Sources of Project wood

[Jon Wilson]

So, I'm just getting things rolling in a small shop. Which means for the time
being small(ish) projects (bandsaw box, trivet, bird house, thinks like
this).

I was just wondering, how would you go about getting small quantities of
lumber on the small size. I been hitting up the big box stores for cheap poplar
and some cedar but I'm looking for some nicer stuff to work with. Any websites
that have good deals on stuff like this?!?

edit: I should mention, part of my issue is my transport vehicle. I
drive a Kia Soul. I can put a 6' board in there if I run it all the way up to the dash, a
nd an 8' board if I run the board all the way to the very top of the dash, r
ight up against the windshield. No roof rack so tying on the roof is possible but not practical.

Thanks!!!



While I'm here, any suggestions on small(ish) projects I can work on?!?

I like whimsical, the wife likes paractical and the daughter likes whimsical
stuff that is practical.

[Jim Andrew]

Lumber yards and big box stores are where you expect to pay a lot for hardwood. What you look for is someone who sells hardwood as a side business. There are lots of bandmills around, probably have to meet other woodworkers and ask them where one is located in your area, or maybe look on forestryforum.com . You can put up a post looking for a mill in your area. I used to know a guy who I think was a fireman, and he just had an enclosed trailer in his yard, and he handed out business cards, you called and if he was home he would sell you a few boards. His price was about half of the stores price.

[Jim Andrew]

One other thing, if you put your location with your name, other folks from your area can post about sawmills, etc. (I'm guilty too)

[Jon Wilson]

Oops! Thought I had put that info in my profile. I live in Hagerstown, MD. Almost but not quite the extremely scenic western Maryland area.

I'm headed to Hicksville Planing Mill tomorrow, I have heard good things about the place. I'm hoping that everything I have heard is true and we can work something out.

[Geoff Barry]

A lot of the internet lumber dealers (Wall LUmber and Bell Forest Products, for example) sell 20 bd ft project packs that are shipped UPS. I've never gotten one, but I've certainly thought about it :)

[Michael Mayo]

Don't forget about pallet wood. There are plenty of industrial businesses around where I live and they are always putting pallets out front to be taken for free and most of them are hardwood because they ship heavy items on them. I have gotten some really nice oak pallets recently to use for firewood but I also thought about keeping some of the wood for projects.

[michael nicholson]

I've found discarded furniture is a good source. I've found cherry, maple, walnut, mahogany, LOTS of pine. If it's good wood, I can usually recaim about 80% of it. I do a lot of scrolling, so I'm always looking for dressers, mostly for their thinner drawer wood.
Mike

[Rich Engelhardt]

Lumber Liquidators...
http://www.lumberliquidators.com/ll/home

A broken bundle of flooring can be had on the cheap. You're limited in width and length, but, it transports easily.
The T&G will need milled off as will the "hump" on the backside. Some of the pre-finished stuff can be a pain to remove the finish from so I stick to the unfinished.

[Chad Bender]

Are you willing to drive an hour? If so, go to Groff & Groff or Hearne Hardwoods (up in PA, SE of Harrisburg). They'll sell you whatever species you want in whatever quantity you want (full boards only, obviously), and will cut things to length so they fit in your car. I drive a Honda Fit, and have about the same carrying capacity as you. Buy 10 or 12 ft boards and cut them in half. Just check your plans first to ensure you don't need any material longer than your cut dimension.

Both of those suppliers carry premium wood, so the price may not be much better than at the big box store. But the selection is a thousand times better, and the quality is top rate. Imagine the FAO Schwarz of hardwood...

There's also a place in Fredrick that sells hardwood. I've never used it, but have come across their website a few times. Shouldn't be too hard to locate.

As other posters noted, if you can find a local sawmill, that's where the best prices will be. But I find it's often worth a small premium to drive directly to a high end dealer and come away with exactly what I'm looking for.

[Rich Riddle]

If I were in your position, and I was before owning a truck, a roof rack would be the first thing to purchase. They come on and off very easily yet allow you to haul lots of things on top of the roof. The one on the roof of the F-150 combined with a goal post out of the hitch allowed me to move 22 foot board with a 6 1/2 foot bed truck. That option opens lots of potential.

253615

[Mike Heidrick]

sometime Lowes here sells culled wood by the bundle for cheap. Also contact sawers in your area for shorts. I have paid .55 and .75 for red oak shorts of various quality.

For projects:
bench/assembly table
router table and fence
whimsical picture frames

[Jon Wilson]

Thanks for all the great info.

I'm putting it all to good use. I've ordered a assorted bundle from Rockler. Checking with local shops to see about scraps.
Going up to visit Hicksville Planing Mill tomorrow. Gonna take a trip to Lumber Liquidators soon. May even check Ollie's and Big Lots
for some flooring. And I have posted on Woodbarter.

I'm hoping that some of this will pan out and I'll have some decent wood to start working with soon.

[Jeff Duncan]

I agree about checking with local shops. I just got back from the dump where I have to pay to get rid of my scrap wood:eek: Granted it's a lot of smaller dimension stock, but for someone doing small projects it could be handy. Usually I have a guy who picks it up for firewood but he doesn't come around as often as he used too:( Oh and avoid buying from woodworking stores if you can. Their prices are insanely high and there are better options.

good luck,
JeffD

[Jim Matthews]

Most decent lumberyards will deliver (regardless of volume) for a fee.

Figure that into the cost of lumber. You can also mail order from
Downes and Reader of Stoughton, MA. I'm sure other large lumberyards will do the same.

You're limited by shipping constraints, if you don't buy locally.

One warning - watch out for South American exotic species, lots of us develop nasty reactions to the stuff.
I particularly like American Cherry, easy to work with by hand or machine and it develops a lovely color in the home.

I would investigate Craigslist (http://martinsburg.craigslist.org/gms/3556653499.html).

Any decent, straight lumber that's 10 inches wide (or more) without splits, checks or warping should get you started.
Read up on measuring lumber by the board foot, which is a volume measure.

It's the way to determine if things are priced below, at or above retail.
There's no reason to pay more than retail, from an old timer's stash.