Wooden jewellery

[mrsekky]

I am interested in trying to make some wooden jewellery. Can anyone advise me on what wood is the best to use and where to buy it from?

Thanks.

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Hi! I think you would have to give us a little more to go on before we can get our thinking caps on! What did you have in mind? I assume it is not anything in the bead line... Are you fretsawing shapes. Carving 3D designs. Turning your own bead type things?? Are you laminating...marquetry...? Do you want to incorporate precious metals...inlay? Set wooden discs in bezels...? Are you planning on painting or staining the wood or do you want exotic woods that have fantastic natural colours and banding to be shown off.

I know that Di (Moon Cottage) did a lot of wood turning in the past - so she will probably be a mine of information - but she is doing a show today so you will have to wait for her.

I have a friend who has a passion for wood and has bought some exotic woods in the past - so he might still have the details of where he bought them from....

Go on..... Give us a clue!!;)

[mrsekky]

I think that I would like to use exotic woods and probably use fretworking to make pieces I could combine with precious metals in my designs.

Hope this give you a little more to work on.

Just really need advice about where to obtain the wood and which would be the best to work with.

[Di Sandland]

Hi Mrs Sekky!

Bee is right, I used to do a lot of woodturning but I tended to use rather larger 'chunks' of wood than would be used for what you have in mind.

However, I think that exotic pen blanks might be the way to go - small pieces of wood just the right size for turning pens from. The best place to get a feel for these is Craft Supplies (http://www.craft-supplies.co.uk/) who supply wood to guitar makers, woodturners, and folk who do marquetry (are they called marketeers? I have no idea).

A word of warning - be very careful when working with some of the exotic woods as the dust can be toxic.

If I can help any more, give me a yell.

[mrsekky]

Thanks for the help. Will have a look at the supplier you sugest and have a go. Good point about the dust.


Claire.