Buy first, build second?

[lowell holmes]

I have had rack like this on a wall for years. I would not be without it.


http://www.rockler.com/portamate-lum...=Top%20Sellers

[John C Cox]

Both....

I end up buying ahead of time - often because I know pretty well what the wood will be used for, and because the high quality and specific cuts of wood I need are very very difficult to order when needed except at crazy high prices.... And how lucky are you on that one day when you go out to the lumber yard? They never have what I need when I need it...

I mostly build acoustic guitars... So perfectly quartersawn 3" or 4" wide mahogany and cherry is perfect neck material... I can get this neck wood for about $15 at the lumber yard vs $50+ from the luthier supply... And it's a hobby for me - so ordering expensive stuff cuts into my lunch and fishing money.

[Stew Hagerty]

I typically have around 400bf on hand at all times. I have room for long term indoor storage for 600+bf. It is mostly cool pieces that I have run across in stores, at the woodworkers club, or online. However, I do also keep some standards such as mahogany, cherry, QS white oak, birdseye and tiger maple that I tend to use all the time for smaller projects. Occasionally I also run across good deals that I just cant pass up. For instance, I recently picked up about 100bf of ash for $1.50/bf. I don't do a lot of large projects, so this system works very well for me.

I
Lumber Rack.jpg

[Chris Farmer]

I typically have around 400bf on hand at all times. I have room for long term indoor storage for 600+bf. It is mostly cool pieces that I have run across in stores, at the woodworkers club, or online. However, I do also keep some standards such as mahogany, cherry, QS white oak, birdseye and tiger maple that I tend to use all the time for smaller projects. Occasionally I also run across good deals that I just cant pass up. For instance, I recently picked up about 100bf of ash for $1.50/bf. I don't do a lot of large projects, so this system works very well for me.

I
Lumber Rack.jpg

Nice, I use Elfa shelving for my wood racks as well!

[Hoang N Nguyen]

My wife likes nice furniture and home items on the cheapy cheap. For this reason, my wood selection is pretty narrow so I always tend to buy much more than what I need for any given project. It's hard for me to find time to go to the lumber yard so when I do, I stock up. I also usually stock up on a plywood by the bulk, this is mainly due to limited means of transporting them. I don't have a truck or trailer, so the lumber has to fit in my SUV or I have to rent a truck for sheet goods. Renting a truck is a hassle for me so I always end up buying at least a dozen sheets of ply at a time when I do.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Hoang, I don't know where you get your lumber and sheet goods but, if you get it from Atlanta Hardwoods, buying enough of it will get you free delivery.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Hoang, I don't know where you get your lumber and sheet goods but, if you get it from Atlanta Hardwoods, buying enough of it will get you free delivery.

Those suckers never told me that!! I use to stay about 10 minutes from their Mableton location and shop there all the time. I'd stack 500 pounds of lumber from my truck all the way to the front seat of my car and they'd just stand there and laugh.

[Brian Henderson]

For this reason, my wood selection is pretty narrow so I always tend to buy much more than what I need for any given project. It's hard for me to find time to go to the lumber yard so when I do, I stock up.

I try to as well since my lumberyard is 80 miles away. I don't just buy a ton of lumber that's cheap though, I will go with 5-6 projects in mind and buy for those specific projects. I'd love to have them deliver, but their requirements are so absurdly high that it just makes no rational sense to spend thousands of dollars for wood that I may or may not ever need.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Those callous scoundrels !!