Sources of hardwood:Where do YOU get your boards?

A

Alaska Ranger

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I am going to be embarking on a bit of a shopping trip this autumn - heading south with one of my trailers (probably the 16' dump trailer), hitting the Pacific NW, Arizona, Tennessee, New England and points in between before returning in time for our winter season. 

And while I do think that, among others, Bridge City, Lie-Nielsen and Lee Valley all are going to get courte$y call$ from me... ;), I also am going to be searching for good deals on furniture wood - something more than the fire-blackened spruce that's good for bedposts and rails, but doesn't quite compare to curly maple or crotchwood.

I have heard that the astute traveler can stumble across some great auctions, but barring that stroke of luck, and knowing that at least construction lumber once again is plummeting in price as incentives go by the wayside, what is the state of hardwood prices - and bargains - these days? 

I would be interested in hearing from all around the country continent.

Thanks!
 
Not only is Bell Forest Products in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan a good internet supplier (as I mentioned in a post for someone looking for hardwoods in Germany), but they also have an extensive warehouse of hardwoods to peruse.

If you happen to head to the Midwest or East Coast as you suggest, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan would be an excellent place to swing through as you make your way back North.  It is one of the best locations, if not the best location, for birdseye maple growth in the world - maybe you could pick some up right from the source!  Lots of other good hardwoods beside birdseye... plus, you could pick a little of this and a little of that as you don't have to just by bulk.

Check them out at http://www.bellforestproducts.com/

Corey
U.P. of Michigan
 
I've got a good local hardwood lumber yard that practically gives away pretty decent European beech so I've been using that a lot.  Good supplies of the usual stuff, oaks and maples and cherry.  They specialize in cypress which is popular for outdoor stuff here in the land of humidity and mildew and rot.  They sell big quantities to big customers and deliver in their own fleet of big trucks but when I come in for 45 board feet of something they treat me like a king.  They will pause a big milling job to straight line my 2 or 3 boards while I wait.  Fabulous service.  It's called Acadian Hardwood.  Several yards throughout the South and will ship anywhere.  So if you ever need some cypress.

I drive over to Houston occasionally.  Several good yards.  One great one called Clark Hardwood Lumber.  The office is a tattered old Quonset hut but the warehouses are something to behold.  They evacuated when Ike came through a couple of years ago.  The yard was left unprotected for several days other than sporadic police patrol.  A zillion dollars worth of every exotic you can name.  $20 and $30 and $40 a board foot stuff.  Tons of small, very expensive pieces for turners.  It would have been childs play for thieves.  But nothing was touched.

Here's Clarks web site.

Look at the page where they list their exotics.  They stock all of that stuff.  Whenever I have a nephew or grandchild with me and I get the chance I take them there and let them look around.  Their reaction is a lot like taking them to the zoo.  Lots of ooo's and aah's.
 
Clark's is in the Heights? I'll have to stop by next time I'm in town.

Tom
 
Tom Bellemare said:
Clark's is in the Heights? I'll have to stop by next time I'm in town.

Tom
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That's the one.  And check out the plywood too.  Plus, they have a pretty good selection of redwood.  It's a fun place.  It's just north of IH10, the Studemont exit.  It's a little tricky to find so TomTom would be handy.
 
I used to live about a mile or two away. I grew up in Houston and lived a lot of my adult life there.

I used to eat at Roznofskis a lot. They're practically neighbors. By Houston standards anyway...

Tom
 
Jesse Cloud said:
Anyone have a good source for air-dried lumber?
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Hey Jesse,

I've already mentioned Bell Forest Products - I believe they have some air dried stuff as well.

Another avenue I would explore is Timbergreen Forestry in Spring Green, Wisconsin.  Timbergreen is a 200 acre farm/forest owned by Jim Birkemeier.  I visited Jim and Timbergreen for a couple hours about 7 or 8 years ago.  Jim runs a truly sustainable forestry operation from harvesting his own timber, milling it with a Woodmizer, and drying it with a solar kiln.  Back 7 or 8 years ago Jim had a pretty incredible selection of beautiful lumber of various species so I'm guessing it has only improved over the years.  

I have perused his website for a few hours at a time here and there as the information regarding forestry, milling, drying, and processing is abundant.  I'm not sure if he sells lumber via the internet, but does so directly at the Timbergreen Farm.  You can learn about his process at http://www.timbergreenforestry.com/ .  If you want to get a hold of Jim, his contact info is at the bottom of the linked page.

Thanks,
Corey
 
For Exotic's only:

http://stores.ebay.com/EXOTIC-WOODS-OF-THE-WORLD/_i.html?LH_Auction=1&rt=nc&_dmd=1&_sid=3073201&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14&_vc=1

Just got a huge piece of Jatoba for .01! plus 10.00 shipping, that is 1.00 a bd ft! All his wood is in the rough though.

Generally I pay 3.25 per bd foot for exotics that cost up to 25.00 a bd foot locally. I have been using him for 5 years for exotics and if you have patience and bid you will get a fantastic deal. I bid on up to 100 pieces over a months time and then I just pay a freight charge instead of the shipping prices he has listed per piece. The shipping prices listed per piece are fine for one or two pieces, if you want more(15 pieces or more) email him and go freight.

I got a piece of ebony that locally cost 125.00 for 25.00.

Read each listing carefully very few of the pieces are cracked, but he states it and for many projects it does not matter because it will be cut up anyway.

I believe most all his stuff is air dried, I have seen kiln dried as well just message him and ask, his name is Justen.

You can check regular market price by looking at his NON auction listings.
 
Nickao's source is kinda on your way back west ~50 miles east of Memphis in Middleton, TN.

I get most of my lumber from group buys we organize in our Woodworking group.  We live in an area (North Carolina/South Virginia) that sadly is shutting down most of the furniture manufacturing and the factories are liquidating large lots of hardwood.  With 20 or so participants, extra money for the loading/transport and a central location to sort and distribute it works out well.  We've also gotten great deals on air dried Walnut, QS Sycamore, QSWO,  Black Cherry, Beech, etc from a local sawyer who gets excess and non-standard logs from a large logyard. 

Gotta network.
 
I have a mill shop around the corner to get a few species at quickly.

There is a huge yard with giant kilns that has almost every hardwood about 25 minutes from my house.
 
Thank you all for some great leads.  We almost certainly are going to be passing through the UP, so Bell will be on the visit-list; I now think TN we will NOT be visiting, but will be going through NC so I am interested in learning more of what MarkF has written....

I have found an interesting-sounding source in southeastern Penna, too - Hearne Hardwoods; and Hardwoods, Inc, in Maryland....
 
WarnerConstCo. said:
I have a mill shop around the corner to get a few species at quickly.

There is a huge yard with giant kilns that has almost every hardwood about 25 minutes from my house.
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Darcy,

Just wondering who you are referring to as I am in the area?

Thanks,

Tom
 
Der Flickschuster said:
I now think TN we will NOT be visiting, but will be going through NC so I am interested in learning more of what MarkF has written....
Click to expand...
The group buys are totally random and happen when one of our buddies uncovers a "deal" so the likleyhood that one of these will pop up and you will be here is slim.  I would suggest the following as your best options:

These are the best small sawyers with kilns in NC:

If you're in the Charlotte area:

Kyle Edwards
5048 Reinhardt Circle
Iron Station, NC
http://www.sawmillnc.com
Large Slabs, Custom sawing, dry kiln and North American Hardwoods Huge turning blanks and BURL.

If you're in the Raleigh/Durham area:
Whispering Pines Farm /  http://www.quartersawnoak.com
Scott Smith
New Hill, NC (about half-way in-between Apex and Sanford)
Specilizing in milling and kiln drying oak, and custom milling of extremely long or large logs (up to 60" diameter or 58' long)
Kiln dried oak and eastern red cedar always in stock. Quartersawn oak boards in stock up to 20" wide.

The best large retail operations are:

The Hardwood Store of North Carolina
106 V East Railroad Ave
Gibsonville, NC 27249
Phone: 1-888-445-7335
http://www.hardwoodstore.com

Steve Wall Lumber Co.
P.O. Box 287
Mayodan, NC 27027
Phone: 336-427-0637
Toll Free: 1-800-633-4062
walllumber.com

If you travel towards Charleston, SC (it's in the next state south BTW [big grin])  Bill and Gwen are super nice folks and always have the best price/quality on large lots.  We did a 900bf Cherry group buy with them last spring and everyone was pleased:

Carolina Lumber Sourcing
http://www.lumbersourcing.com

 
Tom Bellemare said:
I used to live about a mile or two away. I grew up in Houston and lived a lot of my adult life there.

I used to eat at Roznofskis a lot. They're practically neighbors. By Houston standards anyway...

Tom
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Is Roznofskis a burger joint on T.C Jester?  I think I ate there once.  I was in that part of town looking at a used band saw a couple of years ago and the guy selling it told me about it.  Pretty good burger if it's the same place.  IMO Houston has the best food in the US, in that it has some excellent places and it as a pretty good version of everything you can think of, from East to West.  And good hardwood too, maybe not the best in that department but pretty good.

I grew up in Beaumont.  My son lives in Jersey Village and my daughter lives in Lake Jackson. 

 
Yeah, it's that little dive on T. C. Jester. It was family run for the longest time, probably still is.

Tom
 
Der Flickschuster said:
Thank you all for some great leads.  We almost certainly are going to be passing through the UP, so Bell will be on the visit-list; I now think TN we will NOT be visiting, but will be going through NC so I am interested in learning more of what MarkF has written....

I have found an interesting-sounding source in southeastern Penna, too - Hearne Hardwoods; and Hardwoods, Inc, in Maryland....
Click to expand...

Hearne Hardwoods totally rocks!  I used to live out there and was a frequent visitor.  I still have dreams about spending a day going through the stacks at Hearne.
 
I've been trying to squeeze out the time early some Saturday morning to head out that way.  They're about 2 hours from me; I think.

I found another supplier out that way but by the time I got there they were closed.  [crying]  JR & I were heading to a wedding in the area.  Had I known they were that close to the wedding location, we would have started out earlier.  [embarassed]

Jesse Cloud said:
Hearne Hardwoods totally rocks!  I used to live out there and was a frequent visitor.  I still have dreams about spending a day going through the stacks at Hearne.
Click to expand...
 
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