I agree with the hit or miss planing to 15/16". If I'm super critical about the color, I go to the 5/4 S2S bin at the hardwood store and shop for consistant color. Almost alway shop for color with cherry and walnut.
Contributor
I agree with the hit or miss planing to 15/16". If I'm super critical about the color, I go to the 5/4 S2S bin at the hardwood store and shop for consistant color. Almost alway shop for color with cherry and walnut.
Contributor
I miss having 5/4 and 6/4 stock available. Such a luxury, especially as I dislike the look of 3/4 finished stock in general (I prefer 7/8" to 1", and that means 8/4 here).
~mike
happy in my mud hut
[OP]
Contributor
I do, but they are the only game in town and don't carry plain sawn white oak in rough sawn 4/4. I need 5 to 6 pcs to finish a project. Next dry day I'll make the hour drive to the next closest lumber yard. BrianOriginally Posted by Ron Citerone
Brian
Contributor
what does 4/4 rough come in down there, just approx. I used to always see 1 1/8 over and even 1 3/16. Then it became just over one inch, maybe 1/16 over. Told some mills still do it the old way. I get they get more yield and large volume would make a diff.
If you build thicker and make doors 1" what is your 5/4 like compared. Better selection and or quality in 4/4 or? Guess it depends on your area as well and what mills do. Sorry to highjack if you want it moved will.
Member
Brian
I have never bought from Northwest but always heard they are good. This is no help to you on this project but check out Frank Miller Lumber for future needs if you never have. They deliver to Indianapolis. I buy from them sight unseen and have always been happy, like their QS Red Oak. Unfortunately as far south as they deliver now is Bloomington, I meet them in the Walmart parking lot and transfer about 300 board feet at a time from their truck to my trailer. I have them plane to 7/8" to save me time and still allow some for joiner/planer/widebelt.
Contributor
I get the feeling that each mill will be a little different. Most are independently owned and have their own way of doing things. Sometimes different batches of the same type of wood will be different, if they got it from different sources. Rockler and Woodcraft are the only places that I can trust I'll get lumber in the exact dimension they have them listed as. But you pay a premium for their lumber, so I would expect that. And even then, finding straight boards that are usable to make use of their exact dimensions takes a lot of luck.
At my local mill that I typically by lumber from, it's not unusual to find wood as much as an eight of an inch plus or minus what it's sold as. Though they tend to err on the side of generosity more often than not, which is why I like shopping there. Their S2S 5/4 tends to be 1.125" wide and skip planed on the back and off side, so getting a true and straight 4/4 is usually possible, if you don't have to rip the wood or you get lucky if you do (no warping).
So I always bring a tape measure and moisture meter (or use theirs) and check each board for warp, twist, knots, checking and grain. That way you know exactly what you're getting. And especially if you're buying sight unseen, like online, always assume the worst so you can only be pleasantly surprised. It's not that they're trying to cheat you. It's just that you're not buying from a retail store, so there are going to be quirks you don't know about that they'll assume you do.
Contributor
I agree with Larry Edgerton skipped plane. It more or less helps flatten the board and does take out some of the bows and twists. It also allows you to see some of the grain and figures.
My question is why do you buy wood from a suppler, that is probably kiln dried from 6-8 percent. The relative humidity here in Iowa is roughly 10 to 12 percent. The greater the difference the greater the flow. What is the difference between 8 to 110 percent. Then set in a store or in a facility are that is open to humidity. All humidity effects only size. Humidly effect wood very slowly and if you stack one piece on another the one on the bottom may never change size until the one on to is remove from on top how much time to you work in you Shop I mean most hobbyist are lucky to get 4 hours in the shop a week. How long will it take just to rough cut to rough size all of the details and are the pieces rough cut to size
Yes Ii know every one thinks one has to acclimate wood because it is what very one says. But the old saying that every one used to say is if man was suppose to fly God would have giver him wings. That was until that theory was proven wrong. And then there was Fulton's folly which involved the railroad.
I live in Iowa which has one of the widest range of humidity swings in the US. I buy wood, bring it home and start cutting it up. Try it you may find out that acclimating wood is not of to much use. I mean that the world is not flat as most, in earlier years thought and the fact is no body ever fell off the world.
I know one wants to do a good job and think that the wood needs to be acclimated all I am trying to say is (try) building something without acclimating it and se if you can tell the difference .
Tom
Contributor
It also depends where you buy it. Hearne in PA sells 4/4 rough that will usually leave you with 4/4 finished. I went in to buy 5/4 to make sure I got what i needed and the 4/4 measured 1-1/8 or more so I got that. Ive been a few places where 4/4 rough was really 15/16" and you would be lucky to get 3/4 said and done. This past summer I order 3/4 s4s really ended up s3s and the faces were very rough I wouldnt have been able to get 3/4 out of them.
Contributor
Properly kiln dried wood, as opposed to air dried will not be affected by moisture changes in the same way because of cellular changes in the wood. Also, it kills all pests like powder post beetles. Kiln dried will always be more dimensionally stable. Natural wood flooring is an example of a product that needs to be acclimated because of the width, and definitely needs to be kiln dried to limit individual piece changes. House trim is another.
I live in Michigan up by the Mackinaw Bridge so am in between the great lakes so I get the humidity swings. Totally dry in winter, humidity in the 90's in the summer.
[OP]
Contributor
Darrell:
NW has good quality, but more expensive than others. Don't carry true 4/4 plain sawn white oak only S@S which I can't work with. Need a few boards to finish a project. Changed the design and came up short as a result. I have been to Frank Miller for quarter sawn oak and when I need to stock up for upcoming projects. Last few tears I have been using these guys 2 hrs south of me. Much better pricing, but not know for QS oak. I buy @ 900lbs when I make the trip.
https://bonesteelmillandmolding.com/
I dove up to these folks yesterday, @ 1 hr north of me, closer than others. Good quality, but $8 board ft for plain sawn white oak.
https://www.hollingsworthlumber.com/
Brian
Brian
Contributor
Don't you have MacBeath in Indy? I live in SLC and that's my primary supplier. It's worth it to have even a small account (10% savings). They aren't the best prices, but they are the only one around here that lets you sort thru their lumber.
Depending on the lumber species, what they have in the bin may already be skip planed / basically planed already. Walnut and oak seem to at least have on side planed. Maple is always rough cut. I'm not sure why this is, but just something I notice.
I also like 5/4 more than 4/4, but unless it's a popular species, you have to jump to 6/4 or 8/4. For my area at least.
Yes, I have 3 phase!
[OP]
Contributor
\
Andrew, they are about 1 hr south of me and last time I checked they did not have a retail outlet there for hobbyists. Mill and corporate office seem to be located there. Thanks. Brian
Brian
Member
Brian
Thanks for the link to bone steel mill molding, they are somewhat close to me.
I also use a little lumber yard in Oden. Got some Oak Plywood there yesterday.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote