Quality Basswood

[Fran F.]

I have had bad luck selecting basswood blocks. I often get wood that is brittle and splinters easily. Once in a while I get a great piece. I have a few questions.

1) Who is the best supplier of quality basswood as reasonable prices?

2) I've heard that the best basswood is cut in the winter. Can anyone confirm whether that is true or not?

3) Any difference between kiln dried and natural dried basswood?

Thanks, and any other advice you can give on selecting basswood blocks would be helpful.

[hobo]

heineckewood .com question 2 true question3 yep

[Eddy-Smiles]

Fran...

It's my guess that Hobo just gave you the answer that 99.9% of the forum will respond with. You didn't give a clue as to your location neither did you indicate what size basswood you were dealing with. Both have a bearing on quality.

Personally my pocketbook doesn't provide the luxury of mail ordering my wood from suppliers like Heineckewood. I get my wood when I can, where I can and for as cheap as I can. Sometimes it hard, sometimes soft, sometimes even spongy... I just take the good for with the bad... some of my work is better than others but I sure can't say that it's all the wood's fault.

[Nancy-G]

Just like Eddy and Hobo said .....
Heinecke Wood Products
Cumberland, WI 54829
(715) 822-8642
Any size basswood you want or need and it's always in great shape.

Where do you live? The Heinecke family is frequently at selling wood in person at carving shows all over the mid-west.

[Thomp]

AS for soft wood most was southern that i've carved, the worst wood i've got was from Micheal's and there economy packages there mostly small pieces of varying size, and differ in quality from stringy soft or rock hard..

wood to be used for planking, firewood or carving is usually is cut in the late fall - winter when the sap water is down, this allows drying faster and less work to move each log.

i buy once or twice a year from
Heinecke Wood Products

but i order $40-$50 bucks worth at a time in 12"x12 1/2" thicknesses of whatever wights he offers.. that way theres no glue up for my critters i carve small under 10 inches so it works for me

Beginner carvers need to have the best advantages to hone there skills, tough trash wood is something they can learn how to deal with later after they learn there tools and how they work,

hard wood will get you cut, soft wood will keep you frustrated with gummy chips, splits and tears,
call dale and get you some good wood and you will find a way to order from him from now on..

[Fran F.]

Originally Posted by hobo

heineckewood .com question 2 true question3 yep

Thanks Hobo. You said that there is a difference between kilk and natural dried. Can you tell me what the difference is? Thanks, Fran

[Fran F.]

Originally Posted by Eddy Smiles

Fran...

It's my guess that Hobo just gave you the answer that 99.9% of the forum will respond with. You didn't give a clue as to your location neither did you indicate what size basswood you were dealing with. Both have a bearing on quality.

Personally my pocketbook doesn't provide the luxury of mail ordering my wood from suppliers like Heineckewood. I get my wood when I can, where I can and for as cheap as I can. Sometimes it hard, sometimes soft, sometimes even spongy... I just take the good for with the bad... some of my work is better than others but I sure can't say that it's all the wood's fault.

Thanks. I live in Maine. I get my wood from local folks selling at shows. Like you, I get it where and when I can and have to take what is available. I'm look for a variety of block sized in the neighborhood of 3x3x10 up to 6x6x10

[Eddy-Smiles]

Fran...

Have you tried contacting either of these two companies, both within driving distance of you? The savings in shipping would help offset the cost of the gas and you'd have a better chance of selecting what you want.

http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/

http://www.tuckawaytimber.com/

[Nancy-G]

Great big hunks of basswood are almost impossible to find anymore and when I was carving full time that's all I was using.

Dale Heinecke took perfect pieces of bass 3" x 6" x 48" and glued them to other pieces 3 x 6 x 48, ending up with pieces 6" x 6" x 48". He shipped them to me here in MO. The "joints" were so perfect they were hard to find or see. There was never so much as a tiny air bubble!! Incredible stuff.

This was three years ago and I don't know if it's still available but I can't imagine why not.

[Jace Burnette]

Hi Everyone,I just wanted to show a carving I did last night.I thank
it came out okay .For it tobe a rough cut piece of populer/
like the piece under it it carves easily an if kept in a cool
place til dry cracks very little.