Getting the right size wood for the project

[lcottrell]

I need to ask a few basic questions about how to acquire and prep wood for projects.

I finally got my table saw (with Shark Guard...thanks Lee!) running and decided I'd go make my very first hardwood purchase and make a small project to get my feet wet. I figured out that I'd need roughly 3 BdFt and I was going to use Cherry since it looks beautiful finished. So I go to a local hardwood supplier and quickly realize that I was completely unprepared even though I thought I was.

I didn't realize that you can't just buy a certain amount of board feet of hardwood, but instead have to buy the entire board. So if I only need 2 BdFt, I still might have to buy 10 BdFt because that is the board size. Is that typical?

The other thing is that I only have a table saw and various other normal tools. I don't have a bandsaw, jointer, or planer. The wood for the project needed to be 1/4" or 3/8" thick, but I found out that the thinnest you can buy is 4/4, which is obviously too thick for a small box. I thought that they may be able to resaw it for me for an extra charge, but no such luck. Is a bandsaw, jointer, and planer pretty much required equipment? I mean, I know I can go to the home center stores and buy S4S wood, but it is high.

I guess I'm trying to find out what my options are for continuing with woodworking. Do I have to go buy the bandsaw, jointer, and planer or are there other options that I can use now and eventually buy those? Are there places that sell wood in smaller amounts for smaller projects, or do I just need to learn to make larger purchases and store it?

Thanks in advance.

Lance

 

[McRabbet]

Lance,

I'd suggest you check out the listings for Craft Wood at Steve Wall Lumber, which you can order over the Internet and have delivered by UPS. They have a broad selection of wood types and precut thicknesses. They also have Craft Plywoods. It may be a good source of wood for some of those special smaller projects you have in mind. The other option is to see if some of our fellow members here in the mountains can prepare some stock for you or loan some time in their shops.

Look forward to seeing you and your lovely wife tomorrow at the WNCWA meeting!

 

[cskipper]

Thanks Rob. I didn't know they sold "craft" wood.

I have some other links for craft wood if anyone wants them. I haven't ordered yet, just accumulating a list.

 

[DaveO]

Lance, the more hands a board goes through the more it costs. Rough lumber is going to be your cheapest bet. It has only been handled a few times. Once the board has been cut to smaller sizes, surfaced and jointed or even re-sawed to a thinner width those are additional costs. If you do much woodworking you will find that very quickly you will recoup the costs of a planer and jointer in the reduced cost of wood you purchase. Also you'll have much more control over the quality. I have bought s4s stock that still needed a run over the jointer to flatten it again...resulting in stock too thin for my needs.
Often a hardwood dealer will sell any part of a board as long as they are left with a minimum 6' section. I have bought a lot of exotics that way, that I then rip into pen blanks...much cheaper than the already processed blanks.
Also many dealers have "shorts" that might be off-cuts from some of their "value-add" processes, and you can find a few BF of wood that way.

There are many ways to achieve your goals without a garage full of machinery. You can re-saw on the table saw, you'll be limited in height but should be able to achieve a bit more than twice your blade extension. A planner can double as a jointer with some extra work, as can a router table. Of course a good set of hand planes can do the work of all those machines, but your costs for them might exceed the machinery costs.
Like Rob mentioned there are certainly Members in your area that would love to help you out. I would offer to, but the drive (at today's gas costs) would probably cost you more than a basic planer/jointer set-up :eusa_doh::eusa_doh:


MTCW,
Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

Home depot and Lowes carry small quantities of hardwoods as well. Most carry maple, oak, and poplar. Their prices aren't the greatest, but it is smaller quantities. I don't think they carry anything but 4/4 though (already sanded to 3/4).

No, you don't have to buy a whole lot of tools or machinery to get going and started. It makes it easier and faster but is by no means necessary IMO.

 

[cskipper]

Along the Lowe's lines -they sell Oak, Poplar and maybe Maple in 1/4", 1/2" , 3/4" and "2x2" in their craft wood - from around 1" to 6" in width. The HD in Spartanburg and Ville,SC don't carry these sizes of wood any more. The advantage of the other retailers is more selection in both wood,thicknesses and widths.

 

[lcottrell]

Thanks for the information all. I guess I'll check into the craft wood as an interim solution, but will start looking for the tools as well. For a bandsaw that I intend to use at least partially for resawing, what size would you recommend? Do you think the Grizzly G0555 with the riser block will work or do I need something bigger?

Also, on the jointer, do the spiral cutterheads make a big difference, or is a regular one going to work just fine for a hobby work?

 

[Travis Porter]

I would start small. The Grizzly you mention should do you quite well. Spiral cutterheads are nice, but expensive. You can get good results with a standard cutter head.

 

[NCPete]

I'll second Travis' input on this, you can get good results from the conventional cutterhead in most jointers or planers. but I am glad I have the Shelix in my jointer, and can't wait until the money fairy appears in my shop and sprinkles some of her dust on my planer.