look cool.

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.