Body Blanks

[madhattr88]

so where do u guys get your body wood?

i'm running out...lost my supplier.

i don't need it sanded and planed (like stew-mac sells)

plus i don't see myself spending almost $100 for a mahogany body blank (again...., stew-mac)

i can process it myself.....any ideas???

thanks!!!!

matt

madhattr88@gmail.com

[erikbojerik]

Woodfinder.com

Type in your ZIP and how far you're willing to drive, and it will show you all the places. If there's a place within 2-3 hours roundtrip you'll likely save $$.

I've visited places as far as 5 hours away - even farther if I'm away on business. Now that I've been to some of them, I know which ones are likely to have what I want in stock, and I can just phone them up and have stuff shipped instead of driving there again.

[avengers63]

Here's a couple of eBay sellers I've used:

Matson's Lumber

Exotic Woods Of The World

Woodbay

Fraiser Valley

Matson's will periodically have walnut at a good price. It's always clear.

Woodbay is pretty much all quilted & flamed maple. You can sweet-talk them into re-sawing it for you sometimes.

Fraiser Valley is all tops, and they're top-notch to deal with.

Exotic Woods is nearly 100% rough cut wood - no milling whatsoever. He gives almost no combined shipping discount wither. Still, it's very common for me to get wood through him below market value. The main drawback is that you can't see the pieces you're getting, and it's all generic, unfigured stock. Take note also if the description says anything about cracks. He understates the amount of cracks in the piece all the time, but at least he always says if they're there to begin with.

[Woodenspoke]

My local hardwood dealer.

[Woodenspoke]

Woodfinder.com

Type in your ZIP and how far you're willing to drive, and it will show you all the places. If there's a place within 2-3 hours roundtrip you'll likely save $$.

I've visited places as far as 5 hours away - even farther if I'm away on business. Now that I've been to some of them, I know which ones are likely to have what I want in stock, and I can just phone them up and have stuff shipped instead of driving there again.

I just tried that and I am sad to find out it didnt work, gave me places like woodcraft, UGH. The biggest hardwood dealer near me was left out of the list. Maybe Colorado is special.

[ihocky2]

I've found Cook Woods on eBay to be pretty good. Other than that it is still local suppliers.

[Narcissism]

The wood finder place didn't turn up any of the places I go around here either...

I would ask your local lumber yards where you can find exotic hardwoods. They'll probably know the best places if they're into any kind of woodworking. You'd be surprised what Home Depot, Lowe's or Ace can tell you about that.

[RestorationAD]

http://www.galleryhardwoods.com/

[Bionic Dave]

I deal with Fraiser Valley too good necks and tops for cheap.

[Maiden69]

Woodfinder.com

Type in your ZIP and how far you're willing to drive, and it will show you all the places. If there's a place within 2-3 hours roundtrip you'll likely save $$.

I've visited places as far as 5 hours away - even farther if I'm away on business. Now that I've been to some of them, I know which ones are likely to have what I want in stock, and I can just phone them up and have stuff shipped instead of driving there again.

I was recommended the Amish guys that are off 70 close to Hagerstown, have you been there? I plan on getting some once I get back home before I PCS to KY. I heard the prices were good and the pieces are nice too.

[j. pierce]

Yeah, Woodfinder never found any places local to me, either.

what worked for me? a couple of google searches for "hardwood" and my area code (for the places that had websites) and a browse through the yellow pages (for the places that didn't.) I save a lot on shipping, and swing by the local hardwood dealer (I'm lucky they're only a short drive away) whenever I go by, whether I need something or not. The place I usually go also let me know about a couple of other places, and will give me call when a shipment of something I'm waiting on comes in.

If you find the number of a place, it's worth a call before a trip, as it's often hard to tell if someone sells lumber or flooring.

I often find some decent stuff locally on craigslist, although a lot of it isn't dry enough to use yet. A quick questioning post on a more locally-oriented website (like if craigslist serves your area) also might point you to some more local dealers.

I usually buy locally for most everything, and turn to the same web-based sites that folks here mention when I'm looking for the harder to find or exteremely figured stuff. Wood is big, and sometimes heavy. Shipping it costs a lot - saving on that helps. Plus, if you have the time to paw through a pallet and get the perfect piece of wood in a low-priced pile you can save more.

You also don't mention where you're located, unless I'm not seeing it - there are folks all over the place here, so someone in your area might be able to point you to local resources.