joebutler9876

Hi,

I just got back from after another frustrating trip to Lowes to pay $24 for 3 "premium pine" 1"x4"x8' boards. Premium! What a joke. I had to search thru about 40 boards to find 3 semi-good ones. Most were so warped/buckled/split, I don't know what anyone would be able to do with them, except maybe use them for firewood.

There has got to be a better way! I can't imagine anyone is building stuff with these pieces.

I have a planer. I don't have a jointer or bandsaw.

What are my other options?

Joe

Advertising

kp91

Joe,

without knowing your general whereabouts, I can only offer a few suggestions.

Find a local sawmill. If you ask, they may surface boards for you. It will cost extra, but you won't have to buy a jointer.

You could also see if there is a woodworking club in your area. Maybe someone in there could help you joint one face of your stock, or turn you to another lumber supplier in your area.

I've used the box store lumber for a few projects. The trick is 'looking between the defects'. If you plan your cuts, you can find a lot more than firewood.

Keep an eye out for sales at Woodcraft, if you have one nearby. I also get sales email from a sawmill not too far away. This month he has a special, any species, $1 a bf for anything in his offcut pile. Random widths, thicknesses up to 4 ft long.

I've pulled a couple of gems out of the brush pile at the dump. I've gotten some dogwood, poplar and oak logs out of the pile and used them for turning projects. Best of all, it's free!

Good wood is out there, poke around and you'll find what you need!

__________________
Doug
1 John 1:9

bobj3

Hi Joe

You'er right about Lowes and HD, is a good place to buy bow and arrow stock but don't forget they have many people doing the same as you trying to find the best and pushing the rest to one side and in time all thats left is bow and arrow stock...and Lowes and HD know in time someone will buy it and they don't care....
At one time we had a company called H M Woods Lumber in Colo. with many outlets, you could just drive into the lumber yard and loadup some great wood BUT now they are all gone Lowes and HD have killed off most lumber yards just like the big super food stores did to the mom and pop corner food/market store... ..........
They are geared up for the Gen'l. Contractor when it comes to wood products and not the weekend warrior or the home wood shop, you will not find to many finish carpenters use the Big Box stores for the wood they need the norm...but if you go by one of the big box stores in the AM you will see the Gen'l. contractor loading up the pickup full of lumber...

I use a place called Paxton Lumber for the good wood I need, I sure you must have one in your town like it...below you will see a lumber finder link or two...why pay 24.oo dollars for firewood pay just a little bit more and get what you want....like they say junk in ,junk out , you can't make a silk purse out of a cow's ear

http://www.paxtonwood.com/denver.html

http://www.woodfinder.com/listings/013727.php

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/hom...ID=69184198022

http://www.local.com/results.aspx?ke...FQEoPQodPGqHeA

======
=======

__________________
PodCast videos
RWS on YouTube

http://www.routerforums.com/86898-post1.html
Besure and click on the Up Arrow key ▲ on the Youtube video, you can select other youtube videos on router tables
http://www.woodworkingonline.com/?s=dovetail
Machine Cut ▼
http://www.woodworkingonline.com/200...cut-dovetails/

http://www.woodworkingonline.com/woo...podcast-store/

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm

Bob J.

AxlMyk

Just 2 days ago I went on a mission to get tickets to see Bon Jovi. On the way home I said to myself, "Me, you need to stop at Andersons' mill works" the local saw mill.
Came home with some beautiful cherry, hard maple, and curly maple.
A local sawmill is the best way to go. I've had too many junk boards from the big boxes, especially plywood.

__________________
Mike - Retired FoMoCo Tradesman
My Gallery @ http://www.routerforums.com/axlmyks-stuff/

mjmpropman

Hi Joe

sorry to here that about the timber quality I'm afraid i cant help you this side of the big pond in the UK , If its any consolation thing are just the same here i wouldn't use most of it as firewood either

__________________
you dont have to mad to live here but it does help .
_________________________
Master Craftsman


Kind regards Martin.

challagan

I dont have a jointer or planer. I have always had to search thru the piles of junk for the pine products, but always have found the stuff I needed. Just takes a bit. If I am buying 3/4 hardwood I can usually fine maple and oak in good quality but walnut and cherry at box stores are always higher than the devil. Most of the wood I use these days is 1/4,3/8 or 1/2 inch hardwood. I buy almost all of it these days from Sloans ... good prices and quality. No complaints here.
http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/hardwoods.htm

Corey

__________________
My Carving Website: The Iowa Woodcarver
http://iowacarver.tripod.com/

My Shop Website - Woodshop 51503
http://woodshop51503.tripod.com/

Hamlin

As once had been pointed out to me, HD and Lowes are NOT a lumber yard. More of a "Home Center", yes, you can purchase lumber there but, it's poor quality at best. I'm not sure exactly as what you're looking for or after other than "good" lumber but, as others have pointed out, a local sawmill is the best choice. You will find other outlets as well. For example... http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=30

__________________
Ken

"A VETERAN"
"Whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life". That is HONOR, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it." -Author Unknown

Check twice!

Joe

I am not to sure the type of wood you are looking for but people I know have had some success with this site, http://www.gilmerwood.com/

May or may not help.
Have you tried "clear kiln dried pine". Great look but pricy!

Have a great wood working day!
John

__________________
John

Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better, but will make what I'm looking at better!

challagan

Good link John. Another good source is Wall Lumber.

http://www.walllumber.com/

Corey

__________________
My Carving Website: The Iowa Woodcarver
http://iowacarver.tripod.com/

My Shop Website - Woodshop 51503
http://woodshop51503.tripod.com/

Check twice!

Thanks Corey

This is why I enjoy forums, the sharing of knowledge is so valuable, in a world of "we have to pay for everything".

I have just book marked your site and put it in my favorites.

Thanks
John

__________________
John

Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better, but will make what I'm looking at better!