When buying basswood

[sw_iowa_sawyer]

When you buy basswood what sizes do you buy most often. I am interested in what sizes of basswood or I guess butternut folks purchase most from your favorite wood vendor of choice. Do you buy a common size and fit the project to the wood, or do you buy the wood size to fit the project you have in mind.
I have cut basswood logs and just was curious on what sizes folks use most.
Thanks

G

[Iowa Carver]

I buy primarily 2 x 2, 3 x 3, 4 x4 myself. I cut most of my patterns from those sizes or carve woodspirits on those sizes. Is that you George?

Corey

[Claude]

Welcome to the forum, G.

Since my little 9 inch bandsaw can only cut 3.5 inch thickness or smaller, I buy 3 x 6 x 12 inch wood. I can easily cut one of these down into 2 x 2 or 1.5 x 1.5 or 1 x 1 or 3/4 x 3/4 sticks for carving little Santas.

Claude

[sw_iowa_sawyer]

Yep Corey that would be me.

[chuckbolton]

if i didnt have a specific project in mind-- id buy the largest piece i can get-- then i can cut it down-- or if i have a piece laying around-- i can reduce the size of my pattern if i need to. i buy 2 and 3 inch thick most of the time-- as wide as i can get it-- often 10 inches

[catbird]

What about bird carvers? It seems like I have seen the dimensions of some finished carvings and they are bigger. None of my patterns have the size of wood to start with.
I have a lot of 3X3 and 4X4.
This is an interesting thread.

[sw_iowa_sawyer]

This is interesting. I have been cutting a lot of 4" and as wide as I can on the basswood don't have a ton of folks asking for the thicker stuff in basswood. The butternut I cut mostly 4" but I do some 5" up to 8" but basswood seems to be the more used wood. I like to carve western type stuff and I like butternut for that. I did a class with John Burke a while back and we used butternut and did a native american out of 7X7 butternut blocks when oiled it is awfully pretty.

I am cutting 2X2 eye sticks lately and planing out some basswood bark on boards.

I love wood.

[Iowa Carver]

Hey George, I started a butternut spirit last club meeting and finished it last Sunday. You can see it below on my website. Like you say, sure looks pretty oiled up and finished! I never did see your Burke piece, wish I had. I saw P.J.'s but not yours.

Corey

[sw_iowa_sawyer]

Hey Corey

That came out great, man you work fast. I love butternut it works so easy and stains up so well. I am glad you enjoyed it.

[Squint]

The best place I have found to buy basswood is www.heineckewoodproducts.com these guys ship to you then you send them a check when they send you an invoice. The blocks are squared and they will also cut to order. Beautiful wood. Squint