Found out some interesting Info about the blue Borg.

[Don Baer]

My son works in the mill works at the Blue Borg. He told me last night that they get all of their lumber from a local lumber yard. I wonder if all of the borgs buy locally or just the blue ones. Think I'll stay with the source rather than go through a middle man.

Just a word to the wise.

[Steve Stube]

There may still be an advantage of buying from Blue. They may buy local in such quanties that the price to you is still below that of individual purchases you make at the local lumber yard. And, because Blue is a special customer of the LLY, lesser quality material may already have been culled from the heard at Blue. I don't know about this practice locally - but I would try to look at all the posibilities before deciding where I will spend my few coins.

I know a Blue manager in another town and will ask him about his store when I see him next. I really didn't give it a thought until your post.

[Lee DeRaud]

My son works in the mill works at the Blue Borg. He told me last night that they get all of their lumber from a local lumber yard.

I'm willing to believe that, but I'd also entertain the possibility that, given where we are located, that "local lumber yard" could well be the southwestern states distributor for one or more national suppliers.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Lowes (and HD) have arrangements to store regional inventories at local (non-owned) facilities, especially in areas like this where there's a Borg every two miles or so.

[Don Baer]

Lee,
Actaully it was a medium sized lumber yard in Ontario Cal., Grove Lumber. Thats what suprised me.

[thomas prevost]

The hardwood dealer I work for sells wood to medium size Borgs and and hardwood retailers including the local Woodcraft and Rockler. Due to handling and volume they get it about 25% cheaper than his retail at the mill.They then generally mark it up 100%. You can also bet they get cream of the crop. Contractors and cabinet shops second. Whats left goes into his bins for retail.

Prices may be way cheaper(1/3) at the mills but you may be buying #1 common along with twisting and cupping versus flat FAS at Woodcraft or Rockler. There may be some great deals out there but for the most part sawmill operators are not dummies. $5.00 bdft. FAS walnut will probably yield more useable wood a 3 bdft of $2.00 common. Also FAS will be generally flatter wood due to cutting techniques and more careful stickering.

[Bill Fields]

DOn--


Thanks for the heads up--

Both Blue and HD have very very crappy lumber stock in my locale.

That applies to plywood and dimension lumber as well.

When I asked an old pro at HD about this, he just chuckled.

I would love to hear from any Arizonans near PHX who have word of good suppliers.
BILL FIELDS

[Mike Parzych]

Yesterday I needed a little 4/4 Phil. mahogany to finish a job, and not wanting to drive the extra distance to hardwood suppliers I stopped at Menards - a local borg version - and was surprised to find that it was actually less there - $3.33 bf vs. $5 to $7 at hardwood suppliers. And it was individually wrapped in plastic and of the same quality.

Must be the volume buying principle. But I think this is the only species that it's true for there.

Too bad I bought 36 bf at the hardwood supplier originally.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I shop at Lowe's a lot...much better than HD, but HD keeps sending me those darned 10% coupons....

Doesn't surprise me that they do this where you are, but I know they don't here. The yards have the worst stock you can imagine and the Borgs got them all beat on quality of decking and fencing lumber and sometimes even dimensional stuff.

I won't buy PT decking lumber anywhere else.

[Donnie Raines]

I have sold lumber to the local borgs a few times.....

[Steve Schoene]

[QUOTE=thomas prevost] You can also bet they get cream of the crop. Contractors and cabinet shops second. Whats left goes into his bins for retail.

This may be true for some of the hardwoods since the borgs only sell s4s material which I don't much use, but it sure doesn't conform with what I see around here in other lumber categories. Its amazing just how many 2x4s contain the pith.

[Don Baer]

I would love to hear from any Arizonans near PHX who have word of good suppliers.
BILL FIELDS

Bill,
Have you been to this place.
Timber Woodworking Machinery

<!--address default-->935 East Southern Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85204

<!-- Psycology Today Verified Icon -->They have a whole building full of material. I visited them when I was in town a few weeks ago and they have some good stuff.
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