Where to buy your wood?

Julio Navarro

Member
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281
Location
Tampa
Where do you buy your wood?

I am curious as to where to buy hardwood plywood like cherry, maple, birch, etc., besides the borgs.

I am trying to find out where to buy 4 or 5 sheets of 4x8 3/4" and 1/4" cherry plywood here in Tampa Florida or any where near by.

Thanks
 
Hey Julio,
www.woodfinder.com shows these distributors "near" Tampa. Try the yellow pages under lumber or building supplies and make some phone calls. Or call a local cabinet shop and ask where they buy theirs. Hope this helps.

Woodcraft - Clearwater, FL Clearwater FL (18 miles)
Hardwood Lumber & Millwork Lakeland FL (31 miles)
Woodcraft - Casselberry, FL Casselberry FL (83 miles)
Alva Hardwoods Labelle FL (105 miles)
Chipmunk Hardwoods Edgewater FL (115 miles)
Woodcraft - Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville FL (174 miles)
Woodcraft - Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach FL (186 miles)
Constantine's Wood Center of Florida, Inc. Ft. Lauderdale FL (186 miles)
Shell Lumber & Hardware Miami FL (204 miles)
Buck Woodcraft Marathon FL (236 miles)
 
Thanks all,

Jesse, those are great, I must have missed them when I looked in woodfinder, I only found wholesalers there. Those are a great help, thanks again.
 
I buy some from a wholesaler with no problem. At least I did till I found a saw mill with a kiln. The secret is just go in and act like you belong. Go the counter and tell them you need 100 bf of maple.

They sent me to the warehouse with a ticket and we loaded up and measured as I loaded. Went back to pay and he asked what name it was in. I gave him mine and he took my check.

We talked a minute and he asked if I had a shop and I said Yes, a small one. (Thats not a lie either). No problems at all.

Just act like you belong there. Most of them want you money and don't care who you are when you picking it up.
 
Julio

Here is a web link to a woodworker/teacher in Tampa that also sells wood (exotic)

http://www.swannwoodwork.com/MainLumber.html

Not what you want but she might have some good sources that aren't listed in the other posts

Jay

PS also check out

www.amazonexotichardwoods.com

James Lie
866-339-9596

The website shows mostly turning stock, I bought some great spalted maple from him yesterday, my first time in the place it is just "around the corner" from Woodcraft in Casselberry open on Saturdays if you call and say you're coming. I didn't see plywood, but really wasn't looking. He might be another good contact, was very helpful to me.
 
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I buy some from a wholesaler with no problem. At least I did till I found a saw mill with a kiln. The secret is just go in and act like you belong. Go the counter and tell them you need 100 bf of maple.

They sent me to the warehouse with a ticket and we loaded up and measured as I loaded. Went back to pay and he asked what name it was in. I gave him mine and he took my check.

We talked a minute and he asked if I had a shop and I said Yes, a small one. (Thats not a lie either). No problems at all.

Just act like you belong there. Most of them want you money and don't care who you are when you picking it up.

That's a good way to do things Jeff. It (almost always) works for me too.
 
Anyone wondering the same in the Denver area should check out the Hardwood Emporium in Golden. For around here, good prices on hardwoods. I braved the wind conditions on 93 and went by on Sat am - the owner kept apologizing for his low stock (he was expecting a semi from Wisconsin that afternoon), but I was able to find some solidly 4/4 QSWO for around $5.80 bdft. He had some nice wood.
 
My local supplier of HW ply is either a wholesale place or the other is a place that makes coustom moldings and other specialty things.
 
Well you guys are lucky, the only place I've found (yet!) for hardwood plywood is so expensive for a 4x8 sheet, I'll make the darn stuff myself before I'll pay his high prices :mad:

We are talking something like $350 for a 4x8 1/2" thick, good one side, sheet of cherry :eek:

Most guys here use a very white colored plywood and just stain it to what they want, I guess I'll have to do the same until I find what I want.....:rolleyes:

Yep, you guys got it good over there in some ways for sure!

Cheers!
 
Julio, I get my hardwoods at a place in Blountstown (west of Tallahassee). It's about 150 mile (one way) drive for me, but he has good stuff at competitive prices. He does stock hardwood plywoods, but I have never inquired or bought any from him. My next trip I'll probably be looking for maple ply...........

If interested let me know and I'll get you contact info...........
 
More places than I could shake a cherry tree at... thanks all!

Now about the wood itself.

I want to use 1/4" 4x8 cherry for the carcass, I saw an article on FWW that used 1/4" cherry glued to 1/2" MDF then a 1/4" of birch for the interior side http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ProjectsAndDesign/ProjectsAndDesignPDF.aspx?id=2798.

I figure I can buy the more expensive grade and cut of cherry in the 1/4" thickness and also the birch or walnut or another species for the interior.

I found a place while following the links you guys gave me and they have cherry 4x8 in thicknesses starting at 1/8" as well as other species. http://www.qualityplywoodspec.com/stocklist.html

My question now is what do the grade designations mean?

If I want to buy very nice stuff what should I look for.

(I will do some reserach on the different cuts, ie, rotary, plain sliced, etc.)

My project will require about 6 sheets of cherry ply, 5 of birch, maple for interior side, top and bottom and perhaps 4 sheets of some flaming maple or a burl of some sort for the back panels.

Its a built in book case very similar to What Steve Ash is building here http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?t=511.
 
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Well you guys are lucky, the only place I've found (yet!) for hardwood plywood is so expensive for a 4x8 sheet, I'll make the darn stuff myself before I'll pay his high prices :mad:

We are talking something like $350 for a 4x8 1/2" thick, good one side, sheet of cherry :eek:

Most guys here use a very white colored plywood and just stain it to what they want, I guess I'll have to do the same until I find what I want.....:rolleyes:

Yep, you guys got it good over there in some ways for sure!

Cheers!

WOW Stu, 350 bucks for one sheet!!! And 1/2" at that!!!
 
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