Replies

1. 
   mikedp | Sep 08, 2006 04:21am | #1

   Try woodfinder.com.  They will give you various lumbber yards within x miles of your home with brief descriptions of what they carry.

    

   Good luck.

    

   Mike

2. 
   ThreePuttJoe | Sep 08, 2006 07:00am | #2

   Have you been to Owl Hardwoods in Des Plaines? Also, a little further out is Hardwood Connection in Sycamore. The guys there are helpful, and they carry a pretty good tool selection. I would try OWL first, depending on what you're looking for.

   Joe

3. 
   DanG | Sep 08, 2006 08:32am | #3

   Haven't been to either one myself, but the Owl Hardwood website shows a location in Lombard and another "now open" in Oak Lawn, in addition to the one in Des Plaines. If you're looking for west of Chicago one of them might be closer.

   Dan

4. 
   JeffHeath | Sep 08, 2006 02:36pm | #4

   td

   I'm in Crystal Lake.  Up in Walworth, Wi, just over the border on route 14 is a place called Badger Hardwoods.  The operator is a good guy, and he has a pretty good selection of most of the hardwoods, about 15% to 20% cheaper than Owl. 

   Owl Hardwoods does NOT sell rough stock.  They skip plane everything, and they do NOT flatten it on a jointer first, so you will get some wavy wood that needs flattening first from them.  My contention to them has been to prep the stock properly, but they don't care, they sell so much.  Their quality of wood is very good, though.

   Jeff

1. 
   tdinovo | Sep 08, 2006 06:21pm | #5

   As always thanks for the help!  This forum is THE place for answers;)  I'm right down the road from Owl so I'll give them a try with your advice in mind;)  I'm just starting out with rough stock but as I get more experiance (and need) for it I'll definatly take a trip up to WI;)

    

   Thanks again!

   T.

1. 
   cwalvoord | Sep 08, 2006 07:29pm | #6

   I have bought some wood from Badger Hardwoods and been quite pleased with it. His inventory is all rough but he will plane or SLR it for you if you would like. You should call them first if you are looking for something specific.Yestarday I stopped in to Kettle Morane Hardwoods' south location and I was quite impressed with their selection. I have not bought anything there but I spent about 20 min walking around looking at all the beautiful wood. They are 25 miles over the border in WI, 1/2 mile from an exit off 94.
   Chris

2. 
   ThreePuttJoe | Sep 08, 2006 08:38pm | #7

   Jeff - I'm in Grayslake, and had not heard of Badger. It sounds like I need to give them a try. I guess I misinterpreted "rough" lumber. I thought anything short of S4S was "rough." I guess that is why Owl's dimentions are thinner.Thanks

1. 
   JeffHeath | Sep 08, 2006 09:31pm | #8

   Joe

   Yes.  Rough means "rough", off the mill.  Owl removes 1/8" to 3/16" when they plane the wood, but it's never flat.  What's the point?!  And, their prices reflect the size of their monstrous building, with 50 employees.

   Badger Hardwoods is, by no means, the end all for lumber sources.  Many times, his stock is limited to 4/4.  I mill 90% of my own logs to lumber, so I don't need to purchase from an outside source very often, but he's one source that I check with first when I do need something in a hurry.  His cherry, walnut, and maple stock is usually pretty good.

   Jeff

5. 
   bejuan | Sep 09, 2006 05:28am | #9

   I recently ordered 30 bf 12/4 mahogany S3S sight unseen from Hearne hardwoods in PA because this is literally unobtainable locally in Peoria, IL.  They did a great job with CS, delivered on time, the wood was nicely packaged, and most importantly the wood is b-b-b-beautiful (though a little pricey, though, after all, it is 12/4 mahogany).  That said, I would not hesitate to deal with them again.

6. 
   Timberwerks | Sep 09, 2006 05:48am | #10

   As mentioned it is a worth while trip for you to make a visit to KMH.

   Dale 

   http://www.timberwerksstudio.com
1. 
   justinh | Sep 09, 2006 03:56pm | #11

   I live down town Chicago and if you are willing to travel a bit both Heidler and Horn lumber yards deal with rough hard woods.  They are located within a few blocks of eachother on Damen a few blocks north of I55.  You can also ask a custom millwork shop to bring the stock in for you.  I have  asked this of both Skokie millwork and Lee Lumber's Pershing location and had them surface it for me when I haven't had the time.

   I usually deal with Hardwood Resource on Ada just off Elston near the North Ave Home Depot down town.  Their phone number is 773-394-4100.  Good people and reasonable prices.  Heidler requires you to place an order first.  They are not a walkup yard.  They often supply the other yards with their raw lumber.  Their number is 773-847-7444.  It might be worth a call.

   Regards,

   Justin

1. 
   geppetto425 | Sep 10, 2006 03:24am | #12

   I agree with timeberworks, I used to work for Kettle Morane Hardwoods before moving back here to God's country, (the Pac NW). We had customers drive up from Chicago all the time for their wood. They are right off the freeway just north of Racine. Great selection, they mill most of their own domestic hardwoods and they will go the extra mile to mill it the way you want.....

7. 
   kngfshr | Oct 27, 2006 07:42pm | #13

   another choice for local (northern Ill) is Kirkland Saw Mill in Kirkland, IL. This is northwest of DeKalb. They have a large selection of oak (very nice qtr sawn WO, I have bought a fair amount of their 8/4), maple, cherry, etc. Their prices are roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of Owl's, but it is a hike from the western suburbs. Sorry, but I don't have their number handy.