Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:56 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 12:05 pm 
Offline
Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:32 pm
Posts: 7
First name: Ryan
Last Name: Scott
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Im having a hard time finding places that sell lumber cheaply. I live in the jackson michigan area myself, but I'd be willing to drive a little to find a decent deal. Anyone know any good places?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 3:17 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Lumber is for building houses.
Tonewood is for building instruments.

Which are you asking about?

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 5:51 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 10:08 pm
Posts: 1958
Location: Missouri
First name: Patrick
Last Name: Hanna
State: Missouri
Country: USA
Well, Chris's amusing jibe notwithstanding, you actually CAN sometimes find tonewood in a lumber supply place. Probably not cheap, after you cut it up into instrument pieces. "Cheap" is a subjective term. I bought a 10' curly maple board at Menards the other day, pretty cheap. I will use it for something. But, by the time I re-manufacture it into tonewood pieces, I will have a lot of time and effort (if not dollars) invested in it. Cheap to buy, but labor-intensive to turn into tone wood. See what I mean? But I do this for a hobby, so my time can be spent as I wish. Further, I have the tools to do the resawing, etc., so all I'll be out is my time. But your situation might be different. I recommend you browse the sponsors here and inquire about their second or third grades of tonewoods, which will usually make fine instruments--just not as flashy and spectacular as their premium woods.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 6:33 pm 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Tonewood, lumber.... it's all the same to me..... :D

Hi Ryan. I'm in Ann Arbor and don't have any leads for you because I always bought my wood from OLF sponsors. But you know Lance lives almost in Jackson and he owns this forum. He would know what you have in your area if you want to PM him.

This sub forum is a relic from the past - Michigan Guild of Luthiers, which means that no one has posted in it for a very long time so folks don't see posts here. Not sure why it's still even here most of the info in it about members is way out of date too.

Check with Lance for local to you sources, I'll bet that he will know. Also the OLF sponsors tend to be about the most reliable and friendly folks that you will ever meet too. They are all a sincere pleasure to do business with and great folks too!

If you ever get to Ann Arbor since we are only 45 minutes from you look us up, we are right in the center of the downtown area.

_________________
Ann Arbor Guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 8:18 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:32 pm
Posts: 3470
First name: Alex
Last Name: Kleon
City: Whitby
State: Ontario
Zip/Postal Code: L1N8X2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Wow, I've never looked at this forum. It's as current as my high school library card!

Alex

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 8:51 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Quote:
Wow, I've never looked at this forum. It's as current as my high school library card!


Try using the "view new posts" link. That way you won't miss a thing.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 9:26 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:04 am
Posts: 2060
Armstrong Millworks.

Cheap? Well, they sell at market prices. Close? Maybe an hour, hour and a half with construction. If you're looking for a selection of domestic and exotic woods for guitar building though, there's really no place else like this in the area. They have a few barns stocked with more species than you could imagine, and the tools to process whatever you may need. Wish I'd bought out their stock or Brazilian 20 years ago, but you can at least still find some good mahogany there (though availability does vary a bit these days).

If you're looking for domestic woods and perhaps a bit cheaper prices, B&B Hardwoods is another great resource, with excellent staff happy to help you out.

_________________
Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:35 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am
Posts: 3081
Tonewood is lumber resawn into expensive eighth inch sheets...



These users thanked the author Haans for the post: Hesh (Sat May 03, 2014 9:50 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:46 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:31 pm
Posts: 1682
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Looker
City: Worthington
State: OH
Zip/Postal Code: 43085
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
+1 for Armstrong.

The last time I was there they didn't take credit cards & I assume they still don't?

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2014 9:51 am 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Haans wrote:
Tonewood is lumber resawn into expensive eighth inch sheets...


Agreed! :D I'll add and the price is tripled.....

It's wood, what we do if we do it well makes it tonewood.

_________________
Ann Arbor Guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Wed May 14, 2014 6:26 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:50 pm
Posts: 294
Location: Austria
First name: Michiyuki
Last Name: Kubo
State:
Country: Österreich
Status: Amateur
Wood is wood. Comes from trees, there is no wood without blemishes, only pieces/sections don't. Now, If you will excuse me, I shall go grab my axe and put some plaid on. :)

_________________
久保
美智え


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2014 2:30 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 11:03 am
Posts: 1737
Location: Litchfield MI
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
There is a hardwood seller/saw mill on Michigan ave. going out of town headed east its on the south side of the road orange sign -- for the life of me can't remember the name right now. Even had some Coco -- really.

I get much of my material from LL Johnson in Charlotte, when I lived near metro Detroit we used General Hardwood and Armstrong.

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Thu May 15, 2014 2:55 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 5:02 am
Posts: 8550
Location: United States
First name: Lance
Last Name: Kragenbrink
City: Vandercook Lake
State: Michigan
Zip/Postal Code: 49203
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
+1 for LL Johnson in Charlotte.

_________________
Support the OLF! Bookmark our STEWMAC link Today!
Lance@LuthiersForum.com


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Places to get lumber
PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 6:39 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:05 am
Posts: 9191
Location: United States
First name: Waddy
Last Name: Thomson
City: Charlotte
State: NC
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Never heard if them. I'll have to check then out. Learn something new every day!

Guess it doesn't matter though since you meant Charlotte MI!

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com