Wood Machining Service In Fingal?

Mark#1

Hi.

I didn't know whether to post this in DIY or on here, so I'll try here first.

I'm making my own unit for my DVD player, satellite tuner, amp, etc, and to store CDs/DVDs.

I'm using 3" x 9" rough timber that comes in 16' lengths, but the unit will be 2510mm wide.

I'm looking for somewhere to:

1. Plane the 16' lengths on all 4 sides.

2. Drill 4mm or 5mm holes, straight & true, through the 9" (230mm) width.

The place I intend to buy the timber doesn't offer this type of service, so I may buy from a place that does, if such a place exists. I'm in north county Dublin.

Or if someone can offer advice on how to do the holes myself, I'd be happy to go about the planing with my electric hand plane - it'll be a deliberately rustic unit, so perfection isn't essential.

I have a 10mm auger bit that's maybe 18" long - can you get long 4mm or 5mm bits for use in a typical electric drill? 250mm would give me enough reach to get through the 9" (230mm) width.


Thanks for any replies,

Mark

Scratchface

Hi Mark,

Higgenbottoms will supply the wood, and plane all the sides for you. They're in Coolock Ind'Est, Behind the old Tayto factory on the Malahide Road. Might finish a bit clean though if your after a rustic look.

Mark#1

Could be the job - the rusticness is coming from me shaping the edges with rasps to give the effect of weathered timber, so smoothness on the faces is fine.

I found these (http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/1599206) bits online last night too, so looks like I'm in business.

I'll call Higgenbottoms tomorrow for prices.

Thanks.


Mark

aerosol

Hi Mark,I can second Higgenbottoms,they should be able to help u no probs.Its a good place for some nice hardwood off cuts too!Theres a small shop opposite them too that let me have "skip cuts"

Mark#1

Been in contact with Higginbothams - they can do all I originally wanted and more, but the prices are a lot higher than I'd planned on spending.

I'm sure the prices are actually reasonable, it's just that I'd set an overrall budget for the completed unit, and Higginbotham's price for just one of the pieces (actually two pieces bonded) is very close to that budget on its own.

I'm thinking it over for a day or two.

As I've learned a little more, my needs have changed slightly. I could do all the pieces of the unit myself (my design means that none of the joins on these pieces will be visible, so aesthetic perfection is not vital), but get the top bonded professionally.

This would involve planing just one 3" edge of each of two 2510mm planks (leaving all other surfaces rough), and bonding those planed edges together, to leave me with a single finished piece of 2510mm wide by 75mm high by roughly 440mm - 450mm deep.

You guys know anywhere else that may do this?


Thanks for your replies,

Mark

Mark#1

As I've been reading a bit more, it seems there are quite a few places that can supply timber cut/planed to size. Aparrently Brooks in Balbriggan can do this, and I could collect from them.

I really need to do this as cheap as possible, so what I fancy now is buying two pieces 2550mm long x 3"/75mm thick x 9"/230mm wide, with each one planed on just one 3"/75mm edge, and then gluing them together myself.

Anyone got any thoughts?


Thanks,

Mark

ennisa

I buy hardwood from brooks and they are nice, they let you go around the warehouse to pick your pieces. I have never asked them if they will supply it planed though as I do that myself.

Strahan timber are the only other place that i know that will plane to order but they do only do two faces.

http://www.strahan.ie/prod-hardwoods.htm

hope this helps.

Mark#1

Thanks for the replies folks.

Buying PAO, or having pieces planed for me was pushing my project cost to high, so I had to accept rough.

Brooks had good enough 3 x 9 for me. It's not planed, but it's almost clean enough that a decent sanding could achieve what I want. €26 for a 4.8m length. It's white deal, rather than red - fine for my purposes.

I had to load the 3 pieces onto the roof of my car on my own, with the security guy watching me. All the staff baled home at 5 on the button. At least I could choose the besst pieces from the bale.

I also got two sheets of 2.4m x 600mm x 18mm "lamwood" - basically bonded red deal. Very happy with all the pieces I got.

Thanks again.

Mark

Scratchface

Hi Mark,

I used to use that lamwood by the bale from Brooks in Eastwall. A small word of advice, if your not planning to use it straight away, keep the sheets covered with some hardboard or plastic sheeting. Once the moisture in the air lands on it, it'll start to warp.

Mark#1

Thanks for that, Scratchface - I was wondering whether to take off the plastic shrinkwrap. I'll leave it on now till I'm using it. I've placed the two sheets in the location where the unit I'm making will be.

I'll be cutting it to 500mm-or-so slabs, which'll be set into routed recesses, so once cut & fitted, I'd imagine warping shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for the heads-up. Yay forums, eh?


Mark