I also find 1 x 8 pine at Home Depot. Don't use oak, however, for it can be toxic. I like the following vendors for toy parts and hardware on Ebay: Birds Only Toys, BirdToyParts and Windy City Parrots. Another online vendor (not Ebay) who is really a great guy (a personal friend) is Sam at
http://www.squawkadoodle.com/.
Make certain that all hardware is either stainless steel, nickel plated or aluminum. NO ZINC. The dull looking steel clips available in most hardware stores are NOT safe. They are coated in zinc to retard rust.
I use many hard plastic parts on my toys. The birds don't eat them: they simply have fun chewing them into pieces. Most parrots love to mouth plastic toys.
You can purchase cheap woven paper plate holders (wicker) uncolored and string them together too. My birds just love to chew them up. I also purchase natural wicker wreaths and baskets for the same reason. I rinse them and spray them with GSE and water to make sure whatever sprays used to ship them is removed. Make sure they are dry before offering them to your birds.
A really simple and inexpensive toy is to simply buy some little paper Dixie cups (unwaxed are better, but either will work) and string them like hanging bells. My birds love to destroy those, too. I buy them by the hundreds at BJs and Sam's clubs. I'm their favorite customer (LOL). Cheap paper plates would also be fun.
I am the one who introduced Vitacritter food coloring to this board. Cheryl Mertens, a pharmacist and fellow parrot owner, formulated an entire line of bird safe dyes that are awesome. Once you try them, you'll use them for everything, including Easter eggs. Try
www.vitacritter.com for that.
THE OUTLAW