Looking for Hardwood Dealer in CT

[Nick Cook]

I am fairly new to Connecticut, and even newer to woodworking. Can anyone point me to a good hardwood dealer around the Hartford area. I found a place in Enfield online, but would like to hear from people on here and where they buy from.

Thanks,

Nick

[Greg Book]

I also live in the Hartford area. The Connecticut Wood Group in Enfield is the best place I've been to. There's a place called the Riley Lumber Co in Bloomfield and a place that used to be called Harris Hardwoods in Manchester. Both places had higher prices than CWG, but hardwoods was not their primary business. There is also a place called the Moore Sawmill in Bloomfield, but they only deal in maple, oak, and occasionally other stuff.

Try those places, but CWG seems to have the best prices and selection in the Hartford area.

[Pete Bradley]

I'll second CWG and Moore's. CWG has the best selection.

Moore's is a real old-time sawmill and has a more limited selection but good prices and it's the place to go for roughsawn pine.

Harris went under, but one of the original guys has his own place in Manchester: Parkville wood products. Good selection, centrally located, and some nice "old iron" machines in use alongside their high tech stuff.

[Paul Wunder]

Nick,

Try sending a PM to James White, one of our Creekers. I recently met him while selling a dust collector through our classifieds. He told me that he has a sawmill and lots of hardwoods either rough or finished. He seems to do this as a sideline and he is up near Storrhs. He is too far for me but he seems like a straight up guy.

Paul

[Peter Quinn]

On that end of the state I've bought a few things from Parkerville. The quality is decent, they have a selection of plywood and can order things for you too, and they have a decent selection of basic species as well as a few exotics. Prices were fair, not the cheapest, but very accessible. Haven't actually used anyone else over there as I live in the northwest corner. Parkerville also has a selection of hand tools and does lots of millwork too. And they have a pretty large SCMI wide belt should you need something large sanded, I think they do that sort of service for customers for money of course.

Woodcraft in Manchester/East Hartford has a selection of pretty exotic stuff in small quantities, maybe more about turning or small projects. You won't find a more expensive way to buy lumber even if you try, but it is there. Occasionally they have a "wood by the pound" sale featuring odd lots of small chunks of very exotic species, which could make nice turnings or small parts like handles, and that seems like a pretty cost effective deal if you need that sort of stock.

[Mike Archambeau]

www.kellogghardwoods.com/

These people have great inventory and they are nice people to do business with. Located in Bethel CT. Fine Woodworking editors did a short video that covered a visit to their shop. Welcome to CT.

[Nick Cook]

Thanks for all the info guys!

-Nick

[John Coloccia]

Woodcraft in Manchester/East Hartford has a selection of pretty exotic stuff in small quantities, maybe more about turning or small projects. You won't find a more expensive way to buy lumber even if you try, but it is there. Occasionally they have a "wood by the pound" sale featuring odd lots of small chunks of very exotic species, which could make nice turnings or small parts like handles, and that seems like a pretty cost effective deal if you need that sort of stock.

CGW, Parkerville and Woodcraft are the three I usually use. This particular Woodcraft's lumber prices are actually normally a little cheaper than most other places. The smaller pieces of wood, especially the small surfaced boards, can be ridiculously expensive. The rough lumber, on the other hand, is priced very aggressively.

[Nick Cook]

huh, that's interesting. I am right near Manchester and have been to that Woodcraft. Never really looked at their wood selection, guess I always figured it was more of a expensive exotic selection. I'll check it out.

Thanks!

[John Coloccia]

huh, that's interesting. I am right near Manchester and have been to that Woodcraft. Never really looked at their wood selection, guess I always figured it was more of a expensive exotic selection. I'll check it out.

Thanks!

At the moment, they happen to have a good selection of cherry, Khaya (African Mahogany), Honduran Mahogany, Paduak, some walnut, Sapele, Maple, Pine, Oak (white and red), Poplar, Bloodwood, Purpleheart etc. It's not always like that. Sometimes it's lean, but lately it's been packed. A lot of it is priced quite well. I don't know what typical pricing on exotics is so I can't really compare how competitive the exotics are, but I know they try to keep the prices as low as they can. For example, last year they got a smoking deal on a large load of 4/4 cherry, and they were selling it for $2.99 or $4.99/bf (I can't remember which, but it was a very good deal).

[Peter Quinn]

CGW, Parkerville and Woodcraft are the three I usually use. This particular Woodcraft's lumber prices are actually normally a little cheaper than most other places. The smaller pieces of wood, especially the small surfaced boards, can be ridiculously expensive. The rough lumber, on the other hand, is priced very aggressively.

Hmmm, its been maybe two years since I looked at lumber at the Manchester store seriously, but at that time I remember thinking that on domestics, maple, poplar, walnut, cherry, QSWO, and Khaya, they were at least $1-$1.50 more per BF than I was paying at Conway in New Milford. And the selection was fairly slim, a few boards of each type, more like small project stock than lumber to build furniture. I'll have to take another look next time I'm in that area. Seems like a perfect venue to supply lumber as a compliment to the fine selection of tools, I always found it strange that they did not do more. I had a similar impression of the Orange store, which is now closed. Lots of tools, not much wood? Do they have stock beyond what is on display in the back corner of the store?

[John Coloccia]

Hmmm, its been maybe two years since I looked at lumber at the Manchester store seriously, but at that time I remember thinking that on domestics, maple, poplar, walnut, cherry, QSWO, and Khaya, they were at least $1-$1.50 more per BF than I was paying at Conway in New Milford. And the selection was fairly slim, a few boards of each type, more like small project stock than lumber to build furniture. I'll have to take another look next time I'm in that area. Seems like a perfect venue to supply lumber as a compliment to the fine selection of tools, I always found it strange that they did not do more. I had a similar impression of the Orange store, which is now closed. Lots of tools, not much wood? Do they have stock beyond what is on display in the back corner of the store?

We try to get everything out, but we often run out of room. For example, there's a bunch of shorts sitting in the back right now that we have no room for. Right now it's stocked pretty well. Sometimes it's lean.

I'm not sure about Conway's pricing. They may very well be a little bit cheaper on some things but I think you'll find that it goes back and forth. For example, we got a smoking deal on Honduran Mahogany and we're passing it on. I think it's selling for $6.99/bf right now, or thereabouts.

I'll talk to the owner the next time I'm there and mention this to him. Maybe it would make sense to send out a periodic email with current lumber pricing when we get a shipment in.