Online timber suppliers?

Anybody got recommendations for general semi-finished bits and pieces in decent timber (exotic not necessary).
For example: am looking at putting some basic speaker stands together and the most likely basis at present is stair spindles, but think that there must be other stuff out there. Semi-finished as only have basic hand tools.

Thanks

 

A bit tricky this as you have to be careful and not to make them look like, well stairs or stools. A Newel post thats used at either end of a staircase may look better and used as a single central support. Think you would best look at some designs of stands and see if you could make them or have them custom made at some wood turners.

 

a bit different perhaps..?

http://www.railwaysleeper.com/

 

How about a stand like a 'T' (birsds eye view) were it is ust two sheets of thick MDF/Pine board/Ply joined together.



It would be better to slot them, but a good amount of glue and a number of dowel pegs would probably do an alright job for a butt joint.

 

Here you go.

 

Thanks for all of the above.
As to what they may look like; stability is actually the main concern here, I also want them quite tall which has implications for the stability bit. Once I'd started thinking about a big tall stand I then moved on to the other issue I have been trying to address - vinyl storage. So... a stand that also houses LPs - to a certain extent it will look like a record rack with a speaker sat on top; not necessarily a bad thing.

 

may I suggest one of these on their side..?

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stor...066&productId=11499&chosenPartNumber=40047675

however, they used to do a single version which seems to have been replace with the double version - but that would have been spot on imo..!

 

Try www.yandles.co.uk or for smaller bits, www.axminster.co.uk they have a small range of mostly turnable timbers.

 

Thanks again.

Couple of places look like they may be good starting points.
As far as I can see there is very little availability of pre-turned components (outside of stair parts and door handles), quite possibly there is very little demand or is it that anything you want can be custom turned relatively easily?
For example: Ikea do table legs and tops separately and when I needed a big cheap table I bought a set of legs and fixed them to a door. If I wanted to do the same but nicer, sourcing a table top would be fairly straightforward but would there be anywhere to get some nice wooden legs - without having them turned to order. Or is it a case of it's too expensive to hold stock and relatively inexpensive to have them turned?

Just a note - I am a manufacturer myself, though nothing wood related - so I do understand the cost implications of holding stock!

 

It's fairly easy to get someone to turn 1 item on a wood lathe, there are a lot of people with wood lathes, however unless you are VERY skilled it's difficult to produce identical pieces on a wood lathe, and most engineers don't like wood near their metal lathes.
It can be pretty cheap to have it done for you, most hobbyists will probably charge you a nominal fee for the work and get enjoyment out of doing the work, a professional is more likely to want a proper rate, but whichever way, ask to see what they've made before first otherwise you may end up with a couple of bags of rabbit bedding.
Apart from the usual stair legs most things in more unusual hard woods tend to be bespoke, I carry very little as stock because I've seldom sold an 'off the peg' rack, it's nearly always the wrong size or the wrong colour.
You could always carve the legs the old fashioned way with a few spokeshaves?

 

Ah, just seen where you are, try Devon Hardwoods in Collaton Raleigh near sidmouth.

 

Ok, pretty much as I thought then. We do have a hobbyist turner in the village who has done some smalll bits for us already which were fine. The problem with anything custom, as I'm sure you find, is that as a consumer you don't necessarily know what you want or indeed what is possible. You need someone to show you a sample and then you say yes like that but could you...
The stage I am at is wanting to try some things out to see if they work then if they do, either making or getting them made to a better standard. Hence the 'Meccano' approach - if I can source pre-fabricated bits and pieces it's more likely I'll actually get on with it!