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Exotic Wood Source?

Joined
Mar 2, 2012
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I used to get all my exotic woods from The Hobby Mill, no longer in business unfortunately. Anyone have a source for boxwood, cherry, ash, pear, etc.? I don't need a lot, just enough for a small project I'm going to do to re-learn my ship building skills - but I don't want to just use the crappy walnut that comes in kits.

Thanks.

Glenn
 
Last edited:
I can recommend the dLumberyard too

 
I buy all I need for modelling from Cornwall Boats UK. Link to wood strips is here:


Living in Canada it appears to be 10 times cheaper shipping from UK to Canada then from US to Canada.
 
I've sent an email in, thanks. I don't have size or quantities just yet. Just know I'm going to do the hull in boxwood (above the wale), the wale in ebony (which I have) and the rest of the hull in cherry. I have the ash for the deck and I think enough pear for the interior bulwarks, I may replace a few other kit provided things as well as I go along. Half the fun of building models for me is working with the exotic woods, good to know there's a US source :-)
 
I buy all I need for modelling from Cornwall Boats UK. Link to wood strips is here:


Living in Canada it appears to be 10 times cheaper shipping from UK to Canada then from US to Canada.
I didn't like that they cut the lengths in half to ship to the US, but also good to know. I've bought paint and kits from Cornwall in the long ago past. Thanks.
 
In the US a company called Historic Ships .com also sells model shipbuilding lumber, dead-eyes, blocks, barrels etc. Shipping costs are a bit high - they use Fed-Ex - but the quality of their products seems to be pretty good. Have some planking on order from them due to arrive Mon,
 
In the US, I recommend, as others on this site, dLumberyard. I've bought many exotic woods. I am extremely impressed with the quality of their Costello Boxwood, with every dimension you can think of. From large blocks to 1/32 in. veneers.

Ken
 
I look in my workshop first. I had to spend some time last week in a couple of dark corners, and was surprised at the amount of English boxwood I have. Also some apple, a bit of spalted pear, sycamore (quilted maple) some air dried beech in large dimensions - like 10x2 inches, and I had completely forgotten a stash of English oak baulks, one of which will do nicely for a project I had almost given up on for lack of any 4x4 in stock.
Even came across a wee bit of apricot, and some actual rose. further stuff too numerous to mention. You get to hoard bits of timber. For furniture, the offcuts are scrap. For model ships, everything down to the size of quarterdeck stanchions 'may' have a use, so you keep it.... - and risk domestic disaster.


For this list, it's the box that counts. A favoured and traditional material for quality such as shipyard models. Fine grain, strong, takes good detail, and works like buttah.

J
 
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