where do you get your wood??

[Christopher Martin]

I was wounding where you all got your wood from? I am sure not everyone buys there wood from wood crafters or another woodworking site. I am just looking for cheap wood to practice with mostly. And what would you guys recommend for basic bowl turning and small boxes turnings.

 

[Timb]

Check in with the local firewood guys, there is tons of wood to be had .... all you got to do is ask.

Tim

 

[Harry Robinette]

Ask your local arborest or whoever takes care of your citys tree and tree dump most cites have one. You have to have permission to cut wood in the tree dump but I get allot of my green wood there.

 

[Christopher Martin]

Ask your local arborest or whoever takes care of your citys tree and tree dump most cites have one. You have to have permission to cut wood in the tree dump but I get allot of my green wood there.

Well I live in the sticks, so most of the time the power company will trim trees and cut them down and usually just set them on the edge of the property.... and fast so I know it is free pickings... far as like in city limits trees removal well I don't know of any services that do that here ... Mostly business owners have to cover those costs.

I can ask the local dump but they are very picky and do not usually pick up tree brush not let alone full sized trees even cut down into chunks.

Most people burn that kind of stuff right on there property.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Lots of places have liability concerns with you using your chainsaw to reduce lumps to blanks on their land. Justifiably so, given Michigan has joint liability, where ANY party determined to have had any percentage of responsibility in an accident is vulnerable for the entire amount of any award, regardless the extent of that liability. Deepest pockets get raided the most.

You don't say where in "Central Michigan" you are, but even assuming the mitten, you shouldn't have far to go to find firewood sellers. Pickup with trailer and fifty bucks will get you all the wood you'll be able to turn in a year, though it won't last that long, even if fresh. Make sure it's not split and seasoned, the way people who burn it prefer.

 

[Scott Austin]

see if you can talk to local loggers, and sawmills. Alot of the time they have the log ends (whatever is left over after they cut all their logs to length). Veneer mills are awesome too if you have one around. You can get the ends of those logs sometimes. If you are driving around and see a tree laying down in someone's yard stop and ask if you can have some of it. Worst they can do is say no. Usually they will tell you to take all you want. Don't get to much stacked up though, If you don't use it or preserve it fairly quickly it will start to split on you. I have purchased domestic hardwoods very little. That was just because I needed it dry, or it was something I couldn't find in the woods or it was interesting. Also, I find that it is good practice if someone gives you a bunch of wood to turn them a thank you bowl or box once in a while. That usually gets people to where they are looking for wood for you. Good luck to you.

 

[hockenbery]

If there is a local club in your area, give them a call.
They generally have a network of sources.
Whoever answers the phone will be happy to talk about turning and advise you on local wood sources.

Our clubs here send emails on down trees.

One club has trips to an arborist lot where logs await us from time to time.
The dump has a "firewood" pile but it get pretty dirty when they push it around.
One club has a wood auction to raise money for the club.
Lots of good blanks 2-3 dollars each and the money goes to the club.

Some clubs have a wood lots.

Have fun,
Al

 

[Jake Gevorgian]

Wood milling companies usually have dried 8/4 wood scraps, like Maple, Walnut...

 

[Christopher Martin]

I am in the big town of Blanchard, Mi. It is near Mt. Pleasant where central Michigan university is. I will check some of the leads you guys have suggested.
:cool2:

 

[Dean Center]

Christopher,
Boy, do I wish I had your problem. If the local folks have to deal with trees themselves, drive right up with your saw and offer to haul the trunk away. I bet most folks will be happy to have you take it off their hands. (Our local club members offer the owner a turned bowl in return to get the 2-3 trees a year available here.) Your closest turning group appears to be in Grand Rapids (www.grandriverwoodturners.org), though there are undoubtedly experienced turners closer than that.

 

[Christopher Martin]

Christopher,
Boy, do I wish I had your problem. If the local folks have to deal with trees themselves, drive right up with your saw and offer to haul the trunk away. I bet most folks will be happy to have you take it off their hands. (Our local club members offer the owner a turned bowl in return to get the 2-3 trees a year available here.) Your closest turning group appears to be in Grand Rapids (www.grandriverwoodturners.org), though there are undoubtedly experienced turners closer than that.

Yeah I want to go check out there club this month...next meeting is july 21st in grand rapids , Mi. This months demos are finials which I am not where near ready but need to learn sooner than later...lol If I was closer to the "club house" I would be there every day amusing my {RA} allows it. So to chain saw trees is not really something I could do, but to take a few chucks off a tree I could do but most want you to take the whole tree or nothing at all.

 

[Jake Gevorgian]

Yeah I want to go check out there club this month...next meeting is july 21st in grand rapids , Mi. This months demos are finials which I am not where near ready but need to learn sooner than later...lol If I was closer to the "club house" I would be there every day amusing my {RA} allows it. So to chain saw trees is not really something I could do, but to take a few chucks off a tree I could do but most want you to take the whole tree or nothing at all.

Chris,

Definitely go to your Woodturners club. In our club we play raffle, and win huge chunks of turning blanks. It's very interesting...because once you win a piece of wood, you are then asked by a fellow woodturner "I wonder what will you make out of this burl..." Then inspiration, challenge...enthusiasm gets all over you!

Cheers,
Jake

 

[Steve Worcester]

Yeah I want to go check out there club this month...next meeting is july 21st in grand rapids , Mi. This months demos are finials which I am not where near ready but need to learn sooner than later...lol If I was closer to the "club house" I would be there every day amusing my {RA} allows it. So to chain saw trees is not really something I could do, but to take a few chucks off a tree I could do but most want you to take the whole tree or nothing at all.

Email the president and ask him about where the club gets free wood. Ask him if their are any members close who you might get some wood off of.

 

[Thomas Stegall]

Some places to check that have well established trees that from time to time are felled by storms or disease and the owners have no concern for the wood itself and would like to minimize the expense of removal;

Home owners, Golf courses, the local cemetery, forest preserves, local parks

I live in Niles IL and here the local forestry dept puts all downed trees through a chipper and returns the mulch for free to the village residents. However the large pieces they can't put through the chipper so they put them in a big pile and have them halled away once a year. So, I asked and was granted persmission to take any and all wood I want for free. So the wood is already cut and removed from the area and pile up nicely for me. I check their regularly to get all sorts of fresh green wood in various species. If I had the notion I could take home probably 2-3 tons a month.

Often times the places listed above have a staff member cut up the wood, but it may sit for days before they get around to having it hauled away. If they have your contact info you may get a call and the cutting work already done. For those people who give you the wood for free it is always good to return a "Thank you" piece turned from the wood they gave to keep the free wood coming your way.

 

[David Wilkins]

I live near where the city dumps it's trees, before chipping. I asked for and received permission to take what is available. I have had some pieces too large for me to handle, the supervisor cut the pieces into a manageable form and delivered them to my driveway. I also contacted 2 tree trimming companies, one refused to help in any way, not even call, I think they had been stung. The other just lives down the road, he has traded wood for my work donated to a charity of his choice, and even dropped off rough sawn,n.e. cherry boards 1" x 14" or so. It didn't dry well, so it's shelving in my shop. The guy who wouldn't help me does help some other turners I know, but only so they can take from where he dumps.

 

[George Gibson]

You can use dimension lumber from a local lumber yard. It's cheap, easily available, and good for practice.

 

[TJ Hamilton]

My experience is that your friends and neighbors will bury you in wood.

Just put the word out that you want the first 2-4 feet of the trunk from the ground up, cut as long as the diameter and stand back.

I keep a record of the gifts and make each donor a bowl.

I've got more wood than I can turn.

Tom, in Douglasville, covered up in walnut, cherry, hickory, hackberry and a whole lot of other local hardwoods.