Getting Started - Need Guidance

[Illini40]

Ok - I am a beginner, and need some guidance on lumber purchasing and options available to me.

Scenario: I am a beginner, with minimal woodworking skill.

Tools available: table saw, miter saw, other basic cordless/corded power tools. I DO NOT have a planer or jointer, nor hand planes.

I look to utilize my Kreg jig for most projects. Primarily looking to do basic furniture, craft, etc work (book case, shelves, etc).

I have a Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards all close. Not aware of other sources close.

Question - based on my scenario and tools available (and not available), what lumber should I be looking at to purchase?

I have stuck to the pine options from Home Depot (1x4s, etc) for most things I have done. However, I feel like I may be missing out on better final results. The pine seems to be cheap, easy to work with, and already somewhat ready for use. At the big box stores, I feel like there is the pine, construction lumber, and then some hardwood (that I'm not going to utilize).

Just had our first child, so there is not much of a budget.

What guidance can you give on what I should be utilizing without buying a planer and/or jointer?

[..Kev]

Find a hard wood dealer that's local to you.  Let us know where you're located and someone will chime in and let you know what's in your area.

 

From there, I'd suggest some simple projects with some hardwood of your choosing to gain experience working those species. 

[Raefco]

It really just depends on ones mindset and expectations, I have been around the construction industry and building stuff in all mediums my whole life and at 45 I have just started to dabble in hard wood. I have not avoided it I just was never in a place to pursue it. I have just, for the most part, finished a new home here is a pic of the kitchen, made entirely of menards douglus fur 1x8's

https://fbcdn-photos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-0/1911814_800956019945575_5421283389588633964_n.jpg?oh=16c93011965652d78f3fa8e9a8b16855&oe=54E33CF7&__gda__=1423409598_9a48d8adebd86bf57694cea1bc367c43

[Raefco]

There was some oak ply involved as well

[AceHoleInOne]

Start working with poplar. It's a hardwood and mostly inexpensive. You can find it just about anywhere. The bonus is, poplar can be finished to look similar to other hardwoods using the right dyes and stains. So the bonus is, your finishing skills will improve, as well.

 

Later on as you become more confident in your building and finishing abilities. Build with the actual, more expensive hardwoods.

 

-Ace-  

[wtnhighlander]

Until you acquire some means of milling ,he stock flat and square, remember to ask for "S4S" lumber (Surfaced 4 sides).

[Scott Bailey]

I often do just fine with s3s as my table saw cuts rather cleanly and the fence is perfectly square to the blade.

[Illini40]

Thanks for all of the replies folks.

I think I have it in my mind that for any "hardwood", I would need to plane and joint it to finish it.

Am I following that I can get hardwoods in S3 (clean the fourth side with my table saw) or S4? If so, would this be much better than the pine/common board that I am currently using?

I think I was just convinced that I had to stick with the pine/common board until I could mill my own lumber.

I think I've seen poplar at Menards maybe? Would it be S4S?

I'm in NW Illinois....way way western suburbs of Chicago.

[..Kev]

S4S material should be ready to use.  You pay more for it tho.

 

Start with finding a local hardwood dealer and see what your options are.

[Scott Bailey]

I don't have a jointer or a planer, I do have one handplane but it's a smooth plane so not terribly useful at milling stock (nothing longer than say 18 inches and even that is pushing it), and I am able to get small stock straight and true with what I have, which isn't too different than you (table saw, miter saw, lots and lots of sandpaper, and the aforementioned smooth plane), I usually by s3s because you can get wider boards that way, and I am also able to work with s2s if the board is pretty straight, but s4s also works. keep in mind that the pre-milled hardwoods cost a little more than the rough stock but if you haven't the tools to mill it will save you a lot of frustration.

 

you need to find a hardwood dealer in your area to do this, I don't have a ton of experience shopping for wood but the 2 hardwood dealers in my area sell pre-milled stock in both s3s and s4s in most hardwoods, and I am able to pick out the straightest boards I can find.  some places will also mill for you but you have to ask to make sure.  I even found a 14" wide piece of walnut that was s3s, it was beautiful..

[Rapid Roger]

I do not have access to any lumber dealers in my area. In fact, we don't even have a lumber yard in our town! But, we do have a Lowe's and most of my wood comes from there.

They have pine,  (which I avoid) cedar ( that I do use from time to time) poplar (that I use a lot) and red oak (for when I want to get fancy )

You don't need fancy machinery or woods to do some fairly nice work. All you need is time, patents and an idea of what you want to build.

Purchased plans are nice but not necessary either.

 

 

A red oak table that I designed and built from Lowe's material.......

 

 

 

Just hope to inspire you a bit. Don't give up!!

 

Rog

[Coop]

Rog, It's probably me, but I can't get to the pic and would like to see it

[Tpt life]

Nice table RR!

[Rapid Roger]

I'll try again. I can't see it ether! 

 

 

 

 

I've posted pictures on this site before with out any trouble. We'll see what happens this time.

 

Rog

 

THERE IT IS NOW!!

Edited November 21, 2014 by Rapid Roger

[Tpt life]

Both posts are fine on my end.

[..Kev]

Both posts were fine for me as well..

 

Great table RR!

[Rapid Roger]

Come to think of it, I did make some fairly decent benches out of construction pine a few years ago! (8 years)

I made one for my wife, then my daughter decided she needed a  "Time-Out Bench" for her kids, and of course our daughter-in-law had to have one for the bedroom for putting on shoes etc.

 

 

Again I say, you don't have to have the BEST materials or tools to make nice looking, useful furniture.

 

Rog

[wtnhighlander]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using home center lumber to build stuff with. But if you can find an alternative source, you will probably save a LOT of money. I can easily find sources for red oak lumber as low as $0.50 per board foot, whereas my friendly neighborhood Lowe's sells it for about $8.50 per board foot. Since I do own a jointer and planer, however crappy, buying from Lowe's just isn't cost effective for me.

But before I got those tools, guess where my lumber came from ....

[..Kev]

Yes..  When checking for a local hardwood dealer, check for lumber mills as well.  

[Tpt life]

Call anyone local who deals with hardwood. The mills near me are Amish so it is all word of mouth.

[Illini40]

I do not have access to any lumber dealers in my area. In fact, we don't even have a lumber yard in our town! But, we do have a Lowe's and most of my wood comes from there.

They have pine,  (which I avoid) cedar ( that I do use from time to time) poplar (that I use a lot) and red oak (for when I want to get fancy )

You don't need fancy machinery or woods to do some fairly nice work. All you need is time, patents and an idea of what you want to build.

Purchased plans are nice but not necessary either.

 

 

A red oak table that I designed and built from Lowe's material.......

 

 

 

Just hope to inspire you a bit. Don't give up!!

 

Rog

Great looking table Rog.

Do you mill any of the lumber you buy from Lowes? Is the poplar you buy good to go straight from the store?

I have not looked at Lowes for lumber before, but I am searching on their website and looks like they have a variety of poplar.

[tcarswell]

It really just depends on ones mindset and expectations, I have been around the construction industry and building stuff in all mediums my whole life and at 45 I have just started to dabble in hard wood. I have not avoided it I just was never in a place to pursue it. I have just, for the most part, finished a new home here is a pic of the kitchen, made entirely of menards douglus fur 1x8'shttps://fbcdn-photos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-0/1911814_800956019945575_5421283389588633964_n.jpg?oh=16c93011965652d78f3fa8e9a8b16855&oe=54E33CF7&__gda__=1423409598_9a48d8adebd86bf57694cea1bc367c43

absolutely spectacular work !!

[Vyrolan]

Menards has a decent selection. It's always weird to me looking thought with them individually shrink wrapped...but for small projects it's an option. You can also buy online from Bell Forest. It's not the cheapest option, but S4S prices aren't that great anywhere IME.

[Rapid Roger]

Great looking table Rog.

Do you mill any of the lumber you buy from Lowes? Is the poplar you buy good to go straight from the store?

I have not looked at Lowes for lumber before, but I am searching on their website and looks like they have a variety of poplar.

 

 

At the time I built this table, I didn't have any tools to do  any milling except for the table saw and sanders.

I find that most of the wood at Lowe's  is fairly true but, still you must pick through a few boards and look at it. I search for figure or color more than anything. If an eight foot board has some curve or bow to it, it doesn't really bother me too much because I'm going to cut it down to much shorter pieces anyway.

I now have a joiner and a planer.

My joiner is a table top Delta with a 30" bed....It is junk and I seldom use it. If you can't afford a 6" or 8" floor model "aircraft carrier" joiner, I wouldn't bother with wasting money on one. I can joint edges of boards on my table saw or router table much easier.

My planer however is a different story. I have DeWalt 735 that I use quite a lot when I do get some rough cut lumber or pallet wood. It does a great job and I can bring the thickness down to what ever I want in short order. It too is a bench top style but, it weighs 80 lbs or so and works just fine. 

I think there is too much emphases made on milling lumber and it scares a lot of young people away from wood working.

You can save a lot of money on lumber by buying rough stuff an milling it your self, that is true. But, by the time you add the cost of the machines and the time it takes to mill it up you could have made quite a few smaller projects and enjoyed just making something using S4S lumber from the home store.

 

I will now wait for the back-lash of my last comment.

 

Rog

[Tpt life]

No backlash. Building is the upside for me. Milling is a necessary evil that ranks fairly highly on the enjoyment list, but not top. If I were pushed for time or just starting out, a project with pre-milled but more expensive could do a key thing. It could allow someone to dabble in a few projects to see if the building of things is enjoyable to them. If it grabs ahold then they can decide a long range plan for cost effectiveness.