Wood working skills needed....

Wood working skills needed....

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Sarkmeister

Original Poster:

1,664 posts

217 months

Sunday 21st July 2019
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Evening all

Slightly strange request.....

I have a lump of wood that was used as a cake stand for my wedding. It's a section of cherry tree trunk about 30cm diameter an 20cm long (it was actually from a tree in a PHer's garden, see thread in about 2014). I'd like to turn it into something for a present for my wife, something like jewellery box.

The problem is that I have zero wood working skills, or tools. How would I find someone who can do this?

I'm a bit confused as to whether this is a job for a joiner/carpenter/wood worker. I'm willing to pay for this obviously.

I'm based in Nottingham if that helps.

Cheers in advance

Drumroll

3,738 posts

119 months

Sunday 21st July 2019
quotequote all
sounds like something a woodturner could do.

There are two groups near you:

http://www.dukerieswoodturning.org.uk/

http://www.trentvalleywoodturners.co.uk/

Make contact with them I am sure someone will be able to help you.


227bhp

10,203 posts

127 months

Sunday 21st July 2019
quotequote all
It depends whether the box will be round or square, but maybe a cabinet maker or wood turner would do it or have contacts that could.

Sarkmeister

Original Poster:

1,664 posts

217 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
Cheers for the replies so far. I was thinking of a square box, but might give the wood turners a try, cheers.

I contacted a wood carver but he want interested. I appreciate this is a tiny job so not surprised

227bhp

10,203 posts

127 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
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It's a cabinet makers job then - officially.

paulrockliffe

15,639 posts

226 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
I'd have thought you'd be able to find a turner that would do it for you, what you're after is basically what they do, except you're offering a guaranteed sale rather than speculatively working through a pile of wood and going to village fetes and the like hoping to get lucky.

But what's possible will depend on the wood, particularly how it has dried. Cherry is very hard to dry and is prone to splitting. Even the smallest split will likely stop you turning the wood. Turning is also quite wasteful, so maybe you'll get something better from a cabinet maker.

But again, it'll depend on how dry it is, how it's been dried, how big it is, and also how much you're prepared to risk ending up with nothing but bent wood and sawdust?

It really wants running through a bandsaw into boards then leaving to see how it moves, before tiding it up, dimensioning it and getting it ready to work with. Once you've had that done and you know how much wood you have, you'll be able to decide what you want.

I'd have thought you'd find it harder to find a cabinet maker to do all that for you than a turner to be honest.

SeeFive

8,280 posts

232 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
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paulrockliffe said:
I'd have thought you'd be able to find a turner that would do it for you, what you're after is basically what they do, except you're offering a guaranteed sale rather than speculatively working through a pile of wood and going to village fetes and the like hoping to get lucky.

But what's possible will depend on the wood, particularly how it has dried. Cherry is very hard to dry and is prone to splitting. Even the smallest split will likely stop you turning the wood. Turning is also quite wasteful, so maybe you'll get something better from a cabinet maker.

But again, it'll depend on how dry it is, how it's been dried, how big it is, and also how much you're prepared to risk ending up with nothing but bent wood and sawdust?

It really wants running through a bandsaw into boards then leaving to see how it moves, before tiding it up, dimensioning it and getting it ready to work with. Once you've had that done and you know how much wood you have, you'll be able to decide what you want.

I'd have thought you'd find it harder to find a cabinet maker to do all that for you than a turner to be honest.
If you find that the wood is too risky to turn and are running out of ideas, maybe thru sawing of the slab and a glue up to gain stability / a good non-end grain surface would give you a good basis for an arts and craft style bandsaw jewellery box. Obviously each to their own on design, but it just might provide a way to use the wood as a keepsake for your wife if all else fails.

Here is one example, there are many others out there but in the end the glue up will be the enabler to the design (what size / shape lump you end up with)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=otZqFdk612E

So you could speak to someone who produces arts and crafts style things as well as turners / cabinetmakers.

Edit autocorrupt spieling.




Edited by SeeFive on Monday 22 July 11:09

Sarkmeister

Original Poster:

1,664 posts

217 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
Cheers. Looks like I need to find myself a cabinet maker.

The wood has been sat outside for a few years, and does look to have split a bit. I have a closer look later and take some pics so I can send them to whoever I contact.

sfella

876 posts

107 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
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Ilkeston joinery are good guys and may be able to help

Spragnut

199 posts

172 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2019
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If it's been sat out side a few years it will likely need to be stored somewhere to dry out for a few years, preferably with the end grain sealed to slow down the drying.

If you dry it too quick it will split even more, try and do anything with it now and as it drys it will shrink and crack, ultimately it will likely end up looking awful.

I doubt you'll find anyone that will be able to do anything with it until it's had time to dry.