My first order from Bell Forest Products


ChetlovesMer

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Just wanted to report on my experience with ordering from Bell Forest. I ordered 200 bf of 8/4 red leaf maple and 100 bf of 4/4 red leaf maple. After the TWW discount, and shipping it to the great state of Iowa I calculate my total cost as follows:

 

8/4 Red Leaf Maple cost me about $4.16 per board foot.

4/4 Red Leaf Maple cost me about $3.62 per board foot.

 

I'm not sure if I could have matched that price locally, but either way, I have to admit it was pretty sweet just having the stuff show up at my shop.

 

The Bell Forest guys were great to work with. They delivered quicker than promised. I think they said it would take a week. I got a phone call from the shipping company in 2 days and it was actually in my shop within 4 days.

 

If you are on the fence about ordering from them, I can say after one order I have no complaints and I would definitely use them again as well as recommend them.
 

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How wide are the 4/4 boards?

-Ace-

 

Ace, they promised me they'd all be at least 5 inches wide and they are. Most of them are about 9 inches wide.

 

They also said they'd all be 10-12 feet long and again, they are.

 

The interesting thing is actually the 8/4. The 8/4 is really consistent. All the boards are 12 feet long (almost exactly), they are all between about 10-12 inches wide. What I'm really happy about is that the yield will be really high as none of them are noticeably bowed.

 

That was the only thing I was worried about. I know how to get good pieces out of almost any board unless it's badly bowed, then the only thing you can do is start making armrests for Morris Style Chairs.

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You didn't mention the quality of the wood but I could tell by tone of your voice!

Shoot us a pic of a planed piece as I don't think I've ever seen red leaf maple.

What will you be turning this into?

 

Ken,

 

The quality seems really good. I'll keep this post updated if my opinion changes while using it.

Red leaf maple is just soft maple. Sometimes if you specify "Red Leaf" it means you are expecting wood with more grain and spalting to show. In this case that is what was requested.

 

This will become a dining table and bench. I'll check with the client to see if posting pics is okay. If so, maybe I'll do another hourly update thing.

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Ken,

 

The quality seems really good. I'll keep this post updated if my opinion changes while using it.

Red leaf maple is just soft maple. Sometimes if you specify "Red Leaf" it means you are expecting wood with more grain and spalting to show. In this case that is what was requested.

 

This will become a dining table and bench. I'll check with the client to see if posting pics is okay. If so, maybe I'll do another hourly update thing.

I'm a big fan of the hourly update posts. I will look forward to this project if you decide to do a journal.

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I've made 3 orders from them.

1. Adirondack chair guild build.

2. Nice 8/4 Spanish Cedar from the 'pick your own board' page. (made a G&G bench)

3. A gigantic bushel of of 3/4 Purple Heart dowels on clearance.

Very pleased with the kit. Everything was oversized and overthick, to leave room for relative dimensioning, grain selection within a board, sanding, planing, etc. not a knot to be found. Pieces with sapwood were extra wide.

One bowed piece (a 10" wide board) and they promptly replaced it.

More expensive than my local lumber yard, but that shouldn't be a surprise.

I always keep my eyes peeled for their free shipping deals.

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Chet - Just curious, how did you engage them?  In other words, did you call?  Email?  Like how did you let them know exactly what you wanted?

 

I'm going to be building a chest of drawers early next year, and I'm considering using figured maple through Bell Forest.  This would be my first time not picking out my boards in person, and I'm a bit nervous and am just wondering how much freedom I have to say "I need XYZ board feet, preferably boards of ABC dimension, etc."  

 

Thanks!

 

Edit:  I should add that I have ordered from Bell Forest before and was very satisfied, but they were standard "kits" (cutting board, guild projects, etc.) 

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I've been pleased with my orders from BF.  The project kits were generous in the BF amount included; I combined an order with a friend of mine for a number of 'kits' and BF was nice enough to number/mark all the boards according to which 'kit' they belonged; and the figured maple I got from then was just outstanding.

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