Replies

1. 
   Ronaway | Aug 08, 2006 07:17pm | #1

   I have been buying lumber from Steve for quite a few years now. The service is always great and they typically can have the material in my driveway within 2 days by way of Wilson trucking(I'm located in Ga.). My only disappointment with them was several years ago on an order of cherry that turned out to have a high percentage of sapwood content, since then I have always bought cherry from Hearne in Pennsylvania. Everything else that I have purchased from Wall has been top rate.

   Ron

   
   

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   Edited 8/8/2006 12:18 pm ET by Ronaway

1. 
   mike2242 | Aug 09, 2006 04:18pm | #3

   Ron, Thank you for your reply it has helped me alot.      

                           Mike

2. 
   woodgs | Aug 08, 2006 10:38pm | #2

   Mike,

     I've bought from Steve Wall for for over 20 years, always, though, by driving there. They are good people. They don't have the finest extra wide boards, but I have always been able to find what I need. Mentioning Carolina basketball won't hurt. George

    

1. 
   mike2242 | Aug 09, 2006 04:20pm | #4

   George, Thanks for the reply and tip you have helped make up my mind.

    

                                          Mike

3. 
   frenchy | Aug 10, 2006 01:34am | #5

   mike2242,

     Online wood buying?   mike I've got to say that is one of the most unsatisfactory ways possible I can imagine buying wood..

        Maybe it's easy and convienant but then why build things at all if that's your goal.  Surely there are cheaper, easier, and faster ways of getting whatever you want made..

         You are of course allowed to do as you wish.  Please ignore this cranky old man who enjoys finding a wonderful piece of flamed wood or neat burl hidden..  I love to pay only a dime a board foot for fiddleback maple and see the grain appear as it runs thru my planner.. To me the joy of the fabulous figure appearing is only exceeded by knowing that I got the wood before all the really great pieces were sorted out.. 

      Be honest.. don't you think that everbody that sells wood sooner or later sells the great stuff, the boring stuff, and the junk?  Do you imagine that they have this pile of poor quality wood just collecting dust in a corner someplace?   Don't you wonder why some people seem to have an abundance of fine burls and other interesting character in their wood while most pieces are made with boring straight grain wood?  (heck it may as well be made of vinyl

    

    

1. 
   murphreejz | Aug 16, 2006 06:13pm | #6

   Buying wood online is a viable option for people like myself who live in remote areas, or in states that do not have an abundance of hardwood trees, mills, etc... I am in New Mexico, and prices at lumber/woodworking suppliers are pretty astronomical in most cases. Most of the people I know are relegated to using construction-grade pine for most of their pieces, but I can't bring myself to use it on a regular basis. So, I am forced to find alternate sources, and I have noticed that -even after shipping costs- online suppliers prices are often better than my local supplier(s).

   I was in Wisconsin for a few years, and let me just say how much I miss having ready access to nice, low-cost cherry, walnut, oak, and maple, etc...

1. 
   frenchy | Aug 16, 2006 07:42pm | #7

   mtnfreak14

     I think if you contact woodmizer you'd be surprised at the number of their machines in New Mexico..    I'll grant you that not every sawmkill has cheap wood and not every sawmill will treat you fair..

         What I would do if you have several woodworking buddies is get together and buy a whole bunker of whatever hardwood you want from mills here in Minnesota or Wisconsin.. A thousand bd.ft. would cost you about $800 to a thousand dollars plus shipping and then you could have the enjoyment of selecting a board from many rather than only a few choices..

     Maybe cherry would cost another 500 or 600 dollars per bunker.. about the same as black walnut..

    That's mill run,  rough and green but it won't be ruined if they ship it direct to you and you sticker it up..  I'll bet there in New Mexico you can have that wood ready in less than 6 months.

      

1. 
   HoustonHeights | Aug 17, 2006 12:12am | #9

   Is there a web site that lists woodmizer customers that sell lumber?

1. 
   frenchy | Aug 17, 2006 02:15am | #10

   HoustonHeights,,

    Contact woodmizer. their phone numbers are in many magazines like Mother Earth News that your library has a copy of .. They used to hAVE ADSin Fine woodworking and fine homebuilding but I haven't noticed them lately   you might check..

      They will provide you with a list of woodmizer owners in your area..  (it's part of their service).. not all sell wood but a phone call will identify those that do..

     In addition look in your yellow pages for a list of pallet makers.. call them and ask them where they get their wood from.. pallet wood can be purchased extremely cheaply and it is some of the wood with the most character and wildest grain..  Wood that can really set off a nice piece of furniture..

    Here in the midwest pallet grade wood is around 15 cents a bd.ft. Pallet wood is solid wood but it may have too many knots to meet furniture grades.. That doesn't mean that it is flawed heck many pieces can be made if you cut around the knots and at the cheap price of wood you can afford to do just that!

    

     I get  a kick out of those who buy 7 or 9 dollars a bd.ft. wood  and cut it into the small pieces used in furnature when they could buy a few hundred bd.ft. for the same price and make much more.

    

4. 
   GHR | Aug 16, 2006 11:17pm | #8

   Hard to tell where you live.

   There are good deals and poor deals to be had on line.

   I buy 200-400bdft of clear 8/4 hardwood lumber at a time. I pay $7-10/bdft delivered to the nearby terminal.

   On the otherhand ...

   Last weekend I got up at 3:30am and drove 400 miles to pick up 100bdft of crotch wood for turning blanks. Stopped halfway home and picked up a lathe and tools. Got home at 7:00pm.

   The cost of the wood plus gas was about 1/2 of buying on line.

5. 
   PCM | Aug 17, 2006 03:14pm | #11

   Mike,

   I have bought from Steve Wall many times over many years, and have been very pleased with their products and service.

   I also go to the local (Jacksonville, Fla.) suppliers who sell to the local cabinetmakers if I want poplar, maple, oak, etc. These suppliers only give discounts on large bd ft lots, which I don't buy because of $ and storage. There is also at least one discount supplier who will deal only with their regular customers.  Wall has their UPS lots and specials which are good deals (especially with shipping prices up) and convenient. You can specify lengths.

   Pete   

1. 
   rdreid | Aug 17, 2006 07:51pm | #12

   I live in Indianapolis.  Does anyone know of good local places to get wood?  I am especially interested in quarter sawn white oak (building a desk to go with my Arts & Crafts home)

   Thanks!

1. 
   purduedan | Aug 22, 2006 05:08pm | #13

   You could try Northwest Hardwoods.  They are on Lafayette Road.

   Dan

    

1. 
   rdreid | Aug 22, 2006 05:10pm | #14

   I had seen them online...are they prices good?

1. 
   purduedan | Aug 22, 2006 05:25pm | #15

   They are a little high.  I buy most of my lumber from Mallone Hardwoods in Oxford about 2 hours north of Indy.  Mallone's is cheaper and only has Indiana wood as he cuts his trees down and mills and dries his lumber.

   Dan

2. 
   rdreid | Aug 22, 2006 05:33pm | #16

   What kinds of wood does he have?

3. 
   purduedan | Aug 25, 2006 05:22pm | #17

   Cherry, walnut, maple, hickory, basically anything that grows in Indiana.  His phone is 765-385-2215.