Buying Wood

[ssmith1627]

It's funny when you get to the point that you want something MORE than what they sell at Home Depot and Lowes and you start to go looking at what else is out there. Pine and Red Oak are the only things that have been cut on my table saw so far other than plywood or MDF.

I poked around Woodcraft today looking for some pieces of maple to use for jaws on my bench vises. Wow. Was more involved than I had imagined. Curly maple, hard maple, birds eye, sugar maple. They had some blocks of maple that were S4S but were only like 4"x4". The rest was boards that were surfaced two sides but were still pretty rough. I couldn't envision using those either without a planer. But maybe it was just that particular type of maple.

Really just trying to put all this together in my head really.....what I can do with the tools I have, etc.

I found a lumber yard pretty close by on woodfinder and would like to head out there. They're showing:
Eastern Sugar Maple 4/4, air dried $1.00/BF;

Which doesn't sound bad at all. Assume this would be surfaced 2 sides. Would it just be random widths and lengths ?

Thanks for helping a newbie get these concepts straight in his mind.

Steve

[sacherjj]

They will almost always be random widths and lengths. You are also generally better off at a lumberyard than a Rockler or Woodcraft. The hardwood dealer I purchase from will surface for a reasonable fee. That might be an option if you don't yet have the tools. There are also sometimes fixed width boards for a little more money, presumably for flooring or similar applications. You will almost always get a better value if you rip to the width yourself.

[ssmith1627]

Just kinda wading into the waters here. Would rather look like a dork to you guys than to the guys at the lumber yard...haha.

No problem at all on the ripping. I don't have a bandsaw for re-sawing but with 4/4 I should be fine for at least the purposes I have in mind right now. I also don't have a jointer or planer.

Thanks for letting me talk out loud......sometimes that alone helps !

Steve

[Ken Weaver]

I also don't have a jointer or planer.

Steve

Don't forget, one nice (deadly?) thing about this hobby is that there's always a reason to buy a tool. Seriously, after your trip to the yard, run the numbers and you'll probably find that the jointer and planer will save you $$$.

[ssmith1627]

It's a running joke with my wife about buying a bandsaw....

And you do have a valid point with that.....being able to buy just rough lumber and turn it into what I want/need. At the same time, my wife has quit her job and is now just working part time as we start trying to have kids.

So I've got to balance it like anything else -- and not let my OCD take over ! haha Because I already look at planers, jointers and bandsaws on a regular basis. I'm only six months into this hobby -- I gotta learn more about using the tools I have or I'll end up with a shop full of things I have no clue what to do with.

Steve

[just4funsies]

Tell your wife to go back to work, choose a company with a daycare program, and re-focus on what is REALLY most important... the TOOL FUND...

[Russianwolf]

$1/bf for maple will probably be rough cut. The lumber yard will likely be able to surface it for you for about $.30/bf so still not a bad deal at all. Soft Maple at HD is over $8/bf around here.

If they can, and the price is reasonable (and the boards are pretty straight) try to get them to S3S it for you. That way you'll have one rough edge that you'll trim away on the Tablesaw.

Once you progress, you really should look into getting the planer/jointer. It will take about 300bf of lumber to pay for those two tools (moderately priced ones). I did some complex math on this subject in one of the previous topics, if you get into exotic lumber, the savings add up quickly.

Have a look at this site for some price comparisons. They are alittle on the high side but not as bad as HD and Lowes. www.woodworkerssource.net

Here's the topic I was talking about http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=19207

[ssmith1627]

No no, I can't complain at all. I finally make good money now but more IMPORTANTLY, we are living in the house she grew up in -- still owned by her parents -- so we have no mortgage payment. Yes, I spend every waking hour working on one room or another but it's still a very nice bit of security to have.

She amazingly listens to all my woodworking nonsense even though I drag her out to the garage on a repeated basis to show her how I very impressively glued and clamped two pieces of wood together......haha.

All she wants me to build right now is a BIRDHOUSE.....sigh..... At least now with this 2nd set of rails and the large surface for my BT3100 -- I can build a REALLY REALLY big birdhouse.

Steve

[mschrank]

.....as we start trying to have kids.

Forget about buying wood and tools. Since you are only six months into this hobby, it shouldn't be too painful to give up now.

Once the youngest one hits about 3 or 4, you'll finally have time to get back into the shop for MAYBE a couple hours a week. Then it's only a couple years until soccer practice and all that starts up.

Since we started having lil' uns, (one 3 yr old boy, one 7 month old girl), I spend more time on this forum than in the shop.

But....if your wife stays part-time, and is forgiving and supportive, you might be able to make it work after all.

[ssmith1627]

I'm ignoring Mike's comments.......I refuse to give up the hobby without a fight......haha.

But just from this one thread, I've learned two things. Just hearing you guys talk helps some of the pieces fall into place. Great forum. Can't say that enough.

Thanks guys.

Steve

[bigsteel15]

Forget about buying wood and tools. Since you are only six months into this hobby, it shouldn't be too painful to give up now.

Once the youngest one hits about 3 or 4, you'll finally have time to get back into the shop for MAYBE a couple hours a week. Then it's only a couple years until soccer practice and all that starts up.

Since we started having lil' uns, (one 3 yr old boy, one 7 month old girl), I spend more time on this forum than in the shop.

But....if your wife stays part-time, and is forgiving and supportive, you might be able to make it work after all.

DITTO that one.
In the middle of soccer now with my 4 yr old girl.
The only tme I get in my shop is after bedtime or weekends if not raining so she can play bubbles at the back door of the garage.

[MilDoc]

All she wants me to build right now is a BIRDHOUSE.....sigh..... At least now with this 2nd set of rails and the large surface for my BT3100 -- I can build a REALLY REALLY big birdhouse.

Steve

Yeah, that's what the LOML was like, 'til she saw some not-so-good-but-she-thought-GREAT results!

Now SHE buys me tools - to make end tables, bed headboard, etc etc etc.

[Ken Weaver]

Don't you dare listen to those guys and give up!!!

All seriousness aside - you'll find its a sanity saver and my rule of thumb is to buy the tool as I need them for a project....well - almost when you need it, you know you might need that doweling jig soon, and, and, think of what you'll save with the jointer/planer!!! Hurry, hurry, - get thee behind me satan!!!

Check PM to you.

[Cain]

I'm in a similar situation. My wife works part time and we have a 3-year old. I've always had four or five hobbies going at one time. When the kid was born, I had to find a hobby that would keep me close to home. So, I went out and bought a 1971 Triumph TR6 and restored it. It took me about two years to do it, but I was mainly working on it after the kid went to sleep. He would normally go to bed about 8 pm and I could work on it for 2-3 hours a night.

I sold the car about two months ago and now I'm trying to acquire some WWing tools. I've come to the conclusion that it's best to stick to hobbies that you can do for a lifetime (assuming I keep all of my fingers). So right now I've narrowed it down to golf, fly fishing and woodworking.

On the WWing front, like you I've noticed that the price of wood is limiting. But, I built some outdoor furniture that would have cost at least twice as much if purchased. Plus, I can work on a few skills prior to trying to build indoor furniture that require more expensive materials.

It's easy to justify the cost of the tools and materials once you make a few household items that cost less if you make it yourself. I installed wainscoting in the kids room and acquired a few tools to perform the project including a compound miter saw to do the trim and still saved money by doing it myself.

I'm also in the market for a planer and bandsaw. I'm going to justify buying these tools by building all of the furniture for my home office/guest room.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

These guys have it all wrong. You are in a good spot financially and have a supportive wife. Ignore your urge to learn how to use all the tools you have now. Massive buying sprees should ensue as once children come along the afore mentined financial security and supportive spouse are out the window! LOL
Seriously though, a good planer and jointer is the way to go if you see yourself using lumber intensive projects. You will save a ton of money in the long run, which will approach quickly.
Also, regarding the price of pre-made furniture versus self constructed, it is not uncommon for the self constructed project to cost more than the Crate and Barrell or Ikea furniture. We just have to remember that our projects are much higher quality, life long pieces versus disposable crap. I find that as mentioned, outdoor furniture can generally be made for much less as youu are on a more even playing field (material costs are more similar versus laminated particle board furniture). Also, as mentioned you can do custom work to your home that would cost a fortune to have a finish carpenter complete. Wainscotting, crown and chair rail moldings, built ins. etc have added thousands of $ to the value of my home with material costs being very minimal. I guess I could sum it up by saying you may not save a lot when it comes to fine woodworking, but construction type you can save a lot.