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@katzmosestools how much extra thickness do you generally account for? If you need 3/4 Inch material for a project, are you buying 4/4 or 5/4? Thanks 🙏
Even though I've got 40+ years in advanced woodworking and am an engineer, I always like listening to Jonathan's advice. He simplifies and clarifies without oversimplifying. Jonathan's a great resource for novices and experienced woodworkers alike. Thank you, Jonathan!
Thanks for a great video for beginners. I had to learn this "on the fly". I can recommend Austin Fine Lumber in Austin Texas. It looks just like the lumber yard where you shot the video. They will cut off short pieces of lumber, but the leftover piece that goes back in stock needs to be over 8' long. They have a scrap bin where a hobby woodworker can find a gold-mine of wood. Recently, for $200, I was able to purchase a 12' trailer load of rough 8/4 walnut, oak, cherry, maple, pecan and sapele from an estate sale. There were some 18" wide slabs. The trailer was completely full and piled up 3 or 4 feet above the side rails. The wood had been stickered in a dry barn for 20 years. Thanks.
Austin Fine Lumber is great. There's also Woodcraft nearby - they have a wider selection of exotic woods than Fine Lumber, though Woodcraft is more expensive and more suited to turning and small projects.
The entire No BS Guide series is absolutely fantastic! I thoroughly enjoy watching them and sending them around to my friends and family who are also hobbyist woodworkers. For what it is worth, here in Boston we have Boulter Plywood that will happily cut any board to any length; if it is less than about 5-6', it goes in the "offcuts" pile that is sold for the same board feet price as the main lumber.
This was great! The lumber yard near me is pretty friendly but like you suggest, they don’t really want to hold your hand when high volume customers are coming through. Great tips here.
I’ve found calling a lumber yard beforehand and asking when their typical quiet times are and explaining that I’m a beginner very helpful. At one store the owner said to come in about 30 min before they opened and he took me through so much of the process of selecting timber etc
I love this series. This will definitely be helpful. We have a local lumber yard in my area about an hour away, and it's a beautiful country drive. I like to use my scraps for small fun family projects.
I usually spend under $1000 when I go, so small potatoes compared to others, but the staff at Moore Newton in San Leandro, CA are amazing and always eager to help you out, regardless of your spending amount. Thanks for the great video, JKM!
I have 2 dealers I tend to go to. 1 is a more generalised dealer where I go for when I need bigger boards and especially sheet goods. It's also pretty close and has great prices and service! 2 is my favorite, it's a bit over an hour drive away depending on the traffic BUT it's as far as I know the only actually exotic wood dealer for consumers. They have pretty good prices and a wide variety! A lot of their supply is smaller pieces like a lot of blanks for turners but they also have some very nice boards. That's where I go for things like purpleheart and this one time I found this BEAUTIFUL piece of spalted beech. It's always a joy going there to see what they have in stock at that moment as their stock changes a little every time. Totally worth the drive! :D
Jonathan, another great video! I love these NO BS videos! I never really thought about looking at grain direction before I buy the wood. I just always tried to pick straight boards with no knots. Now I will be looking at it differently! Thanks!
Incredibly helpful! It can be a little intimidating going into a lumber yard at first but, they are really a great resource. Shout out to Peterman Lumber and Woodworkers Source!!
We have terrific lumber yard by me on Long Island, Robert's Plywood. They are a family business. They have a huge selection of hardwoods and exotics. They make special hours from 1 to 4 for small buyers and woodworkers and hobbyists on weekdays. They are very helpful. Super place.
Most places usually have an offcut pile. And while the per bd ft cost might still seem high, it sometimes helps me avoid overbuying if I just need a couple small pieces (accents, spline materials, facing pieces, etc.)
Really appreciate your review of what you need to know about going to lumber yards. I have been hesitant about going to a lumber yard, my feeling uncomfortable because of lack of knowledge and making a fool out of myself. I know feel a little more comfortable now. Wish me luck!
Jonathan... absolutely great video! If any of you who watched this video have found a hardwoods wholesaler in your area and haven't visited yet, let me recommend one more item that JKM did not mention. A drool bucket. Yeah...I know that sounds gross. But if you have never been, you are going to see things you never dreamed could happen. Domestic hardwoods in thickness you didn't think existed. Exotics of all shapes, sizes and species. Sheet goods covered in laminate, veneers and even foils. Baltic Birch at 60% of the 'local' price in 5'x5', 4'x8' and you may find cutdown sizes. Apple-ply is available at my local wholesaler which is essentially Baltic Birch made from Western Red Alder. And the best part? The scrap bin! Yeah, the scrap bin. There will be chunks of wood trimmed from longer boards with some piddling defect...a crack, a ding, some discoloration. All dirt cheap (I'm talking pennies on the dollar) and small enough (like 6"-18" long x width of original board). I always pick thru the bin looking for that eye-catching piece and end up with an armload that costs in the $20 arena ..for the entire armload. I live in the Puget Sound region of Washington. Crosscut Hardwoods in Seattle is my go-to. The building is dang near the size of a football field and floor-to-rafters full of anything and everything you could want in wood, short of construction lumber. If you are in this area, a day trip there is well worth the time and travel.
Nice Job! I think you hit all the major points really well. Probably can't overstate enough for folks to be adventurous, and make some calls. It can really be worth it to get outside of your immediate locality. Here in the mid-Atlantic/Central VA, it seems like the closer you get to the source of lumber, aka the more mountainous, wooded part of the state, you can find more mills and things are cheaper, or priced mor normally depending on how you want to look at it, than near the city. Cutting out at least one of the middle men, shippers/transport, definitely can have an effect on what we pay. And I enjoy the half day trip to go to a mill. But yeah, worth calling around too to make sure your adventures yield you what you want too.
We order $1,000s from you weekly and I really like your stores’ selection but your owner was extremely standoffish when asked if we could shoot there. We were told that he wasn’t looking for “weekend woodworkers” and didn’t want us promoting the store. Pretty short sided stance if you ask me considering how big our reach is and that our audience has lots of professional woodworkers.
I was watching this video at work. Right after watching this video, I went into the break room... and jimmy Kimmel is on the tv.... and it dawned on me. O M G... Jimmy and Jonathan look like they could be brothers
Thanks for this. I actually live in SLO County and have felt a little hesitant to stop by there because I didn’t completely understand how it worked compared to the box stores.
If your in or around the Chicagoland area owl hardwoods is the spot . All sorts of exotic woods, great sheet goods and 1x . Plan on spending a lot of time there if you enjoy building anything with wood ! Love the videos keep up the great work.
This is an awesome video! I'm a beginner woodworker and getting a planer and jointer soon so this video helps so much trying to figure out how to buy wood. Still gotta find a hardwood and plywood dealer in the augusta, GA area, but this video is packed with great info!
We have this little wood supplier right down the road from me where I'd get my wood. They had a fire this weekend (not sure of the extent of the damage) and will be closed for a while.
I really liked this video, that give more confidence, its can be intimidating the first time going in this kind of place. I've read in FWW to bring with you a little block plane to see the real grain color or what else, what your thought about that ?
Great video as always. As a beginner who lives in your area I saw the link thought “ great, I’ll get an intro to the local lumberyard”. Then the video started out with you stating “ I’m 100 miles north up in San Luis Obispo” lol.
Another issue with lumber stores, at least around me, are that their target customers are commercial. So they're only open Monday through Friday 8-5. Makes it hard as a hobbyist to buy wood. Also, stores like Woodcraft and Rockler. They'll be more expensive than the hardwood dealers but they carry a good selection and they're open on weekends.
Thank you for this!! Seen similar videos, but this is just so beautifully consolidated and concise. Here in southeast Michigan, are there any recommendations for hardwood dealers in my area? A few I’ve looked up and found told me they don’t sell to the general public.
Oh my gosh! I LOVE YOU! This was so helpful. Do you think you could do a f/u video on how to recognize good quality, i.e., properly dried, etc., for those of us buying from slab stores and/or FB Marketplace? I feel like they see me coming and think they can sell me poorly stored wood.
As a new woodworker, I saw the wood in Woodcraft and thought I could never afford to buy hardwood for bigger projects. Sure, it's nice to get S4S wood, but I can't pay $20/board foot for 1 inch walnut. The first time I went to Phoenix Hardwood in Oklahoma City, I thought I had found Heaven! I found some 4/4 rough walnut for $5/board foot. The toughest thing is that I don't own a pickup or trailer, so I have to be careful with what I buy (for which my wife is grateful).
What a great video, Jonathan. Thank you. I actually bought my first big pile of hardwood lumber YESTERDAY and wish I'd seen this video first! If you see this comment, I have a follow up question- my local dealer has a full shop and can process lumber for you- is s3s enough for someone with a table saw and a planer? Maybe just s2s?
Step 1 has to be “move where there’s a dealer for something besides building materials.” 🤣 best I can figure, the nearest walnut to to be found in the Mobile, AL area might be In Birmingham
Not gonna lie, the lumber dealers in my area intimidate the heck out of me. I hate wasting people's time especially as a very small fish only buying maybe 1 or 2 sheets of plywood
Great video Jonathan. I wish you had also covered lumberyard etiquette. My local yard cringes when newbies come in. My struggle with buying rough sawn is not being able to see the grain. Grain selection is so important for my work.
is that fund for someone like me? I am missing my leg amd a woodworker. turned my hobby into somewhat of a profession. still a beginner but man i love working with wood
Such an excellent video. On another note, I just found out that we live in the same area. Any stores closer to the 805 you would recommend? And know of anyone that teaches woodworking in the Ventura area? One day I will absolutely take a drive up to SLO!
FYI 25% waste is not enough. I.e. if your finish size is 3/4 you have to purchase 4/4 this is already 25% waste. You still need to allow additional waste in width, length and defects. Depending on your project expect more like 100-150% if you don't want to fall short.
What's your opinion of online wood retailers, mail-order? Assuming you specify grade (such as FAS or whatever), is there much advantage to going in person?
Great video but I would like to hear a discussion on why hardwoods cut by locals are so expensive. I fortunately have access to big box stores, a great lumber yard, and a specialized sawmill and lumber yard where you can buy almost any species of wood at a price. What I cannot understand at the locals here in NH have their own wood mizer-like sawmills that are charging outrageous prices for the lumber that they have cut locally and milled. I have so many projects in my head that I want to build but cannot afford the lumber.
I guess. Fellow NHites, stop buying from the locals for a while and let's see if we can't lower their prices. As far as white pine, I found a very equitable supplier over in Belmont. He has it all. Clear select at reasonable prices as well as rough-sawn.
J. Katz loved the video, thank you. Just one question, how would I give a potential client a quote? Would I have to drive to the lumber store each time someone wants a quote?
No just figure out how many board ft you need. Make sure to add 25%. Call the lumber yard and ask for a verbal quote or written quote to be emailed. They’ll usually honor a written quote for thirty days so just pass that along to your potential client via a line in your bid that says “quote valid for 30 days”
@@katzmosestools Awesome man, thanks! As a fellow SoCal (hobbyist) woodworker, I really appreciate what you’ve done with the channel and what you’ve done for the community. Look forward to more🤙🏼
Very helpful video, but it’s still intimidating to go to a lumberyard. I walked out of the first yard I ever went to as they treated me like shit! They wouldn’t give me the time of day and it was like I had to beg them to help. I don’t have to treated like that as my money might not be as much as other guys spend, but it’s just as good! The place I go now is a bit more expensive, but the guys are friendly and always willing to help someone like me who simply can’t remember all the right wood terminology.
I have to stop during the BF from plans segment… I’m in central Wyoming and 4/4 maple is $8 a bf 4/4 walnut is $25 I need the address of your lumber spot so I can go load up my trailer
Yeah walnut doesn’t really grow in Wyoming. Anywhere on the west or east coast will be way cheaper for those domestics. If you really want to get amazing domestic hardwoods go to northern Oregon or Washington.
Love when Americans measure in cheeseburgers and fractions. I get they’re all used to it an it’s easier for them but my god it sounds like a Harry Potter spell said by Sesame Street vampire count when RU-vidrs talk about measurements.
@@katzmosestools Sadly that does not work without a business registration number. It is the same with metal hardware and electronic component distributors. They are all only business to business. I was on the brink of foundling a small business just to feed my hobbies a couple of times. But so far, my hate for paperwork won. But thanks for the great video anyway, one day I'll profit from it, too! ;-)
The hardwood dealer that I go to does not calculate width in the BF price. Makes it much cheaper if you're willing to rip your pieces. I got some 20" wide Sapele for the same price as I would 8".
There's some good information in here but it's also missing a lot. Kilndried vs airdried, common defects to check for and spotting potential problems with tension, bowing, twisting or other wood movement. Nothing worse than buying a beautiful board only to find out it's useless once you get home. Also, let your lumber acclimate in the shop for at least a week but longer if possible. So much ground to cover
As I watch people buy garbage sheet goods from HD I cringe, a little search and they’d realize a place like this is 5 mins away in my area with infinitely better plywood that’s $20 less a sheet.
People who buy custom furniture can. One of the biggest mistakes I see newer business owners do is undervalue their product. My videos alone, not including any other creator get between 1 and 2 million views a month so to answer your question, I’d say many millions of people can afford the end products. You just need to find your market. Cheers
