Ebay for Lumber?

[mcgrath4u]

Anybody ever use ebay for hardwoods at all? I know shipping will be a huge factor, but did anybody ever get any good deals?

this spawned my thinking.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...176016646&rd=1

[Jim Boyd]

quote:Originally posted by mcgrath4u

Anybody ever use ebay for hardwoods at all? I know shipping will be a huge factor, but did anybody ever get any good deals?

this spawned my thinking.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...176016646&rd=1

I've bought wood off ebay several times and have not been burned yet[8D] Now way I'd pay that much for that chunk, it's nice but not that nice. I did luck out and get 100 bf of nice curly maple for $2.00 bf. Shipping took it to $3.00.

[LCHIEN]

Pretty much the wood I bought on eBay
cost me as much for shipping as it did for
the wood.

So wood that starts out sounding pretty good at $2/bd ft
often will end up closer to $5
which is about retail for many hardwoods.

[Stytooner]

I have found it to be worthwhile for exotics if you don't live near a lumber yard. It is great for smaller quantities needed for smaller projects. There is a lot to be said about the convenience of having it delivered to your door. Even more so with gas prices. I have had good experiences, but as always, pay close attention to the cost and the shipping on Ebay. I only buy lumber from lumber dealers on ebay. They shoot straight so far.

[Jim-Iowa]

I see your in Livoinia, my employer used to have a distribution ceter there. So that would put you in the Detroit area.
It might take some looking but I find it hard to believer there is not a supplier of fine woods in the area. Especially since Michigan has such a long history in the lumber business.
In Des Moines we have a store called Paxton Fine Woods, going there is like going to a convention of Carpenters and cabinetmakers.
They have nearly all the exotics and you can handpick the lumber you want.
I have to be careful taking my wife there, she does intarsia and would buy every board that has color or grain she thinks she can use(the good side is I get some pretty nice scrap from what she does not use).
You might ask around the cabinet shops in your area to see where they get their lumber. You are likely to have a supplier within driving distance where you can hand pick what you want, save freight and not be buying a "pig in a poke".

[Russianwolf]

I have bought a good bit of wood off ebay. I've been very happy with what I've gotten and paid but I'm VERY careful.

100BF of cherry for $200 (local pickup)
$80 for a 16/4 13 x 36 piece of Wenge (including shipping)

You just have to be lucky and know what you can pay in other locations. I bid on a couple pieces of Padouk last week. I can buy it locally for $6.20/bf but the bidding went up to about $8/bf when the shipping was figured in. My bid ended at $6/bf.

Before you bid, know the shipping cost and what you would pay at a couple other places (local and mailorder).

[PeteFohl]

That is a beautiful piece of wood...

Considering I'm very much a noobe, and still getting used to $5-10 a BF, $40 is an eye-popper... [:0]

Thinking about it though, you could make a small table with that for the top and trim and it would be a beauty. Yeah, I can see that...

-Pete

[DonHo]

I have had good luck with the lumber I've bought off ebay. As everyone says, you have to be careful about shipping charges. Since I was buying only "common" hardwoods like cherry, maple and walnut I tried to find a seller that had more than one lot up for sale and buy more than one so shipping could be combined( note: I was buying small quanities (5 or 6 pieces of each). That can sometimes backfire if you win one auction but lose the other, and you are stuck with shipping only one lot. I have started buying my "thin" lumber for boxes from Wall lumber and buying several bundles to save on shipping.
DonHo

[autiger1]

I have purchased on Ebay and have been pleased...but you must add approx $2 per board foot for shipping. I agreewith Lee...it can be a good deal for exotics...and I have found some fantastic veneer I could not get anywhere else. Also, be aware some seller charge a packaging fee above and beyond the actual shippng - this can add to your total price per BF.

Tom

[don_hart]

I have purchased several time on ebay mostly from a seller named chitswood and had great service and excellent quality wood. I buy mostly exotic hardwoods on the web as I have a great source for domestic woods locally.