Where do you guys get your lumber????

[Bo McCorkle]

A question I've been dyin to ask. I'm in a small town a couple hours from anywhere except big blue and orange and was wondering where you otter guys found your hardwoods????

[Logan William]

My local lumberyard in a town of roughly 5k people actually has a fairly nice selection, especially in long(>12') lengths of red oak, poplar, mahogany, maple, cherry and at times some ash. They will generally let you pick your own boards then they'll just measure to figure the board feet. Prices aren't bad and are better then the BORG's prices on oak and a better quality IMO. Call around and find what species they have and then go take a look.

[Dan Duperron]

I live out in the sticks too, and I regularly haunt the CL - Materials list in the local jurisdictions. Not so good if you need a specific amount of a specific kind of lumber right now, but if you want to build a stock of certain species it's a good way to do that.

All of the local little sawyers in my area advertise on CL too, so you can get a feel for who does what where and what they might stock.

[Bob Rossi]

A question I've been dyin to ask. I'm in a small town a couple hours from anywhere except big blue and orange and was wondering where you otter guys found your hardwoods????

I get mine mainly from trees. :rolleyes:

Seriously, over the years I have purchased from small saw mills, and private individuals. (Craigslist and members of my local WW club).

When I was just starting out I purchased S2S from a lumber yard and some from the BORG.

The only stuff I buy from lumber yards now is construction lumber, (2x4's etc.)

[John Pohja]

where ya located? John

[Bo McCorkle]

Pittsburg Kansas. I'm about 2 hours from Tulsa 2 hours from Kansas city and about a half an hour away from Joplin Missouri.

[Gary Herrmann]

Try woodfinder.com

[Logan William]

Pittsburg Kansas. I'm about 2 hours from Tulsa 2 hours from Kansas city and about a half an hour away from Joplin Missouri.

Well you're right about not having much around you, I grew up in north central Kansas and have been through Pittsburg a time or two. As far as the places I'e been to in your rough area, some are more of a drive then others:

Roberson Lumber, Silver Lake Kansas-Amazing lumber yard with probably the best selection of hardwoods(domestic and exotic) I've ever found in a full line, non dedicated lumber yard. Selection is great and prices are very fair.

Metro Hardwoods in Independence-Good selection, prices were higher but had a nice selection, especially of the exotics

Liberty Hardwoods, Kansas City-Commercial lumber supplier, not sure what minimum quantities are but I bout approximately 400 bd foot of walnut and had it delivered and was pleased with the price and quality.

Schmucker Lumber, Inman KS-Never been there but have heard good things if you're ever in the Wichita area might be worth a stop.

[John Pohja]

Try woodfinder.com

+1. Do a search using your zip code. John

[Ronald Blue]

Living that close to Missouri there has to be a number of sawmills within an hour or two across the border. I know of some on the east side and even in the Columbia area. I googled Missouri Sawmills and this link looked promising.

http://www.magicyellow.com/category/Sawmills/-State_MO.html

[Bo McCorkle]

i kinda figured there would be a few ecspecially around the mt vernon area but its almost like everyone tries to keep them a secret or i just dont look in the right places.......

[Jim McFarland]

If you don't need long boards....try wall lumber's UPS bundles. ~20 board feet of hardwood for around $100-$125. I've bought several and very happy with the quality and the <4 ft lengths are fine with me.

[Mark Carlson]

I've bought a lot of ups bundles from wall lumber. I can't store a lot of would so I buy it as I need it.

~mark


If you don't need long boards....try wall lumber's UPS bundles. ~20 board feet of hardwood for around $100-$125. I've bought several and very happy with the quality and the <4 ft lengths are fine with me.

[Robert Chapman]

If you want figured hardwoods like birdseye maple and curly maple try this website www.bellforestproducts.com (http://www.bellforestproducts.com) These guys sell all over the world and give great service. Ask for Boone or Eric and tell them Bob Chapman sent you.

[Caleb Larru]

Pittsburg Kansas. I'm about 2 hours from Tulsa 2 hours from Kansas city and about a half an hour away from Joplin Missouri.


Bo, I am just south of Fayetteville, Arkansas. I usually buy from Plunkett Distributing Fort Smith. I have got to know them pretty well. They let me hand pick my lumber and give me a good price. I think they have a warehouse in Tulsa also.

[Lee Koepke]

I get alot of my stuff from a cabinet shop in town. He just calls in an order whenever I need something.

I just picked up about 50 bf of some various woods .. sweetgum, elm, q/s red oak, and sycamore from a guy trying to unload his lumber before moving.... it was from an ad in our local shopper ...

[Jim Andrew]

You might check out Forestryforum.com, I'm about 1/3 of the state west of you, and there are several mills around. Most are hobbyists, know of 2 who built their own mills.

[Steven Hess]

A question I've been dyin to ask. I'm in a small town a couple hours from anywhere except big blue and orange and was wondering where you otter guys found your hardwoods????



Get my Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, Tulip Poplar, and Loblolly Pine (Southern Yellow) out of my back yard!. Saw it up on the sawmill, then bandsaw, then every tool that's needed.

[Steve Bietau]

A question I've been dyin to ask. I'm in a small town a couple hours from anywhere except big blue and orange and was wondering where you otter guys found your hardwoods????
You might check out:

Mark Frieden Hardwoods
3462 Delaware Road
Pomona, KS 66076
785-566-3702
(785) 418-5746 (cell)

Mark has a good selection, reasonable prices, and is very good to work with.

Steve

[Mark Woodmark]

Domestics from Intermountain Wood Products. Exotics and Burls for Midwest Woodworkers and the Internet

[Tom Hammond]

I live in NE Ohio, just 40 miles or so from several of the best Amish lumber mills around. If I need framing lumber, I don't mind going to the BORG. But, any hardwoods come ONLY from Abraham, Benjamin, Michael, Samuel and Eli. Don't be fooled by the "Amish" title, though... they have the most incredibly modern equipment you have ever seen.

In our area, the common Amish names are Yoder, Miller, Hershberger, Beachy, Troyer, Lehman.

[Bo McCorkle]

I keep hearing there is an Amish settlement about half an hour away but for the life of me I have no idea how to get ahold of them???????

[Rusty Eads]

Two hours east of Kansas City is the place that I get my lumber, at extremely reasonable prices. Usually $.50/bdft for oak, $.40 for soft maple and ash, $1 for cherry and walnut. He's a local sawmill so it's mainly just what grows around here. The last time I went he also had Honey locust at $.65 and some mulberry but not sure how much he was asking for it.

[Harley Lewis]

Check out this mill


http://www.johnsonsawmill.com/products/drykilnexoticmisc.html

It cannot be more than a couple hours drive from you and it has great wood and plywoods.

[Andrew Joiner]

You guys are lucky. All the mills around here saw softwood.

I get the best prices from wholesale hardwood dealers. The bad part is it's 4 hours round trip in Portland Oregon. It's graded and kiln dried, but I'd love to flip thru some live edge green slabs close to home.

Some hardwoods can be had at the boutique urban logging mills in Portland.
They charge more because there could be metal in the wood. From the prices that metal must be gold!

[Bo McCorkle]

Talk about lucky rusty!!!! Read oak here, dried and rough sawn with one ripped edge is $3.50 a bd. Ft.!!!!!! Oh and it's all that's really available:(

[Rusty Eads]

Course it's air dried, but according to my meter it's always down to at least 12%, then I just let it sit in my shop to acclimate the rest of the way. It would almost be worth the 4 hour drive to come this way if you are paying 3.50 a board foot. Plus he is very generous in his measurements.

[Bo McCorkle]

That's no joke. Maybe there's a trailer in my future.....

[Leo Vogel]

Bo - I was born in Girard and went to college in Pittsburg. I buy all my wood from Mark Frieden Hardwoods in Pomona. I have never found anyone any cheaper. He is really a nice fellow. It would be worth the drive financially for you to pick up a load of wood from Mark. Probably about 100 miles one way for you. Call him first to be sure he has what you want. He is a farmer and is in the fields a lot.

St. Paul, west of Girard has some kind of saw mill. They may only make pallets, but it may be worth a trip.

Some of the Sutherlands Lumber carry some hardwood. The store in Emporia has red oak, walnut, and a few other hardwoods. Good prices.

Joplin may have a Sutherlands, and may have some hardwood.

Thats about all I know.

[Callan Campbell]

I'm spoiled that they're so close, and are also a Festool dealer. Wood World, at the intersection of George/Elston Ave. It's been a long time since I bought any wood from a BORG type store.

[Leo Vogel]

Bo -another is about 100 miles at Spavinaw, Ok.


http://www.johnsonsawmill.com/produc...xoticmisc.html (http://www.johnsonsawmill.com/products/drykilnexoticmisc.html)

[Phillip Pardue]

Craigslist, in this part of the country, is great. I found a local guy who is about 80. He runs his sawmill for fun and gives (practically speaking) his lumber away. Bought some spalted maple of "specialty lumber" quality for $1.25/bf.

Then of course, sometimes you need to just get in your car and drive around. I have a sawmill about 5 miles from my house that does not advertise in any form. Going to the mill is like traveling back to 1900 (in terms of location, roads, and the mill itself) and the wood is priced from the same era.

[james glenn]

I am a newbie to this, so just getting started. But I am getting my wood from my backyard here on the farm. Every so often we cut down a tree as it gets older or for whatever and the old man down the road with the portable mill comes up to saw it for me. As long as I help him, it's fairly cheap. ($.40/bf for hardwoods).

On another note, is locust a good wood to use for anything in particular? I just cut down one that was about 26"dia. and was going to split it for fence post?

[Gene Waara]

... over the years I have purchased from small saw mills, and private individuals. ....When I was just starting out I purchased S2S from a lumber yard and some from the BORG.
+1 Although I still occasionally buy from a BORG for smaller craft-type projects. I'm also lucky enough to have a daughter with a boss that took advantage of the sour economy by buying bankrupt lumber yards, warehousing the material, and then wholesaling to other yards. I've scored some really nice, unique material (and tools) for great prices.

[Randy Henry]

Rusty,
What is the name of this place you mentioned, and where is it?

Thanks.

[Bo McCorkle]

You guys have been a huge help and thankyou. I was so stumped thought I was stuck with the Borg or mail order.... And call me odd but I like stacking the wood in the truck and knowing what I'm spending my dough on.

[Bryan Morgan]

I'm kind of spoiled where I live. Theres a few lumber yards around here within a few miles. Theres two huge ones with all kinds of wood but not the nice figured type woods (unless you get lucky and find some in a pile). Theres one pretty big place with all kinds of wood plus all the nice firgured stuff and expensive exotics (some stuff over $100 a board foot... I averted my eyes in fear they'd charge me for just looking at it :) ).

[Rusty Eads]

It's Kenmar Timber in Clifton Hill Missouri. The make pallets but also mill quite a bit of usable lumber.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

If you go to the Woodweb site on the homepage in the left hand column is a listing for sawmills. Or you might try calling Woodmizer to find one pretty close to you. Once you find one you can ask them about others and generally get information on ones closer to you that way. We used to get all the eastern redcedar we used from a mill in Missouri, so some should be available.

[Keith Hankins]

Last bit I bought was from a sawmill guy that had his own kiln. I've about gone through that and will have to buy a load soon. I like cherry and live in PA and they value their cherry here. If you can take advantage of a deal. Regularly watch woodweb.com in the classifieds section they have folks post from all over and all different kinds of quantities and species.

[Bo McCorkle]

well guys just wanted to say thanks for all the help it seems here about noon friday we are headed to spavinaw to buy us some lumber:) they even said theyd let my three year old and i walk thru the saw mill. so excited i cant sleep......... im sure the kid is going to get a kick!!!!!

[Rusty Eads]

I bet both of you will. I take my 4 year old with me everytime I go to the mill. I know the owner (awesome guy) and he even gave my boy a ride in the big front end loader that they use to mover their logs around. Now my boy can't wait to see the tractors and watch the wood get cut up.