Looking for source of exotics.

[Matthew Curtis]

I want to try making some small things with exotics. Looked at the local woodcraft and i was sticker shocked. Maybe I am not knowledgeable enough to know any better.

Where are some good places to get exotics?

[Matt Day]

Check the online wood dealers, especially for small projects.

[John K Jordan]

I want to try making some small things with exotics. Looked at the local woodcraft and i was sticker shocked. Maybe I am not knowledgeable enough to know any better.

Where are some good places to get exotics?

I like to buy from Pete Kekel (Big Monk Lumber), "not far" down the road from you (Erlanger, Kentucky). He has a huge variety, the quality has always been excellent and the prices are reasonable. I buy from him at the regional woodturning symposiums and over the phone - I think he still has some great prices on pieces of Gaboon Ebony sticks (1+" square, 12" long) - the price was so good I called him up recently and asked him to stuff as many as he could into a flat rate USPS box. I usually buy pieces from 2" to 4" square and at least 12" long.

http://www.bigmonklumber.com/products.html
pete@bigmonklumber.com

JKJ

[Scott Brader]

Are there any independent local hardwood suppliers around you? I go to a small shop that offers a wide range of domestic woods that they cut and dry themselves along with a pretty good selection of exotics. Their prices are way lower than Woodcraft or any of the lumber suppliers around here. I typically only buy and work with domestic woods, but my wife loves to pick through the bins of small pieces of exotics for wood.

Scott

[Carlos Alvarez]

We have two local places that stock exotics at great prices; your city should also. For small quantities, Rockler and similar places will have many, just at a very high price. Woodworker's Source ships nationally, but again, pricing may be stiff. And there are a bunch of eBay sellers.

[John K Jordan]

You might also try http://www.woodfinder.com/ to search for supplier in your area.

JKJ

[Carlos Alvarez]

You might also try http://www.woodfinder.com/ to search for supplier in your area.

JKJ

I was excited to try it. But it doesn't contain two local suppliers that I know for a fact exist. It only has the obvious/expensive sellers like Rockler.

[Jim Becker]

Larger concerns like Hearne Hardwoods and other similar are a good go-to for exotics since they tend to stock them for both instrument making and for fine furniture. Exotics are going to be "pricy" no matter where they are purchased, but retail stores like Woodcraft and Rockler are going to be over-the-top expensive because of the additional markup typical of such businesses.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Well yeah, it's never cheap. Wenge is $25/bd-ft at Rockler and Woodworkers, while it is under $8 at the real lumberyard.

[Matt Day]

I just realize you are in Columbus, there are a ton of woodworkers down there. Contacting a local club might be a good idea. Or use Google maps to search for hardwood lumber or something works very good too. I’ve never had any luck with woodfinder.com

[John K Jordan]

...I’ve never had any luck with woodfinder.com

I picked a Columbus zip code at random and searched for "exotic", "mahogany", etc.

Most of the companies Woodfinder listed were Woodcraft stores, plus a couple others:
C.R. Muterspaw Lumber Co. Xenia OH (86 miles)
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware #16 Cincinnati OH (119 miles)

From Google (I searched for exotic wood dealer columbus ohio)
Columbus Millwork Westerville, Ohio
Keim Lumber, Charm Ohio
KenCraft, Toledo Ohio
and more...

JKJ

[Ralph Okonieski]

Keim Lumber has a wide selection of exotics, maybe 100 or so in their store. I do not normally buy exotics from them but really enjoy walking around to look at the different species.

[Wade Lippman]

Well yeah, it's never cheap. Wenge is $25/bd-ft at Rockler and Woodworkers, while it is under $8 at the real lumberyard.

I'd like to see you document a source for $8/bf

[Carlos Alvarez]

I'd like to see you document a source for $8/bf

Well, I need some soon, so I'll update the price if it has changed. I'm not sure when I bought it last. Guess I should have bought more?

[John K Jordan]

I was excited to try it. But it doesn't contain two local suppliers that I know for a fact exist. It only has the obvious/expensive sellers like Rockler.

I don't know for sure but I think Woodfinder only lists suppliers who pay a fee to be included. I've used it to find local sawmills before I got a WoodMizer.