Experience with Talarico Hardwoods?

[Jim Becker]

One of the materials I'm going to be sourcing for my master bath vanities, etc., will be QS cherry. Yes, this is not the typical cherry look that folks shoot for, but it's what I want for rails and stiles to best highlight "more interesting" panels. Hearne carries it, but Talarico Hardwoods (http://www.talaricohardwoods.com/index.html) caught my eye as they specialize in quarter sawn lumber in a variety of species. Does anyone have experience with this supplier? Comments? TYIA

[John Shuk]

Jim,
I've never used their products but have often lusted over what I've seen on the website! I imagine that it would be easy to spend the kids college money there. I can't wait to hear what your experience is.
John

[Aaron Frank]

No personal experience Jim, but I have to say that while I often "lust" after the best "figure" in the woods that I choose for projects, I'd never consider it to be pornographic, and however tongue in cheek the reference may be, to call their products "wood porn," is a little off-putting.

But that sounds prudish. So, if they have the best product, then I say do as Martin Luther said, "Sin Boldly!" :D

[Steve Jenkins]

Jim, I have used them a couple times and been more than happy with what they sent. One order was for a big job and it was fairly complicated as far as sizes required. They did a superb job of getting me what I needed.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, John...there's some beautiful stuff displayed. The English Sycamore QS (with tiger stripe) is really awesome and intriguing...there is a bit of "ching...ching..." in the pricing for the QS cherry, but I would have to hope that it's really premo stuff. If I decide to deal, I'll pickup, rather than have them pick and ship, however, assuming they allow that.

And Aaron, I have to agree with ML on this one.."Sin Boldly" is worth it when choosing lumber for a project...it's the first step in the finishing process and a screw up in the first step follow through all the subsequent ones.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Jim,
I have used Talarico as well and was very happy with the product. There product is expensive however their figured woods are all very heavily figured. I assume they sell the lesser quality stuff wholesale. As you noted Hearne has plenty of QS cherry. I was at Hearne about an hour ago and you should have seen the load of burl slabs they were buying! Sick! I humbly loaded my load of Ash and will dream of burls tonight.

[thomas prevost]

Jim, A real healthy drive for you, but check with Rocky at West Penn hardwoods, Olean, NY especially for the figured Cherry. He specializes in quartersawn domesitcs and exotics. He has a great web site with pictures of his stocked items.

Prices Great. example Just bought some 4/4 12" X 10' QS sapele for $6.10 bd ft.

[Jim Becker]

Thanks, Thomas, I've also heard good things about West Penn.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Jim,
You may want to check out Willard Bros in Trenton, NJ. They have a website that offers dimensional lumber. But, if you visit them in person, they sell by the board foot. They do carry some figured stuff, but I would recommend contacting them first. They are probably less than a two hour drive from you.

I'm also making a vanity console for my bath remodel project. I originally bought standard maple but changed our minds and bought some slightly figured African Mahogany.

I was a bit surprised by the cost of the mahogany solid stock and sheet stock. It was over $430. I still need to buy solid surface material for the top and hardware. I bet I'll hit $800 for materials not including the plumbing fixtures, and it's not that big of a vanity. Here's a pic...

-Jeff :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/MyVanity1200x960.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Jeff, I've done business with Willard, especially when I first got started in woodworking. I actually have some premo wide (13") figured cherry boards in my rack that I bought from them during an "inventory clearance" sale back in 2000...it's just waiting for the right project. Unfortunately, most of the time I go there, I have to really pick through a lot of stuff to get boards that actually go well together. I don't recall them having QS cherry, but I'll have to call them. I'm spoiled by the selection at Hearne, but that's a much longer ride, too. Robert is going to introduce me to a fellow in Langhorne that supposedly has nice lumber, too.

But the bottom line for these vanity projects is that I'm willing to go a little further for the right material to "do it right". That was the original impetus for starting this thread asking about Talarico.

BTW, that's going to be an outstanding vanity!! Great design!