Buying Wood from Woodcraft

[axio]

Does anyone buy wood from Woodcraft? How are their prices/quality compared to other lumberyards? Do you buy it from woodcraft online, or is there any other good online places to order wood from?

[Doug Jones]

Wood is priced high enough without Woodcraft adding their inflated overage. Look at http://www.woodfinder.com/ for local mills. Or ask around.

[beetee3]

Macbeaths in Berkeley has a good selection. They are sufficiently busy that you won't feel self conscious digging through the stacks to cherry pick the nicest boards. Can't comment on the prices since I've only been there once while passing through and I didn't buy anything.

If you turn up any good sources in the bay area then be let me know.

[jnesmith]

If you want to buy online, I wouldn't use Woodcraft. I buy a stick or 3 from the stores occasionly though when I'm in a town that has a local store.

If you want to buy online and just want domestic, try http://www.niagaralumber.com/index.cfm

If you want exotics, try http://www.woodworkerssource.net/ I've had good luck with both.

[Pappy]

I sometimes pick up a piece of theitr 'Wood of the Month'. Everything else is overpriced, IMO.

[Knottscott]

It just so happens that my rough sawn supplier also supplies WC, so more often than not I buy directly from him. WC does offer it S2S which should be worth some premium if for no other reason than it makes it easy to pick the nicer grain. Once in a while WC will have some great examples or sales and I'll occasionally buy from them then.

[beetee3]

quote:Originally posted by jnesmith

If you want to buy online and just want domestic, try http://www.niagaralumber.com/index.cfm

Thanks for posting that. I have a feeling I will be giving them a try soon. It's kinda sad when it's cheaper to have lumber shipped 2300 miles than it is to buy it locally [V]. I need to get out of California...

[lkazista]

Do yu guys find Woodcrafts prices in general to be high?

I LOVE my local Woodcraft store, and generally speaking find their prices to be right in line with everyone else. I try to buy as much from them as possible rather than the BORG. As far as wood goes, my local lumber yard really only stocks dimesionel building materials. If I need any hardwoods (other than Oak, poplar, or pine) Woodcraft is really my only source.

Just curious.

Lee

[gugie]

For Bay Area buyers, try Southern Lumber in San Jose. Very big selection, large warehouse. Prices are about average. Sometimes quality is more important than price.

[monte]

Lumber at Woodcraft is way over priced IMHO. I buy all of my oak, cherry, and maple at a local sawmill.

[jnesmith]

quote:Originally posted by monte

Lumber at Woodcraft is way over priced IMHO.

Gnerally true but not always. I bought a beautiful Cocobolo board at the Orlando store recently, and paid $17 a BF. By comparison, Steve Wall (Wall Lumber) sells it for $16 a BF, but you can't pick and purchase just one board.

http://www.woodworkerssource.net sells a 20 BF bundle for $511, or $25.55 a BF. That includes shipping, but again, you can't pick and purchase a single board.

[DonHo]

I buy some lumber from WoodCraft in OKC. I'm sure their prices are higher than if you could pick up from a local sawmill. Trouble is in OKC there is no "local" sawmill, there is one in Prior, OK which is about 140 miles from Shawnee. I also buy some from Hogan's hardwoods in OKC. I've found Hogan's has some species cheaper than Woodcraft and Woodcraft is cheaper on other species. I buy my "craft" lubmer(1/2" or less) from Steve Wall lumber online. I also buy some packages from Wall lumber but in general I've found that after I pay shipping the price is about equal to buying local and when you buy local you can pick and choose and also buy small quanities.
DonHo

[sacherjj]

I also looked at Woodcraft and Rockler (have both here in Indy) and was glad to find Northwest Lumber. They will also do jointing for me for a small fee. Prices are much less than WC with a better selection.

[Ronak Shah]

I bought approx 6 bf of Padouk from Rockler a few weeks ago, and have been pretty happy with it. It was surfaced & I can only get the rough stuff from CrossCut Hardwoods downtown. With a 25% off coupon it was cheaper as well.

I was surprised that it worked so well for me: pretty wood and saved me having to find someone to joint & plane it..

[gary]

Woodcraft has Purpleheart on sale for 3.99/BF now