Getting my woodworking projects going and wonder where others source their wood? I’m only planing on some small projects: cutting boards, simple panel door. So mostly smaller pieces in maple or oak. Cutting boards of course I’m liking some of the exotic types out there.

Are you sourcing from a local store (Rockler or Woodcraft) or some on-line source.

Have a place local named Frost Hardwood.

Try something like that.

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Originally posted by mkueffer:
Getting my woodworking projects going and wonder where others source their wood? I’m only planing on some small projects: cutting boards, simple panel door. So mostly smaller pieces in maple or oak. Cutting boards of course I’m liking some of the exotic types out there.

Are you sourcing from a local store (Rockler or Woodcraft) or some on-line source.

Don't use Rockler or Woodcraft unless you enjoy paying a lot more. Call hardwood dealers within the radius you're willing to drive with your trailer.

Macbeath hardwood. I used to live real close to one of their stores but they do mail order I believed. Www.macbeath.com

You should be able to find a local hardwood lumber source. There are plenty of on line sources, including the Woodcrafts and Rocklers.

The only potential issue is when the supplier supplies thicknesses oversized to allow one to plane to size. If you don’t have a planer, or don’t want to invest in one yet, you’ll need to confirm what actual thickness is being furnished.

The most recent Oak I purchased in Dallas this year was advertised oversized, needing further thicknessing.

We have a place in town by the name of The Woodwork Shop. Good folks. I get pretty much all of my hardwoods from them.

I have gone to Woodcraft in Nashville and Atlanta before too, but I pretty much only use them for tools.

My advice - Google search with the terms 'hardwood supplier [city], [state]'. Check them all out and develop a good working relationship the one you feel the most comfortable with.

Good luck with your search.

Best to find a hardwood store that sells rough cut wood. Many of those types of store will run through a planer and jointer for fee if you don't have that equipment. Most of these types of store are locally owned and not big chain stores.

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Have a place local named Frost Hardwood.

LS1 GTO, how do you like Frost compared with TH&H?
I'm just starting to get some woodworking done at last, and will be buying some refinished maple ply, cherry ply, and cherry boards for cabinets.

I get my oak, pine, and poplar through Home Depot or Lowes. I am not sure if they sell maple anymore.

I have used Rockler for wood I cant get from a lumber yard.

Around me walnut is common and many people have mills and I can buy from them.

One avenue is Craigslist. But know your pricing before you buy.

There’s likely a place within reasonable distance to you. Even out here in BFE I have a local guy within 30 miles.

I found a wholesale supplier of quality hardwoods by going to a high-end cabinet shop near me and asking which suppler they use. They get a weekly delivery in their shop and when I need plywood or hardwood they will throw it on the truck and bring it to me when making their other deliveries to the cabinet shops. I could not be happier with the quality and service. Quality cabinet shops will not tolerate poor quality lumber, if you can tap into their source of supply you are golden. How the lumber was dried is important. But be prepared to pay premium prices for premium lumber.

Woodcraft. Local mills. Old furniture finds that can be bought really cheap and then broken down into pieces for use in other projects. Old barn finds.

I do wood turning. Have a shop in the basement. I get my wood from trees on our own land. I rough turn the green wood, then put it on the shelf to dry out. When dry, I put it back on the lathe, turn it to the desired size and finish it. We have only hardwoods on our place.

I have turned some softwoods but since we don't have any of it on our land, that does not happen often. The last time was years ago when some "tree specialists" were clearing some neighboring lots. I arranged with them to bring those trees to our place. Cut some for firewood, some for woodturning.

Besides all the sources mentioned ^^ above ~ don't be afraid to scavenge from wherever you can.
I recently got a bunch of nice oak from slats in a pallet my friend had.
I scarf up scrap pieces too wherever I can find them if the size and material makes sense.
Kinda like the metal fabricator who uses whatever they an find.

Mostly local place called Peach State lumber. It is less than half of what the local Rockler charges, though it is not planed and squared.

Bought hundreds of BF from an Amish guy over the years north of me who’d take logs, saw them into boards and then kiln dry them. Pricing was cheap and quality high. He stopped doing that some years ago, but I haven’t run out yet.

Might see if you can find someone who cuts and dries lumber themselves if you have access to a jointer and planer to be able to take advantage of it.

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Originally posted by smschulz:
Besides all the sources mentioned ^^ above ~ don't be afraid to scavenge from wherever you can.
I recently got a bunch of nice oak from slats in a pallet my friend had.
I scarf up scrap pieces too wherever I can find them if the size and material makes sense.
Kinda like the metal fabricator who uses whatever they an find.

I agree, just be careful where the pallets come from they could have chemicals on them.