1 1/8 wood--where to buy?

[theweeklyamuser]

Hi, folks, I want to build a screen door, following the plan in a recent Workbench magazine, which calls for white oak 1 1/8 thick. I tried the local lumberyard, and they acted like I was crazy.

I tried Rockler, and they don't have anything that thickness and suggested a lumberyard. When I told them I'd already been to the lumberyard, they suggested going to a door shop.

My feeling is, if I'm at a door shop, I might as well buy a door!

Surely this isn't an uncommon size. Any advice on where to buy? I'm in Los Angeles.

Thanks!

ds

[Morris Dovey]

At the risk of suggesting the obvious, why don't you buy white oak in the next larger thickness available (probably 5/4) and reduce it to 1-1/8 with a thickness planer?

-- Morris

[Guess who]

...which tells you what they know.

Go out into the countryside if necessary, and find a sawmill. Buy the rough lumber and plane it down yourself. They will give [sell] you what you need in wood.

Or, find a planing mill and ask for the wood of the size you want finished to size. Make sure you have a list of materials and the means to transport it, to save a trip. 1. You get what you want, and

1. it gets you out of the house for a while.

[bw]

There are standard sizes for hardwood. Find a hardwood supply, not a lumberyard. I would use 1 1/4 inch material (called 5/4) and finish the pieces to the required size. Pretty dry in LA so you might want to actually measure the 5/4 to see for yourself.

[theweeklyamuser]

Thank you for the quick replies!

I am pretty knew at this stuff--I don't yet own a planer, so I like the idea of finding a mill. I also did not know the jargon ("5/4")--this will hopefully help me not sound like an idiot when I start making calls. Thanks!

ds

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You can get any size you want, but not at a lumberyard. The typical lumberyard supplies builders with construction grade materials, boards so Joe Homeowner can put in a shelf or make a flower box. In that context, 1

1/8" is unusual.

Real wood comes from real wood dealers. Look under "hardwoods" in the phone book. I'm guessing this is all new to you and you don't have the equipment to joint and plane wood to a final size. Some of the dealers will do that for you. In your case, you'd select some 5/4 stock (5/4 = 1 1/4") and they will take it to size.

[LRod]

When you throw your new found knowledge around, be sure you pronounce it "five quarter" (although it really means "five quarters"), not "five-fourths" which it appears like it ought to be. That way you won't get sent to the door store again.

[fredfighter]

Some hardwood lumber dealers have planers and will plane it for you for a fee. It kinda sucks, you pay them full price for the wood and then you pay them extra to sell you less... But that's just like what you'd get if you planed it yourself.

BTW, white oak is less prone to rot and mildew stains than red.

[Mark & Juanita]

... and also makes you wonder where they think the door shop gets its lumber.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[theweeklyamuser]

Hey, I appreciate your good humor, but I was actually wondering! Five-fourth? Five-quarters? Five over four? Thanks for the tip.

Maybe you should do a "Listen and Learn Woodworker Talk" audio book.

ds

[Patriarch]

[e-mail] wrote in news:1119159502.212702.309290 @g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Well, in many areas, the adult education folks or the community colleges run beginner to intermediate level classes. These focus on safe use of tools, fundamental processes, and sources of supply. And generally having a good time with like minded people of all shapes, colors and sizes. Usually cheap to reasonably priced, and you get access to all kinds of machines, projects and instructors. One of the best values in wooddorking.

I know there are some excellent programs in the LA basin, and in San Diego. See if you can find a tabloid style bi-monthly magazine called "Woodworker West" at the local bookstore. It would be a good starting place.

Patriarch

[George]

Oddly enough, this is the nominal planed size for 5/4 lumber.

[ATP*]

5/4 may be a little thicker, but there's no harm in making the door a little thicker.

[Roy Smith]

Unless he's building a pocket door :-)

[Duane Bozarth]

Yep, that's the advent of the nominal 1-1/8" window/interior door thickness...

[Duane Bozarth]

I think many of these retailers have very little, if any, experience w/ architectural millwork.

[Pat Payne]

Try Austin Hardwoods in Santa Ana

[theweeklyamuser]

Thanks, guys.

Found a place in Canoga Park--not too far from me--

. They have the sizes and types of wood I'm after. I just needed the term "hardwood" to get to what I was after.

I reallyl appreciate all the help. This is one of those dumb things that until you know a little bit to begin with, you can't really even ask smart questions. I feel a couple steps ahead now.

ds

PS: It's not a pocket door, it's just a swinging screen door. So I'm guessing an extra 1/8 inch thickness won't matter, if I can't get it planed at the store.