need a small piece of wood/micarta but looong

ryan9977

ryan9977

Joined
Feb 16, 2006
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hey everyone.....i am looking for a thin looooong piece of micarta or wood.....if it's wood i'd prefer it NOT have to be stabilized....yeah i'm cheap.....it if for a project for a friend on a lathe.....it has to be about 2inchesx2 inches by 16 inches long.......is there anyone that could cut me a piece of micarta or something else i could use.....i have no way of cutting it up myself.......

any ideas on where i can buy something that size....i sent burlsource a messafge asking about wood that size....preferably not needing stabilization.....if anyone is curious it is for a muddler(one of those wooden sticks used for mixed drinks).....thanks for any help.....ryan
 
Okay, I know how you can get a nice piece of hickory that size for free. If you have a place near you that sells MTD or Cub Cadet lawn tractors, you'll have a great source of free wood. Those brands of lawn tractors usually ship their tractors in large wood frame crates made from scrap hickory or walnut that really couldn't be used in other project, but would make great knife handles. You can usually find a pile of the broken down crates behind the store. Also, because the store owners usually have to pay extra to haul that much scrap wood away, they'll usually let you take as much as you want. You can probably find a nice piece in that scrap pile.
 
An old Baseball Bat?
Maul handle? Check your Hadware store for various
Hardwood handles. Lumberyard for hardwood staircase railing
 
i got a reply from burlsourse...he has a long piece of walnut....it'd be about 30 bucks plus shipping.....any idea where i could get a similar sized piece of micarta and if it'd be cheaper?.....ryan

the size is 2 inch square by about 14-16 inches long
 
You may be able to get a cheaper piece from a discount lumber store. Most hardwoods will not normally be milled as thick as you want. Their 2" thick will be closer to 1&1/2". Make sure you use a hardwood that is cut vertical so your muddler doesn't move to much when you get it wet. Last and cheapest option, find some pallets with hardwood, take them apart, plane them flat, laminate the pieces together and then trim. Sure it's a lot of work but...
 
Check with Woodcraft or similar woodworking store. It sounds like you are looking for wood turning blanks. They are usually 2x2, in various lengths. Some 3x3 or wider, and shorter, for peppermills, etc.

Check ebay for "canvas phenolic." There is a guy on there that is selling some large micarta cutoffs. It won't be cheap, however, especially with shipping.
 
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Rockler has 2 x 2 x 18" black walnut and cherry for $7.99 each on line. Do a Google search for walnut (or cherry or?) turning squares. If this is being used with alcohol it's important to keep in mind that alcohol is a solvent and will dissolve out many harmful extractives from some exotics and man made products. Stay safe and use the good stuff, walnut, cherry, alder, beech and the like. Unless someone is trying to peddle you an end grain trim (bad stuff) all turning squares will be proper grain orientation i.e., parallel to the pith.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=9941
 
so larry something like walnut and cherry i'm safe with?.....what exactly happens with the alcohol?....it dissolves stuff inside the wood pores?.....ryan
 
Larry D. Davis said:
Rockler has 2 x 2 x 18" black walnut and cherry for $7.99 each on line. Do a Google search for walnut (or cherry or?) turning squares. If this is being used with alcohol it's important to keep in mind that alcohol is a solvent and will dissolve out many harmful extractives from some exotics and man made products. Stay safe and use the good stuff, walnut, cherry, alder, beech and the like. Unless someone is trying to peddle you an end grain trim (bad stuff) all turning squares will be proper grain orientation i.e., parallel to the pith.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=9941
Click to expand...

IIRC, you usually use a muddler to prepare ingredients before the alcohol is added. For example, you crush the mint leaves for a mint julep, remove the muddler, add the bourbon, and stir with a spoon.

That may not be true for all drinks, though. I'm no bartender.
 
Raymond1000 said:
IIRC, you usually use a muddler to prepare ingredients before the alcohol is added. For example, you crush the mint leaves for a mint julep, remove the muddler, add the bourbon, and stir with a spoon.

That may not be true for all drinks, though. I'm no bartender.
Click to expand...

There ya go... I was never a sophisticated drunk...er....drinker.


The chemicals in wood that provide color, aroma and such are referred to as "extractives" because they can be commercially extracted from the wood fiber. Think dyes and essential oils. Also color is dissolved and extracted from wood fiber in making high quality paper. Pour some lacquer thinner over some fresh coco bolo and it will run off yellow and orangish..that's extraction. Fruit woods make great kitchen utensils...cherry, pear, etc.
 
Larry D. Davis said:
There ya go... I was never a sophisticated drunk...er....drinker.


The chemicals in wood that provide color, aroma and such are referred to as "extractives" because they can be commercially extracted from the wood fiber. Think dyes and essential oils. Also color is dissolved and extracted from wood fiber in making high quality paper. Pour some lacquer thinner over some fresh coco bolo and it will run off yellow and orangish..that's extraction. Fruit woods make great kitchen utensils...cherry, pear, etc.
Click to expand...

This a lot of fun to do with pernambucco. It turns the solution bright magenta. (probably not the best choice for any kitchen utensils)
 
ryan if i was wanting to go non natural it would be a plexy or the like
less the micarta is fresh made and you know it could have been a spacer submerged in something in a power app.
thts what happens with most of the thicker size stuff as ther is littl calling for it

again i say food safe wood or plexy both will be cleaner to start and easyer to clean after use maybe have boardsmith make you a composite up (2 tone)
 
Local cabinet shop,ask for small Hard Maple scraps. Woodcraft is also
a good suggestion. Custom wood dealers. Find out about local wood turning
clubs. Hard maple, good stuff, food and alcohol safe. Don't use a tropical
hardwood, too many alcohol soluble oils and extractives which could become
allergens. Cherry would be a good second choice.

Good luck.

Bill

p.s. If you can't find something locally, send me a pm. I should have some
good pieces hanging around here. Just cover the postage.
 
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