Wood cost Eye opener!

[Rolf]

I am about to Test cut 32 more Jaeheon Yun puzzles for another Fox Chapel book. Some really cool designs.

The last time I cut puzzles I bought my wood from Lowes. Went there the other day. A 1 x 8 x 8ft was $66 thinking it was convenient and cheaper than other sources near me.

I decided to go to huge local distributor, where I buy my baltic Birch. I got to pick my boards, bought 2. One 4/4 x 101/2 x 12 ft, the other was 11ft. Rough sawn. With our woodworking club discount (10%) I paid $71. I did have to run it through my planer to dimension it.
But WOW what a difference.

[dgman]

That doesn’t surprise me. I always buy at a hardwood dealer rather than a retail store. Fortunately I am able to mill my own lumber.

[Will M]

what kind of wood was that for $66

[Linda In Phoenix]

Prices staggering here too. Baltic Birch has been killer high priced since the Ukraine/Russian war. Someday we might recover price wise. I wish for their sakes that peace would ensue.

[Rolf]

what kind of wood was that for $66

Maple, not sure hard or soft. Granted it was not rough sawn.

[will8989]

Bruce volunteering at the sawmill has saved us so much money. What he did last year is now dry and ready to go - cherry, maple and 1/4 sawn white oak, 3 boards 6’ long and 1 1/12” thick. Also found some ambrosia maple in the stack. I only buy wood 10” or wider at Gruff & Gruff, unless a piece speaks to me. Then all bets are off. We also have to buy walnut due to cutting requirements at the mill so it doesn’t get into the animals hoofs. The mill is on a working farm, mostly 4H. That’s one reason I can keep my prices lower. Of course, the Ipe still needs something done with it. Any volunteers?

[NC Scroller]

Maple, not sure hard or soft. Granted it was not rough sawn.

Rolf, your Lowe’s carries maple? Here they only sell pine, red oak and poplar.

[Rolf]

Bruce volunteering at the sawmill has saved us so much money. What he did last year is now dry and ready to go - cherry, maple and 1/4 sawn white oak, 3 boards 6’ long and 1 1/12” thick. Also found some ambrosia maple in the stack. I only buy wood 10” or wider at Gruff & Gruff, unless a piece speaks to me. Then all bets are off. We also have to buy walnut due to cutting requirements at the mill so it doesn’t get into the animals hoofs. The mill is on a working farm, mostly 4H. That’s one reason I can keep my prices lower. Of course, the Ipe still needs something done with it. Any volunteers?

"LPE"? What does that stand for?

[Bill Wilson]

"LPE"? What does that stand for?

I read that as Ipe (ee-pay, also sometimes called Brazilian Walnut)

[will8989]

Also Brazilian walnut. They cut it for people restoring buildings from the 1700-1800s that used this wood in the construction. Bruce brought me a piece to try cutting and I got nowhere. It can be used for a lot, if you can cut it. When they cut at the mill, they basically cover themselves and use helmets that have respirators. Google it. I found this which I found interesting.
Ipe was tested by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory for its resistance to termites. To test the wood, they put the Ipe underground for 15 years. It resisted all termite attacks for the entire period. There is no other wood in the world that has been able to duplicate this result.

They also cut rounds to use as stools. The hornets can’t drill into it. And it does grow in Maryland.

[KarlB]

Yes Betty some people can be allergic to the sawdust created by cutting the wood. A fellow worker years ago broke out in a rash on his chest when using Ipe. We were using it for decking. It has been used here in SW Florida for the boardwalk in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary for the decking as well as posts into the wet areas.

Karl

[will8989]

Being a working farm, they also have to be careful of the animals. The sawdust goes into a hopper and on the ground when they cut. When they cut walnut, they have to clean up around the saw, put down plastic sheeting and capture all sawdust. The park worker comes over with a front end loader and takes the sawdust to another part of the park so it doesn’t get mixed in with other sawdust. If it gets in the hooves of animals, it can make them very sick and possibly die. 4H is allowed to keep their animals at the park free of charge. A lot of blue ribbon animals come out of that park. With that being said, off to Gruff and Gruff for some wood!