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At ProSono, we supply high-quality turning blanks for sale, in a select range of precious African hardwoods.
Our turning blanks are ideal for creating unique turned items, from wooden bowls and utensils to chess sets, pens, jewellery boxes and more.
Below we discuss characteristics of the best woods for woodturning, and offer details of the turning blanks we offer.
Best types of wood for woodturning
Most woods can be used for turning. However, the characteristics of certain woods make them easier to handle and less likely to split or warp.
Ideally, you want to use wood that’s tight, straight-grained and strong, but not so inflexible that it chips or shatters.
For most applications, select wood that’s free of knots, burls and tree scars.
Sometimes, though, a defect like a knot or an unusual grain pattern is what makes a turned piece special.
Hardwoods vs. softwoods
There’s no rule against turning softer woods, such as pine or alder.
Also, as this article wisely points out, the best wood for practising woodturning is probably free wood (or at least inexpensive wood)!
For longer-lasting pieces or ones that can stand up to daily use, however, it’s best to opt for hardwood.
Hardwoods grow more slowly and have greater density and strength. They are less susceptible to dents and scratches, and to damage as a result of humidity, temperature changes, mould or insects. Certain hardwoods are particularly resistant to insect damage because of the presence of specific oils or resins.
On the whole, hardwoods have more obvious grain patterns than softwoods – although this isn’t true for all species.
Hardwoods vs. softwoods: summary of typical pros and cons
| Hardwoods | Softwoods |
| – Stable (low risk of shrinking, warping or expanding) – Resistant to scratches, insects, damp and rot – Require sharper, more powerful tools to work | – Easier to work – Often less expensive – Faster growth rate, resulting in greater availability – Less durable and may be easily scratched or dented – Typically have more sap, which can gum up your tools |
Our African hardwood blanks
ProSono is the leading supplier of precious Southern African hardwoods to woodworkers, musical instrument makers and other artisans worldwide. Among our favourites for turning are:
- African olivewood
- Camel thorn
- African leadwood
- Mopane
- Red or pink ivory
- Tambotie (African cocobolo).
Our turners’ wood is of prime quality, with no open or large knots, discolouration or slits and cracks.
The parts are sawn with panel saws that offer high precision. Ends are sealed with quality wax (without bubbles) to guarantee the absence of end cracks.
All hardwoods we offer are responsibly harvested, properly seasoned and cut to required dimensions. Along with supplying hardwood at custom sizes, we aim to keep stocks of turning blanks (including bowl blanks) in a range of pre-cut sizes.
Turning squares and bowl blanks for sale
We supply turning squares in dimensions suitable for a variety of projects, from turning table legs and lamp stands to creating chess figures, candleholders or pepper mills.
The smallest pre-cut size we offer is 20 mm x 20 mm x 152 mm – suitable for fountain pens, violin or viola pegs or furniture inlays. Our longest pre-cut turning square (38 mm x 38 mm x 610 mm) might be suitable if you wanted to turn a Russian billiard cue or picture frame, for example.
Or opt for the largest square we offer (100 mm x 100 mm x 457 mm), suitable for table legs.
Our bowl blanks are also available in a range of pre-cut dimensions. These are ideal for turning items as diverse as clock faces, salad bowls and cigar boxes.
The smallest size we offer (100 mm x 100 mm x 50 mm) is ideal for turning coasters. If you wanted to make a large fruit bowl or a clock face, the 250 mm x 250 mm x 50 mm might suit your needs.
For a full list of available ready-cut dimensions, please see the tables on our Hardwood for Turners page.
How to get the best results from turning and bowl blanks
For the best results, it’s critically important to ensure that the wood has been properly seasoned. If it is too dry or unevenly dried, it may crack, split or chip during turning. If it is not dry enough, it will be prone to shrinking and warping.
Kiln drying is possible for some hardwood species but yields inferior results. Air drying and patience are best.
Most hardwoods require very slow, expert drying to yield the best results. Seasoning commonly takes as long as 18 to 24 months. For some woods, it takes up to several years.
For dense hardwoods, a further consideration is using the right tools and blades. These must be sufficiently sharp to achieve smooth, clean cuts (given the hardness of the wood), and to reduce the risk of splintering.
Ordering and shipping of our turning blanks
We offer worldwide shipping of turning blanks. Contact us to let us know your hardwood needs and we’ll do our best to assist.
