Not sure I’ve seen anyone mention these guys:
They also sell on ebay, sometimes at a discount. Good selection in 1/8", cheaper than woodcraft, and free shipping. Win win win.
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Those are really good prices! I just picked up a wood lathe, and in looking at some of their pen and bowl blanks, I’ll be ordering some!
I’ve been circling a wood lathe for a while… I need more workshop space. Eyeing a wood lathe and drill press, but I have nowhere to put them. I gotta buy a new house to support my workshop needs. 
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I have had good experience with the floor model Porter Cable drill press. You can get it from Lowe’s and I think I only paid about $180 for it new.
The lathe I picked up in the Nova Comet ii. It is a 12" mini lathe, but I’m liking it so far. I’ve only had it for a couple of weeks, but it is a lot of fun. I’ve turned quite a few things already. I recently built a cart to put it on, so it can just wheel out of the way when I need it to.
Thanks.
I think this is their ebay store?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/monitorseller/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
Yup! I ordered some walnut, wenge, ambrosia maple, and a multipak [sic] of purple heart, yellow heart and padauk. About $200 total for a good bit of 1/8" wood. The key for me was that they deal in 6" wide boards – the 3" class you find at woodcraft is a bit too narrow for me to get anything useful done.
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Just bought a lathe myself, i have a loooooong way to go before i get any good though
A big problem in Australia is the lack of wood selection like you have in the USA. Pine is king here and there is little else available cheaply or with ease. Also much of the wood is very dry.
On the other hand my land has plentiful Sheoak and Eucalyptus so i might be able to cut some of my own rounds
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That’s kind of surprising to hear about lack of selection in Oz. I guess maybe the more densely populated areas are still far enough apart to make distribution tough.
Have you checked out Nick Zametti’s wood turning channel on YouTube? He’s in New Zealand and talks about the products he uses. Might be a supply source listed on his channel that you could utilize.
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It is more the conditions… with the exception of the coastal regions there is not enough water to support decent forests.
Also, what forests we do have are almost exclusively Eucalypt… for instance, did you know the name of Sydney’s Blue Mountains originated because the oil evaporating from the huge number of Eucalypts there creates a blue haze.
I have seen nothing like the mixed forests of Europe or the USA except on (very wealthy) private properties.
Pine here is grown in plantations.
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Oh I gotcha, I wasnt even thinking of the US domestic species. I’m in the US desert and have to have woods shipped in no matter the source or species. That expense is enough that may as well get imported exotics.
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Yeah, that is also a problem.
- Firstly, anything imported receives the ‘Australia Tax’ and greatly increases in cost.
- Secondly, we just don’t have the ‘maker culture’ like you do in the US. There is not the volume of requirement for nice (but very expensive) wood that could help moderate the prices
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See also:
Just as an FYI I’ve purchased turning stock from them before. Good quality stuff but hardly ever square. And turning stock is usually sold green but this stuff was sopping wet. Like the cardboard box it shipped in was wet and stained on the inside. They do seal the ends but after a week in my apartment they began to check. I don’t think this experience will stop me from buying more from them but I will take care to dry it slower and built that into my project timeline.
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You mean green valley, or the other link I posted?
Green valley claims their thin stock is kiln dried, so I’ll soon see.
Yes Green Valley. I have not ordered any of their thin stock just turning blanks. I think they even advertise that their turning blanks are green but they were REALLY green.
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I just got my first shipment from green valley (fast!). It’s all excellent quality, very flat, very consistent thickness. I am super impressed.
I did a little price comparison, it’s about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the same materials at Woodcraft or Rockler, with a much better selection. They’re my new go-to.
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I was thinking of taking a road trip to Green Valley, but then I saw they are located in Brazil!
Oh wait, that’s Brazil, Indiana, so only two hours away. 
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I see what you did there…
If you want to turn, but lathe is not in the cards may e this?
Lots of other table saw lathe ideas out there.
If you just want dowels there also good table saw jigs for it. I did this a couple months ago:
2x4 from the orange roof…
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I’ve seen some Eucalyptus bowls, and they look nice! That would be cool.
What tools did you go with? I have the carbide cutters from Easy Wood Tools.
Only bought a lathe (350w Ryobi) with the heads and tools that came with it. Certainly better gouges are on the shopping list but i need to get my core skills up first.
Unfortunately all i have worked with thus far is dry dry dry pine and that has not been easy!
Eucalypt looks amazing when it is worked BUT it is an incredibly difficult wood to work with. It is extremely hard (even when green) and prone to tough knots and irregular grain
Even the early settlers only used eucalypt for building when they had no other option, but when you come upon an old settler’s house the wood is still strong and stable
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