Rough hardwood in Arizona?

[Craig McCormick]

Just wondering if any Arizona Creekers are purchasing rough hardwood and if so where is your preferred supplier?

Thanks,

Craig McCormick

[Bill Wyko]

I go to woodworkers source here in Tucson. By rough do you mean rough sawn?

[Joe Jensen]

Just wondering if any Arizona Creekers are purchasing rough hardwood and if so where is your preferred supplier?

Thanks,

Craig McCormick

I generally buy from wholesale suppliers. I've never had any problems. They are usually open 7am - 4pm Mon-Fri and you have to dress and act likve a contractor and not a lawyer when you go there. I've never had to produce a business license or anything like that, but years ago I printed some business cards with my "business" name on them. They usually ask for an account number and I say "it's a cash deal, I had some credit trouble". that's always worked for me. Expect to pay less than 1/2 of what it would cost at Woodworkers Source. Also, Woodworkers Source has a policy of measuring the widest part of the board, and the longest part. Then they round "UP" to the nearest 1/2 inch and figure board footage off that. Commercial suppliers use a "stick" to measure. Common practice here is to measure the usable width and round "DOWN" to the nearest inch, and then on length, the boards are generally a couple of inches longer than the nearest common length and they round down to the common length. For example, a nominal 8 foot board is usually cut to 2 or 3 inches longer. Commercial suppliers just call the length 8 ft. Also, the commercial suppliers have much better quality american hardwoods. I swear, Woodworkers Source sells the american hardwoods that commercial shops would refuse.

I've never bought less than 20 bd feet so I don't know if they will sell just one board, but consider this. You can get 20bd feet from a commercial supplier for the same cost as 10 bd feet from Woodworkers Source. Also, I'm usually able to talk the guys on the warehouse floor into letting me pick the materail. If they won't let me into the warehouse, they will run the stack outside with a forklift and let me pick from that.

Here are my preferences in order
1) American Hardwoods in downtown Phx
2) Lumber Products in Chandler
3) Spellman Hardwoods in the west valley
4) Chandler Hardwoods ( small retail outfit with good quality and Saturday hours, but higher price)
5) Timber in Mesa (small retail outfit, low price, low quality, Sat hours

Last Resort - Woodworkers Source

I've been using Lumber Products most lately as they are closest to my house. I bought 20 bd feet of top quality red oak for $2.10 a bd foot. I'm sure that if Woodworkers Source would have measured it, they would have come closer to 30 bd feet, and they are around $4.00 a bd foot for much lower quality (warps and twists)...joe

[Craig McCormick]

Joe,

Thanks for the info. Woodworkers Source would be my very last choice for anything.

I have bought some stuff at Timber and American. The two in Chandler sound intriguing. I will look them up.

More later,

Craig

[Craig McCormick]

Bill,

Thanks for the info. I would like to save money buying rough dimension hardwoods and plane them to size myself.

Thanks,

Craig

[Mike Schmalzer]

If you ever make it down to Tucson, Hood Distribution/McEwen Lumber has a good selection almost all rough-sawn, and they always round down. They also have a huge selection of mesquite. Superior hardwoods in Phoenix is pretty good, though I haven't dealt with them in a few years. Used to get some really nice cherry from them.

Granted WWS does over-charge they have pretty good section of the exotics and they usually let you buy just a little. Sometime this is nice when the wood you need is $40+ b/f and you only need a little piece. Oh and the one down in Tucson just got a shipment of some huge figured bubinga slabs. A couple of which were about 3'x8' 10/4. Where's that stimulus check.

[Dave MacArthur]

Craig,
Arizona Hardwoods (27th Ave & Thomas) is also decent, they have like 50,000 sq ft under roof filled with wood. I was over there getting some 3/4 " prefinished maple and birch ply for $43 for 4x8 last week. They do a LOT of mesquite. And they have a better tool selection than Rockler or WWS or WoodCraft too; Steel City dealer, nice to look at the 19" bandsaw; also SawStop dealer, and actually had 2 back in "used" last time I was there... already resold ;(

[Aaron Dunham]

Craig,
Arizona Hardwoods (27th Ave & Thomas) is also decent, they have like 50,000 sq ft under roof filled with wood. I was over there getting some 3/4 " prefinished maple and birch ply for $43 for 4x8 last week. They do a LOT of mesquite. And they have a better tool selection than Rockler or WWS or WoodCraft too; Steel City dealer, nice to look at the 19" bandsaw; also SawStop dealer, and actually had 2 back in "used" last time I was there... already resold ;(

I'll second this. Talk to Jeff. Also, I believe Chandler Hardwoods is owned and run by Jeff's dad - they share their stock.

[Dave MacArthur]

True. And although I'm not a contractor about to make a big purchase, and Jeff knows that, he has always had time to walk me around the store and show new hardwoods received, old arn bought, etc. Great guy, best tool/wood shop I've seen (ever actually), I really hope his biz succeeds.

[Craig McCormick]

Yup, You guys are spot on with Jeff. I have done business as a manufactures rep. and as a customer with his family for years. He is a good guy with a fun store. I wish the store was closer to south Chandler though.

I also like the direction Charlie's son in law is taking the Timber Woodworking store. He has jamb packed the store with great stuff.

I don't care to do business with Woodworkers Source.

I bought 25 sheets of 1/8" birch plywood from American Hardwoods and it all went bad after it was finished and installed. They did refund the cost of the plywood but I lost my butt on that job.

Thanks for all the info.

Craig McCormick

[Roger Bull]

I'll second this. Talk to Jeff. Also, I believe Chandler Hardwoods is owned and run by Jeff's dad - they share their stock.

Another second from me. Jeff took very good care of me with my SawStop purchase. They also have very good pricing on large wood purchases.

-Roger

[Russell Tribby]

I've never been to Chandler Hardwoods, do they carry equipment? If so, what brands and what are their prices like. I'm in the market for an 8" jointer and had planned on ordering a Grizzly. However, if I can get my hands on a Shopfox locally for about the same price I might do that.
I usually just get all my stock from Timber, I've used Superior Hardwoods in the west valley as well, but I'll have to head down to Chandler this week to see what they've got.

[Joe Jensen]

I've never been to Chandler Hardwoods, do they carry equipment? If so, what brands and what are their prices like. I'm in the market for an 8" jointer and had planned on ordering a Grizzly. However, if I can get my hands on a Shopfox locally for about the same price I might do that.
I usually just get all my stock from Timber, I've used Superior Hardwoods in the west valley as well, but I'll have to head down to Chandler this week to see what they've got.

I've only been to the old Chandler hardwoods and they did not sell machinery. In Mesa, Timber Woodworking has a huge selection of consignment used equipment. After reading this thread, I need to visit the Arizona Hardwoods location...joe

[Brian Kerley]

I've never been to Chandler Hardwoods, do they carry equipment? If so, what brands and what are their prices like. I'm in the market for an 8" jointer and had planned on ordering a Grizzly. However, if I can get my hands on a Shopfox locally for about the same price I might do that.
I usually just get all my stock from Timber, I've used Superior Hardwoods in the west valley as well, but I'll have to head down to Chandler this week to see what they've got.

No, they don't sell equipment. They right now are actually moving to a different location (or will be in the next few weeks). They'll soon be at about I-10 & Maricopa/Riggs. Best to give them a call.

[Dave MacArthur]

Az Hardwoods is a ShopFox dealer, and has an 8" jointer there I believe, as well as both the 17 and 19" bandsaws (at least a month ago they did). Give them a call--when I want to look at large woodworking equip, that's where I go.