LITTLE GLOAT! A trip to the YARD! longish...

Dave Jackson · 2005-02-05T02:31:34+00:00

Sose i decided it's time to build a "proper" workbench. The old laminate counter top and Z-vise have served me well, but as my woodworking skills expand, so has the need to upgrade the bench. I'm fortunate enough to have a couple of lumberyards within a few miles of home. My "regular" guy has a good inventory and good prices on furniture grade wood, but, like most, usually doesn't have much over 4/4. I can request it, but it takes several months for him to saw it and run it through the kiln. I really don't want to wait that long for stock thick enough to build a bench, so Plan B.... The other lumberyard is mainly into producing large wood. Railroad ties, logs for log cabins, pallet wood, etc. They have no kiln, and therefore no furniture grade wood. I've bought wood from them in the past for some outdoor stuff, and they have always been able to accomodate. This yard is by no means a "retail establishment". To get to the point to where you can talk to someone, you'll need a 4x4 and a good waterproof pair of boots. Finally i approached John, he's the "young guy" of the two at 76 years old. Like usual, he was standing next to that old band mill sawing a large hickory log. Man, that old dude can throw cants off that line that made me tired and sore just watching him (....and I'm 34 and hump framing lumber around all day long!!!) Amazing.... Anyway, over the buzzzz of the band mill, I yelled at him an inquiry about some thicker stock to build a bench with. After a short yelling match, he sent me over to the barn to talk to the "senior partner". He's is 82, and a little hard of hearing. I tell him what I'm looking for. And tell him again. He says "well, i got some Bur Oak I sawed up for a guy about 10 years ago, I don't reckon he's gonna come after it now. See that big stack back in the corner?" After moving many old car parts, and assorted busted farm machinery, I got my first good look at the pile. He's got probably 1000 BF of 12/4 bur...

Feb 05, 2005 25 Replies

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rcook5 21 years ago

Major suckage for those of us who live in wood-deprived areas!

--RC

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad

-- Suzie B

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Silvan 21 years ago

Um. No. I guess I'm getting old. It would NOT be worth eating a bunch of fish eggs to get to what's under that mess.

Chocolate, maybe, caviar, no way. Although chocolate would be bad for my assal fattalitis, and anyway, my wife would just cut my penis off anyway, so why bother? Sigh.

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Larry Jaques 21 years ago

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 13:35:33 -0500, the inscrutable Silvan spake:

So chocolatize your wife for dessert tonight. She's safe, right?

-------------------------------------------- Proud (occasional) maker of Hungarian Paper Towels.

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Charlie Self 21 years ago

In response, Silvan notes:

Whipped cream is good.

Charlie Self "I think we agree, the past is over." George W. Bush

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msschmenk 21 years ago

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That's my wood from 10 years ago! j/k

YOU SUCK! I feel like I got ripped off now for getting 8/4 white oak for $1.00bf...

Seems to be the more I work with it the more I remember whiskey is aged in white oak casks. SS

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Silvan 21 years ago

I'm definitely whipped. I don't think I've ever been creamed.

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