for wood, buy local. ask your friends if they know any woodworkers. if they don't, look in the local phone book. but find someone in your area. the wood itself is not a big part of the cost of a set of scales- the labor of making them is more and so is shipping. if you can find a woodworker who works in fine hardwoods the pieces you need will likely be scraps for them. give a little compensation to cut them to the thickness you need and you should be set.