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MG TD TF 1500 - Why are UK wood prices high?

Looks like I need to replace some of the wood in my doors. The rest of the cars wood has turned out to be in very good shape.

I was looking online and noted that the kits from the UK are almost twice that of the US.

Any specific reason for this?
Bruce Cunha

Preparing for BREXIT?
David Padgett

Hardwood is expensive in the UK and not easy to find as we have very limited hardwood resources of our own. Labour cost is probably no higher than the USA, but the market is very much smaller.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Must be it Dave. I know you have some fantastic craftsmen and I would imagine it would be needed for other cars.
Bruce Cunha

The reason is simple - the wood used is Ash - our native Ash trees are under attack from Ash dieback and we are losing the trees.

70% of our Ash used in furniture etc in the UK is IMPORTED from the USA so it is the cost of shipping it over the pond and back again that increases the cost....
Chris at Octarine Services

Yes, Ash seems to be under attack from something or other on both sides of the Atlantic. Alternatives would seem to include Beech, Maple and Hickory.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Have you considered contacting reclaim yards. I'm fortunate that besides having a small timber workshop I've an excellant large reclaim yard reasonably local to me that can often sort out my needs.
JK Mazgaj

When I restored my TD in 1978 in California the old school cabinet maker I used to make some pieces told me that oak was as good as ash but cheaper, so that is what I bought for him to work with. He's long gone but he must have been right as all the pieces are doing well 41 years later.
John Quilter (TD8986)

I love to work with oak. It's readily available and not that expensive. Someone once said that it is acidic and will promote metal corrosion. I'd love to learn that that is not the case. I'm a pretty good woodworker and would love to replace a few tub members with oak but don't want to introduce a problem. Thanks for your thoughts. Jud
J. K. Chapin

Chris. That makes sense. Ash Borer bug has affected a lot of the Ash in the US.

I got both my doors apart and was pleasantly surprizd that the wood is in pretty good shape for 69 years old.

A few splits, and splinters but nothing terrible. I sanded all the parts and filled all holes with KwiK Poly. A two part epoxy filler that can be drilled.



Bruce Cunha

Hi Jud, I’m afraid the news is not good for using oak to replace ash. The tannin in oak is certainly acidic. Cabinet makers generally insert steel screws first then replace them with brass. Brass isn’t tough enough to be screwed in on its own. Painting might isolate the steel from the oak but you would still have a problem with the nails etc.
Chris
C I Twidle

I also believe that ash with a less tighter grain is more flexible and therefore will put up with a bit more flexing when the car is in motion. There are also different grades of oak with those sourced from colder climates and therefore slower growing having a greater long levity.
JK Mazgaj

With my partially oak framed tub I have not experienced any corrosion issues in my 41 years of ownership but then I have not torn the body apart for that close an inspection. Also not sure what species of oak were used. As I recall the rocker panel pieces, door latch pieces and hinge attachment pieces and the piece at the top of the tub at the back were the ones replaced.
John Quilter (TD8986)

This thread was discussed between 01/09/2019 and 05/09/2019

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