jwebb2011 Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I am planning a toy chest type piece and my plan was to use some maple lumber and oak panels. I was going to pick the materials up from a big box store, Lowes. But i am wondering if i should look else where for a better grade and straighter boards. Thanks Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RichardA Posted October 10, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Look for sawyers in your area. Stop in a cabinet shop locally and ask questions about their sources. Big box stores are the source of last resort for cabinet grade wood. They are the first stop for construction woods. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwebb2011 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Started looking around the only place i could find near me sells some very interesting wood. Unfortunently it says all boards are random width and length. I dont have access to a table saw or a planer, just a small jointer. So I have no way to get the exact dimensions i would need. Is this normal for professional grade wood dealers to sell lumber sized like that? Thanks Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Best guy I know of. Matter of fact had a partial log set of curly black walnut delivered to my house last week. Tell him Ace sent ya! -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I dont have access to a table saw or a planer, just a small jointer. So I have no way to get the exact dimensions i would need. That's a problem you're gonna have to remedy before you worry about buying lumber. You need a way to make big boards into smaller boards, otherwise you're not really woodworking. Random width lumber is standard at real lumberyards. And even if you purchased dimensional S4S lumber at a box store, what do you do when you need a board 6-3/8" wide? They don't carry every width ad infinitum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Most quality hardwood is sold random width, random length. Lots of yards have surfaced 2 sides and straight line ripped one edge. Without a tablesaw or a track saw your woodworking is going to be severely limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwebb2011 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I know my work is going to be limited, I planned my next project based on some stock lumber sizes, At least for the styles and rails for the piece. The insert panels for what I am making will be able to be cut with a t square and a circular saw. I am currently working on expanding my tool supply. I only recently found a love for wood working and my first piece was a simple design, it's posted in project showcase "reptile enclosure". But I did manage to make do with what I had, even though it's not finish furniture grade, it came out decent. So I will continue down my path and acquire tools overtime. I was just curious about where people go for material and if its normal for lumber to be sold random length and widths. Thanks for all the info. Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I know Bob can cut, plane, size and ship whatever you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwebb2011 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 That's a problem you're gonna have to remedy before you worry about buying lumber. You need a way to make big boards into smaller boards, otherwise you're not really woodworking. Random width lumber is standard at real lumberyards. And even if you purchased dimensional S4S lumber at a box store, what do you do when you need a board 6-3/8" wide? They don't carry every width ad infinitum... While i am new to the world of woodworking, i cant help but think you are mistaken when you say that if someone doesnt have the means to rip a large board means they "arent really wood working" . What about the guy that goes out and buys a simple 4x or 2x amd uses nothing more than a knife to whittle a beautiful wooden toy or a simple box. Is he any less of a wood worker than you? Someone recently said to me that the key to woodworking is knowing how to use the tools that you have. So i am basing my plan for my project on what i have available to me at this time, and will hopefully make something out of nothing. I was under the impression that woodworking involved turning an unfinished board into something it wasnt before. But i guess i am mistaken. Jeremy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I know my work is going to be limited, I planned my next project based on some stock lumber sizes, At least for the styles and rails for the piece. The insert panels for what I am making will be able to be cut with a t square and a circular saw. I am currently working on expanding my tool supply. I only recently found a love for wood working and my first piece was a simple design, it's posted in project showcase "reptile enclosure". But I did manage to make do with what I had, even though it's not finish furniture grade, it came out decent. So I will continue down my path and acquire tools overtime. I was just curious about where people go for material and if its normal for lumber to be sold random length and widths. Thanks for all the info. Jeremy You can rip wider boards with a circular saw. It can be fairly inaccurate, and can be dangerous if done wrong...but if you get creative with jigs and straight edges, it can be done. Ultimately you'll want a table saw, but in the meantime... Don't buy lumber from the big box. Screws, tape measures, MDF...that's what the big box is for. Obviously it's an exaggeration to say you're not really woodworking...I should have put it more diplomatically like Steve did, and say you'll be extremely limited. So limited that I personally wouldn't enjoy myself. But to each his own. If whittling 2x4s floats your boat, then that's what you should do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwebb2011 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 I know Bob can cut, plane, size and ship whatever you need. Thanks Ace, i will look into it i appreciate the information. Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minorhero Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 To the OP. Hardwood sellers are the best most consistent places to get wood. You want to buy kiln dried whenever possible and especially when starting out. Hardwood sellers will have that whereas folks selling random bits of wood they had milled from trees on their property likely will be air drying. A great way to find hardwood sellers in your area is wood finder. http://woodfinder.com/ Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerrySats Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Where are you located ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Thanks Ace, i will look into it i appreciate the information. Jeremy I just want to say that I have bought wood from Bob based on Ace's recommendation in another thread and he couldn't have been easier to work with. And he sent me some amazingly beautiful wood. All dead flat and square. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triviasteve Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 I have recently purchased lumber from Groff & Groff Lumber in Quarryville, PA, Hearne Hardwoods in Oxford, PA, Alderfer's Lumber in Mt. Pleasant Mills, PA and Zimmerman's in Pine Grove, PA. All of these yards were amazing places to visit. Groff's has a great selection of domestics and exotics, and their customer service is awesome. They were willing to sell me a few board feet of this, and a few board feet of that… willing to crosscut some of their 8 and 12 footers to sell me what I needed. Hearne's has a tremendous selection as well. They were running a special on cocobolo, so I picked up 24 bf of that… and got some Koa cutoffs… They didn't seem to be willing to crosscut to sell you a few bf, but they'd crosscut for you so you could fit it in your vehicle if you bought the whole board… pictures are of some of the cocobolo and koa... Alderfer's was another incredible place. His slab wood selection is out of this world. I've never seen so many gorgeous slabs of walnut in my life. Bought some amazing figured lumber from him, and they are super easy to work with. Will definitely be back there to check things out. Zimmerman's is a great place for domestics. A really nice old man runs this place. He was willing to work with me to plane some lumber down to 1/2" so that I could do some Christmas projects, and his prices were more than reasonable. I ended up spending about $1/bf for some oak and maple. I'll be taking a trip to NC soon to check out a few places there as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Kolva Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Did you call the local lumber supplier? Most of the lumber suppliers I deal with will do some surfacing and cutting for additional fees (often unadvertised), perhaps your local source does as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feistydogww Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Local hardwood and lumber suppliers will have better selection and quality, which could ultimately save you money from wasted wood from cutting out the bad spots. They will also be more knowledgable than most big box staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Rahberg Posted January 8, 2015 Report Share Posted January 8, 2015 Austin Hardwoods Paxton hardwoods CS Woods All in the denver area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brady Posted January 8, 2015 Report Share Posted January 8, 2015 Austin Hardwoods Paxton hardwoods CS Woods All in the denver area. What are your opinions of these places as a source for a hobbyist? I've been going to a place in Ft. Collins ever since I started woodworking. They have a good selection and are super friendly (they don't mind if I rummage through a stack of lumber for an hour just to buy 10 BF. Of course I neatly re-stack it ), but I'm interested in trying some other dealers. Denver's a little further for me, but I've been thinking about making the drive down there to check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.