Moving to Indiana!

[Silas Smith]

Well, it was less than two years ago that I moved to Utah from Texas and I thought I was done for quite a while. A new opportunity has presented itself in the form a huge new plant opening up and they want me on board to get it up and going. Based on my experience last time, I'm sure the movers will look at my shop and see $$$$$. They charge by the pound so a unisaw and dj20 take up next to no room in the truck, but sure add to the bottom line. Thank goodness for corporate relocation packages. I'm from a very humble background (we were the trash in trailor) and I just can't get used to watching someone else pack, move and setup everything for me. I'll have to suffer through this one I guess. The factory is located in Anderson IN and we are not sure where we would be looking to live. My question is, do we have any creekers from that part of the woods that know of any good sawmills? Wood in Utah is pretty pricy, although I can get some good 5/4 maple for $2 from a local. I might load up on that. Oh yeah, I found out yesterday and they want me to start by the 30th. 3 weeks to sell a house and move my family out there even though my current factory won't let me go until the 25th? No problem.:rolleyes:

[Matt Meiser]

It seems like Indianapolis has grown enough to make Anderson a northern suburb. Indianapolis has Rockler and Woodcraft and Frank Miller Lumber will be pretty close to you.

[D.McDonnel "Mac"]

Silas,

Anderson is just 20 miles north of the the northeast reaches of metro Indy. The Rockler and Woodcraft are in the northeast part of town so you are set there. As was mentioned Frank Miller Lumber is a great place to get wood. They are out of Union City in eastern Indiana an hours drive maybe. The good news is they deliver to Indy (and Anderson I'm sure) for free if you'll wait for their weekly run to your area. There are half dozen other board stores in the area that you can try out. A lot of woodworkers in the area as well. When you get settled in give a hollar and we'll try to get together. Ray Thompson lives in the Anderson area and has a gatherinig every year so you can meet a lot of us then (he hangs out over on Woodcentral a lot).

Good luck with the move!

Mac

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Silas..........There used to be a number of small mills south of Indianapolis 40 years ago. Some of my relatives actually owned and operated a couple. I don't know what it's like now but I suspect it wont' be diffiicult to find a local source of green cut wood.

[Chris Rosenberger]

It seems like Indianapolis has grown enough to make Anderson a northern suburb. Indianapolis has Rockler and Woodcraft and Frank Miller Lumber will be pretty close to you.

Here is a link to the Frank Miller website. I buy most of my lumber from them. They also have a delivery route that covers most of the state. They are about 60 miles east of Andersen, in Union City, IN

http://www.frankmiller.com/

[Gil Liu]

I reluctantly moved from Chapel Hill, NC to downtown Indianapolis almost 7 years ago. It's a great city and I hope you and your family love it here. We've come to really appreciate the people and the place.

I like Northwest Lumber: http://northwestlumberco.com/

It's just on the near northside of downtown and there's a lot of hardwood onsite to browse through.

I go to Carter Lee lumber for construction materials and they also have less expensive furniture grade plywood:

www.carterlee.com (http://www.carterlee.com)

Finally, there is also a couple that goes by the screen-name 'Illinimike' on Woodnet that has delivered boards for me from the Chicago area. I got some really nice long and wide curly maple delivered right to my doorstep for cheap

Gil

[John Bush]

Hi Silas,
I went to IU Bloomington for undergrad and grad school in Indy for 4 years and the quality of the growth back there has been wonderful. It has become a cultural center for the Midwest and even without Snowbird close by, you will still find lots to do. Southern Indiana has some beautiful hardwood forests that are incredible in the fall when the leaves change. You will like Brown county and you will want to visit Nashville(IN) and you can't miss Gnawbone too. There are lots of mills down there so finding good quality hardwoods will be easy. I have several classmates in Anderson, so when you begin looking for a new Dentist let me know. Best wishes and Enjoy. John.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Silas,

One other benefit, the Marc Adams woodworking school is just south of Indy. Biggest woodworking school in the country. Good instructors, friendly people http://marcadams.com. (http://marcadams.com/)

Also, walnut, cherry, oak and maple are local trees so not that expensive.

And lastly, Indiana is the Eden of the Midwest so heaven's a local call from here.

Cliff

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

I think you will Like Indy.
I travel there a few times a year for work.

Just south of the city is Marc Adams School of Woodworking. I have attended class there and can say that it is the best school I have been to for week long classes.

I have also ventured over to Frank Miller and picked a few van loads of wood to bring back, great folks there.

I have some very special friends there as well and once a year a few people have a gathering in the area of Anderson, started when Badger Pond closed and we had a big party then in 03 and have it annually every year.

The city has some great social interests as well, but you'll just have to find those out on your own, a few restaurants I really love too.

Besides the wood interest the city hosts several world class museums. And the Cross Roads of America is also the Home of the 500....simply a great track and wonderful racing museum there as well.

It will be hard to leave Utah, but Indy will be great....and watch out for those tornado's!!:eek:

[Silas Smith]

Well, it's nice to see so many people having good things to say about Indy. I actually was a graduate from Harrison High (barely though) in West Lafayette, so I'm hoping that the area is close to what I experieced there. We are a little aprehensive because where we live now I don't think we have locked our house or car once. They actually call the place happy valley because of the low crime and family values you find here. My concern about Anderson is all the plant closures over the years. The last count I heard was that we had over 11,000 applicants for 300 jobs. I guess I'm just envisioning a city that's really down on it's luck. The good news is that it looks like housing is less than half of what it cost here. The bad news is that I will probably move again and I'm a little worried about resale. I guess I'll look for a fixer upper and apply some of my woodworking skills. I will be glad to get a little closer to cherry country, as it is $7 and up for #1 common our here. I've built a little with it, but I'm looking to really build a stash up. It also looks like there is a few more woodworkers out there. I've yet to meet any out here that live close to me. If I could only bring the mountains with me, I might stay for quite a while.

[Michael Justice]

I must be the opposite of Gil Liu - I moved from Indy area to Chapel Hill.

There's a real lumberyard in Russiaville, which would be about half way between Anderson and Lafayette, closer to Kokomo. I enjoyed browsing there.

One quick caveat - I've moved a couple of times on corporate relos and that company had a specific policy of not moving building materials. Also, since it was a corporate package it was actually to our benefit to let them pack, since if we packed it would not be covered under insurance. At least worth checking if you're in for any unanticipated charges!

Mike

[Silas Smith]

I better check into the lumber I have here. In the last move, they didn't have a problem, but I only had about 50 BF. I've got a couple of hundred now and I'm looking at adding at least that much more since I can get good maple for about $2 bf here. The last load I got had about 4-5 boards 18+ inches wide. I also wonder if there are any local sawyers. It seems like the real ones I've run into just make the retail prices look rediculous.

[Dave Shively]

I have to agree Frank Miller Lumber is a great place to get lumber. They deliver
for free too.

Dave

[Tom Hamilton]

Hi Silas:

Sounds like your family is in for some big changes; Indy is a great area and working in Anderson gives you the freedom to live in a lot of places in the area.

I was raised in Muncie and graduated from DePauw in Greencastle, many years ago, but still visit my family a couple of times a year. Muncie offers the benefits of a little smaller town than Indy and Ball State for cultural events.

Fishers and Carmel on the north side of Indy are very comfy and on the "right commute side" to get to Anderson quickly.


I'm sure you will get much advise so enjoy the process. And welcome to Hoosier land.

Oh, and plan to have you got room for a basketball hoop in your driveway? It's a "required" item in Indiana!

Best regards, Tom, in Houston, where the rain has canceled all outdoor activities for the last three weeks.

[Jason Roehl]

Dang, Silas...Harrison High? Looks like we're about the same age, and while I didn't ever go to Lafayette-area schools, I do know a few people in the area that you might also know. Small world.

[Andrew Schlosser]

I've also been moved a couple of time with corporate relo, and the moving policy explicitly stated no lumber or wood. My movers packed up a bunch of cut stuff already in a box and labelled it Craft Project in Progress, but 1000 bf of 5/4 stock probably wouldn't fly too well.

Believe they're concerned about fire hazard in the truck/warehouse?

[Jason Roehl]

I don't think it has anything to do with fire hazards. I believe it has more to do with the possibility of transporting a tree disease or pests. In true corporate style, rather than learn what is or isn't a problem, they just ban it all.