Inexpensive "hard" wood choices?

[Jason White]

Looking to make a workbench with M&T construction. Beefy posts with stretchers, kind of like in this video....

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/subscription/workbench-video/index.asp

Need to do this on the cheap and I hear that hard maple is expensive. Any suggestions?

Jason

[Anthony Whitesell]

This answer is slightly more relevent since you're actually nearby. Highland Hardwoods in Brentwood, NH has their price list online and a discount for bulk buys and on shorts.

Domestic Pricing: http://www.highlandhardwoods.com/price_lists/Retail-Domestic.pdf

Exotic Pricing: http://www.highlandhardwoods.com/price_lists/Retail-MahoganyExotics.pdf

[Prashun Patel]

Look into red oak, poplar, ash.

[Scott Loven]

I paid $1.50/bf for 10/4 ash here in Iowa last year.
Scott

[Cody Colston]

I'm not certain about Massachusetts but around here Southern Yellow Pine would be the best, inexpensive choice. Although it's classified as a Softwood, it is plenty hard enough for a bench and after a few years, will be as hard as Oak.

[Joe Cunningham]

Ash is probably your best bet. SYP is pretty much non-existant up here.

Another option (can't see the video, it is members only) is to make the base out of doug fir and the top out of ash.

I made my first bench somewhat like this, except I did a semi-torsion box with 2x12 doug fir I ripped down to width, formed a grid with dovetailed corners and dado'ed cross pieces, then attached 3/4" baltic birch ply to the top for the main work area. Fairly quick to build, didn't cost much, and provides a nice clamping surface.

I use mostly hand tools and it takes a serious beating with no complaints (hand chopping mortises in white oak for example). I still plan to make a more 'classic' workbench, but for now my bench has only a few limitations I've run into.

Get or borrow or find in a library, Schwarz' workbench book. Very worth it IMO. Also there are lots of workbench build threads on SMC.

[Jason White]

What do some of these terms refer to?

FAS
RGH
NOM



This answer is slightly more relevent since you're actually nearby. Highland Hardwoods in Brentwood, NH has their price list online and a discount for bulk buys and on shorts.

Domestic Pricing: http://www.highlandhardwoods.com/price_lists/Retail-Domestic.pdf

Exotic Pricing: http://www.highlandhardwoods.com/price_lists/Retail-MahoganyExotics.pdf

[David Keller NC]

Jason - Considering your location, I would pick soft maple ("soft" is a big misnomer - it's harder than almost any other domestic species other than hickory). You're in prime maple country, and should be able to get low-grade 8/4 stock for about $2-$4 a b.f.

Can't answer the two bottom abbreviations, but FAS is a grading standard from the hardwood industry (it means "firsts and seconds"). If you can find some maple that doesn't meet FAS standards (http://www.ahec-europe.org/products-processes/grading/standard-grades.html), it will be a lot cheaper than FAS, and will be more than fine for a bench.

One other place to check is Craig's list. Many WoodMizer operators advertise there, and often have air-dried stock (sometimes big, wide, thick stock) for sale at considerably less than lumber mills.

[Michael Wildt]

Check these out:

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-4-a-lumbering-feeling/
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Understanding_Hardwood_Lumber_Grading.html

For place to get lumber: http://www.woodfinder.com/

Michael

[Tom Veatch]

What do some of these terms refer to?



FAS - Firsts and Seconds, already described
RGH - Rough cut. Unsurfaced as opposed to S3S, surfaced 3 sides
NOM - Nominal dimension. Typically the dimension of rough cut material prior to drying and surfacing. For example, a 2x4 has nominal dimensions of 2" x 4", but after drying and surfacing, the actual measurements are more like 1 1/2" by 3 1/2"

[Stephen Edwards]

Another vote for Ash.................

[John Thompson]

If you can't get SYP as we southern boys by just walking out back with your chain-saw (just kidding a bit)... I would agree with ash.. hickory or soft maple as mentioned. I have built them from all of those and they were all stable. The last 5 have been SYP tops with Doug fir bases which is really cheap down our way.. but I believe Joe mentioned it is more or less non-existent in your neck of the woods.

Have fun...

Sarge..