Question regarding wood buying

[HurricaneDan]

I am just progressing from using S4S wood from the big box stores and a milling my own stock and had a question about wood buying etiquette.

I went over to Klingspor's this weekend and purchased about 30 bdft of material (walnut and hard maple) for a project I am going to attempt and after searching through the available stock I pulled out what I felt was a good selection. There were a couple of defects in the wood in the last 6-10 inches of 60" -70" lengths (some checks and one knot that was loose enough that it pushed out).

Being new to purchasing lumber I did not want to appear rude and ask but would it be unreasonable to ask to have that stock trimmed to remove those defects?

All told I probably spent an extra $10-$20 for my inability to ask but wanted to know if it would be appropriate next time.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[sediener]

I believe the defects are supposed to affect the grading of the wood which affects the pricing per board foot so the adjustment for bad wood is already made in it. Can't hurt to ask them to adjust the total bdft based on unusable wood, but I am not sure if this is within etiquette or not. I would probably wait to build up a relationship before asking for favors.

 

[HurricaneDan]

Steve,

Thanks for the info about grading/pricing being figured in, I had not thought of that.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[walnutjerry]

Dan---------the grade of lumber determines the price. I suggest you browse the National Hardwood Lumber Associations lumber grading rule book. If you study it for a while, it will help you determine if you are really getting what you are paying for. Even the best grade is allowed a certain amount of "defects" as far as knots, splits,wane,etc.

It also explains the percentage of use you should be able to get from a board in different grades. It will seem overwhelming if you have never read the grading rules----just take your time and let it soak in.

Once you are familiar with how it is done you will feel a little more comfortable questioning the grade and the price.

Jerry

 

[JimmyC]

Dan,
From one Claytonite to another....Welcome to the site. As far as asking them to change the price, I don't think it would happen because they don't do it. But, when buying from alot of suppliers that measure out bd/ft it's always best to ask. If they say no you can always look for a different piece of wood.

 

[Bas]

Steve pretty much covered it. You also have to consider that people use the lumber for different purposes. A small check makes little difference if you're going to be cutting up the board into pen blanks. Your loss is maybe 1%. But, if it has to become a table top, then that check is an issue. A knot (which can be filled with epoxy) is not an issue when it's hidden behind a drawer, but might a problem when it's on a drawer front.

I once bought some red oak from Klingspor at $0.90 bd/ ft. Cheap! It was twisted, warped, cupped, split etc., but I just needed some stock to make stickers. So I didn't really care the wood was unusable for furniture. If all the defects are cut out, the price has to go up, and people end up using mahogany for stickers

If you feel a board is a little too "rustic" for the price being asked, there are subtle ways to point that out, e.g. "Any suggestions on how to stabilize that knot?" or "If I store the lumber outside, will the boards check any further?".

I've found the lumber at Klingspor to be very fairly priced. The lumber runs get you better deals, but Klingspor is there every day, and has a wide selection. That's something you pay for.

 

[sediener]

I've found the lumber at Klingspor to be very fairly priced. The lumber runs get you better deals, but Klingspor is there every day, and has a wide selection. That's something you pay for.

Yep, lumber runs are the best, but you can also call up any of the sawyers on the list (Click Woodworking in NC -> Sawyers ) and pick up a pile of wood any day.

- Steve

 

[cpowell]

For a local retail provider the Klingspor's prices are reasonable. Their stock has improved significantly over the past few years. Better selection, better quality, decent pricing...kudos to Klingspor's.

You will learn to evaluate lumber price/quality ratio pretty well after a few purchases. Some of the stock at any provider may be weak during your visit if it's been picked through a bit before you got there. On occasion you will visit a provider and will find very uniform quality at the same price as the last visit where the quality was weaker.

I have used Klingspor's to fill in the gaps on a few projects and have been pleased with the quality.

You will often find more room for discussion (price haggling) if you buy from an individual.

As for grading, here's a link I Googled http://www.tiogahardwoods.com/pdfs/igg.pdf

The exotic hdwd stock at Klingspor's has actually gotten pretty doggone good. I buy a stick each visit...just BECAUSE! :gar-La;

I really wish Woodcraft offered rough stock. I buy from them when I'm in Raleigh but would do more if rough were available. Yields are much higher when a WWer can do their own dimensioning. Of course, the grain isn't as apparent on rough as it is with S2S stock.

Chuck

 

[DavidF]

Just to add that I recently bought some wood at Klingspor and all the adjectives that Bas used applied to my wood, but I was paying $12 bd/ft! It was probably some of the crappiest wood I have ever bought at that price and I would hesitate to go there again and will stick to the "hardwood Store" I spent over $60 and was glad that in this case I was cutting the planks into 10" lengths, it would have been scrap otherwise - lesson learned. what's more they were charging to 2 decimal places of bd ft!!

 

[walnutjerry]

Just to add that I recently bought some wood at Klingspor and all the adjectives that Bas used applied to my wood, but I was paying $12 bd/ft! It was probably some of the crappiest wood I have ever bought at that price and I would hesitate to go there again and will stick to the "hardwood Store" I spent over $60 and was glad that in this case I was cutting the planks into 10" lengths, it would have been scrap otherwise - lesson learned. what's more they were charging to 2 decimal places of bd ft!!

David------At $12 a bd ft I would expect the ultimate premium quality!!!
I guess I have gotten used to buying wholesale in bulk but retail lumber prices blow me away when I see what some are charging. Even at that sometimes you are better off buying just what you need and pay that price rather than tying up money in excess lumber inventory. I just do not buy it if it is not usable for the intended project.

Jerry

 

[DavidF]

In this case I could get away with it, but other than that I would have walked away. Not sure whether their storage is the problem, but I have never had a piece that twisted from the Hardwood Store. The fact that it was both the Holly and the Bloodwood makes me think the wood has a history of not being cared for correctly.

 

[JimD]

When considering where to buy wood I look at when they are open - necessity since I work full time - price but also how good the wood is and how fairly they figure the bd ft. I do not question the guy figuring out the bd ft as long as it seems close but if they are generous versus stingy, I take that into consideration the next time I am looking at prices and deciding where to go. I do not try to convert anybody to my way of thinking, I just factor their tendency into my purchase decision.

Another factor that comes into play is whether they have a good selection and don't sort out the figured pieces. I have nice drawer fronts on my island because the place near the airport in Charlotte did not at that time sort the figured pieces out (I do not know if they do now or not).

My only point is that there are several factors to be considered. Flaws in otherwise good boards comes down to where I will use the board. A knot that will not show because it will be underneith on a table top is not an issue but it would be if both sides are visible and I have to cut it out.

Jim