Replies

1. 
   CSilk82 | Jan 06, 2021 10:31am | #1

   I can't speak to Irion, but this podcast may have some useful info (and is great overall, if you haven't listened to it): https://www.lumberupdate.com/episode-17-buying-lumber-online/

2. 
   Beasley7 | Jan 06, 2021 07:02pm | #2

   Shipping is usually a function of volume, weight and distance. One board foot of maple weighs about 3 lbs. Minimum order is 150 BF which is 450 LBS. You can go to UPS.com and put in the dimensions and weight and address. Divide that number roughly in half, which is roughly what they charge their corporate clients, and that should be a good ballpark number.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jan 06, 2021 07:58pm | #3

   Thanks. But whatever I order will have to go by truck, not UPS.

1. 
   Beasley7 | Jan 06, 2021 08:55pm | #4

   UPS isn't shipping it via horse and buggy - it's coming on a truck. If you plug in the numbers for UPS freight, it's about $250 to ship 450 lbs from Irion to Maryland (where I live). If Irion has a corporate rate, maybe a little less. You will end up using whomever Irion tells you to. I offer UPS as an industry standard and an adequate yardstick to answer your question. If you don't buy into that assumption, then you are on your own.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jan 07, 2021 08:20am | #5

   I worked for UPS for over 20 years. That's all I care to say about those people. But beyond their regular charges, they have dramatically increased surcharges for oversized items. The charge for shipping wood in lengths longer than a yardstick are astronomical these days.

3. 
   c_jarl_hanson | Jan 07, 2021 09:46am | #6

   Hi John,
   I am actually going to be ordering from Irion very shortly myself. I was turned onto them by one of the instructors at Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking. The school purchases most of the lumber for classes from Irion, so it might be worthwhile to shoot the school director a quick note asking for some insight.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jan 07, 2021 11:52am | #7

   Thanks for the heads up. And that's a great school.

4. 
   joeleonetti | Jan 07, 2021 02:53pm | #8

   I have had some wood (1 to 20 board feet) mailed to me in the past from Woodcraft and Almquist Lumber (northern CA lumber store I quite like). The max length was 4 feet. I don't recall the specific numbers but it wasn't enough to stop me. As far as hobbies go, once you have the tools you need, wood expense on an annual basis isn't that bad. At least for me. I doubt I use more than 50, 100 board feet max a year. My friends who golf are jealous of how little I need to spend to have fun.

5. 
   ericmeyermaker | Jan 09, 2021 12:22am | #9

   I've ordered from Bell Forest, CR Lumber, and Woodworkers Resource in the past. In all of them the max length ended up being below 7ft (IIRC) to get the cheaper shipping options. Shipping added a couple of dollars a bf to the cost, but it would have cost me about the same or more to rent a trunk and make a several hour round trip to buy in person from the nearest yard.

   My most recent purchases for 80 bf of poplar cost $140 in shipping and 20 bf of red oak cost $60 in shipping.

6. 
   DRBWWing | Jan 09, 2021 06:38am | #10

   I have to agree with John even if he raked me over the coals for carpeting my bench room (no, I haven’t done it yet I keep hearing his voice saying “I told you so” :-D

   $250 to mail a bicycle box weighing 40s from FL to CO.

   Took it to a bike shop I know that shipped it for me $80.

   UPS Stores are rip offs IMO.