Buying lumber by mail order

[Clarence Martin]

Anyone buy lumber by mail order ? Was it worth it ?

[Ryan Hellmer]

I have, and had a great experience but can't remember who exactly it was (its been years). There are lots of suppliers out there with varying reputations. My advise would be to google for one reasonably close to you and then search here for comments on that supplier. In the alternative, you could ask for specific recommendations once you have the name of some local suppliers. My advice would be one that sends or posts pictures of the ACTUAL BOARD that you will be recieving. Other than that, there some element of caveat emptor, but unless you're buying a 10x4 foot slab of waterfall bubinga, your financial exposure shouldn't be all that much.

Ryan

[Ted Calver]

I recently bought some very nice curly maple from Curlymaple dot com and was very pleased with my purchases. I have also purchased wood from Gilmerwood dot com and have been equally pleased. Both places give you pictures of the stock you are buying, so there have been no surprises.

[Bruce Page]

It’s been several years but I bought some very nice 6/4 QSWO from Steve Wall Lumber Co. No complaints.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Anyone buy lumber by mail order ? Was it worth it ?

Can you be more specific? For example, some people order lumber to build a bench. That is probably a different supplier than for a mahogany desk. It is clear that many here have been very happy with their ordered lumber, so, if you indicate the purpose or what you want, they may be able to provide ideas of the suppliers.

Here are a few example threads:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?110726-mail-order-lumber
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?78459-Best-place-to-get-wood-in-nj-or-mail-order
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?6671-Looking-for-Cherry-Lumber

I am more than happy to send you some beautiful lumber..... I have already turned it into shavings, so it will pack really nice :D

[Kent A Bathurst]

I recently bought some very nice curly maple from Curlymaple dot com and was very pleased with my purchases.


Ditto. Paul @ Curly Maple is a great guy to talk to. You are paying top dollar, and you get what you pay for, and you get what you expected to get. Done bidness with him a half-dozen times on curly maple and curly cherry.

Also - I get my high-end QSWO and QS sycamore from Talarico in PA. same deal - Sam is a great guy to talk with, and you get what you expected, and you get what you pay for. Am looking at the remainder of my last order..............a 7-board flitch of 5/4....12 ' long.

[Jim Tobias]

Ditto on Bruce's post.
I live about an hour and half from Steve Wall Lumber and occasionally drive there but when I need to order and have it shipped, it still turns out to be high quality wood at a good price.
Jim

[Bob Reda]

+1 wall lumber, they have 20 ft bundle packs and shorts at good prices.
Bob

[Ken Ketcham]

I ordered from Bell Forest Products a little over a year ago. Both 5/4 hard maple and 4/4 birdseye maple (about 700 bd feet). They're located in Ishpeming, MI (Michigan's upper peninsula). The product I received was excellent. Kiln dried, rough sawn, good prices. Eric Poirier was my contact there. Their web site is bellforestproducts dot com. I'm retired and woodworking is a hobby (when I can't play golf in Michigan). Most of my woodworking involves redoing the cabinetry in my house that I built 25 yrs ago.

Ken

[Mike Cutler]

I ordered a bunch of Cocobolo from Mike Mastin, when he was still in the internet business. I've also ordered instrument grade ebony and have had good results both times.
What makes it worth it is that you have a wider selection of material, unless you are very fortunate to live near a place like Hearn Hardwood, or someone like that.
Deal with a reputable supplier and I think you'll be pleased.

[Ralph Okonieski]

I've ordered 20 ft bundles and shorts from Wall lumber several times. I've been satisfied with it each time. In fact, I'm waiting for a 20 ft bundle QSWO to be shipped now.

[brian c miller]

I used West Penn Hardwoods before got a good deal on some 5/4 QSWO. Rocky is a good guy and has some amazing bubinga.

If you ever get a chance Talarico in PA is a fun place to visit. Sam is a charcter for sure... it's a fun workshope / recording studio.

[Jamie Buxton]

Like most things, it depends on who you're dealing with. I've had some good experiences, but I've had a couple that were bad. One of them was really fraud.