American Steamed Beech Kiln-Dried Woodturning Blank – Rough Sawn
Approx. 75mm x 75mm x 458mm
Approx. 3" x 3" x 18"
This is a kiln-dried American Steamed Beech woodturning blank, rough sawn and suitable for larger spindle turning projects.
Beech is a medium-strength hardwood and is a very useful wood for new woodturners. It is firm enough to give proper feedback from the tools, but not so difficult that it becomes frustrating to practise on. It is a good choice for learning cuts, improving tool control and making practical or decorative turned pieces.
This larger 3" x 3" blank gives you more options than the smaller 2" x 2" blanks. Bigger blanks allow for chunkier turnings, wider shapes and projects where you need more wood to work with.
The longer 18" length also gives you more flexibility. You can cut off what you need for each project, allow a little extra for waste, and still have useful material left for another turning.
Suitable Projects
This size is useful for larger spindle turning projects such as:
● Larger spinning tops
● Small boxes
● Tool handles
● Chunkier decorative pieces
● Practice spindle work
● Small pots or hollow forms
● Projects where a 2" blank may be too small
At approximately 18" long, you can cut off what you need for each project and divide the blank into shorter lengths depending on what you are making.
Practice Grade Note
The current pieces are best suited to practice, experimenting and general beginner woodturning rather than highly specific finished projects.
They are still useful blanks, especially for novices and hobby turners who want larger pieces of beech to practise on, but some may have the odd minor defect, natural mark or saw cut. If you have a very specific finished piece in mind, these may not be the best choice.
For learning, testing cuts, making practice pieces and trying larger spindle projects, they are a practical option.
Rough Sawn Finish and Natural Variation
Please note that these blanks are rough sawn. They may show saw marks, uneven surfaces, natural marks or slight variation in size from the original cutting.
Many surface marks should turn away once the blank is rounded and shaped on the lathe, but minor natural defects may remain depending on the piece and the project.
These are not planed or polished pieces of wood. They are practical woodturning blanks, ready to be cut, mounted and turned.
As with all real wood, grain, colour and markings will vary from blank to blank.
Why I Supply These Blanks
One of the hardest things about starting woodturning is finding suitable wood to practise on. Not everyone has access to dry hardwood, and buying full boards or large pieces is not always practical.
For that reason, I supply a small range of hardwood blanks that are already cut into useful sizes for woodturners. There is quite a bit of work involved in buying, cutting, sorting, sealing and storing these blanks, but they are useful for beginners and hobby turners who want wood they can actually use.
Useful for Beginners and Woodturning Students
These blanks are especially useful if you are new to woodturning and do not yet have an easy source of suitable hardwood.
A lot of beginners struggle to find dry hardwood in small, manageable sizes. Buying full boards can be expensive, awkward to transport and wasteful if you only want to practise or make a few small projects.
As a woodturner who also teaches beginners, I cut and supply these blanks in practical sizes so that hobby turners, students and anyone starting out can get straight to the turning rather than spending time trying to source suitable wood.
The larger 3" x 3" size gives you more room to shape the piece and is useful when you want to move beyond very small spindle projects. The longer 18" length gives you even more options, especially if you want to cut the blank into sections for several practice pieces.
End Grain Sealed
This wood is kiln dried. After cutting, I seal the end grain with PVA glue to help reduce moisture movement back in or out through the exposed ends.
This helps keep the blank more stable while it is stored, although as with all real wood, some natural movement can still happen over time, especially if blanks are stored in changing temperatures or humidity.
Weight and Shipping
Each 18" blank weighs approximately 1.8kg.
Orders of woodturning blanks should be kept under 25kg maximum to keep the parcel weight manageable for shipping. If you need a larger quantity, please contact me before ordering.
Collection is also available and may be the best option if you are buying several blanks or heavier pieces.
More wood may be available than is currently listed online.
Please Note
The photos show an example of the type of blank available. They are not the exact pieces you will receive, but your blanks will be of the same general type, size and quality.
