# San Antonio Lumber - Local vs Online



## DeleteMePlease (Oct 3, 2014)

I've lurked on here a while and decided to create an account last week because of all of the amazing projects I've seen from the users. There is a lot of inspiration for a newer woodworker like myself!

I'll try to make this as brief as I can. I have been looking online for lumber in San Antonio. I was buying mine from Lowes (oak, poplar and pine), but I wanted to branch out. I did some research and wanted to visit Dakota, Allen and Allen and Alamo Hardwoods. The only one that was open on the weekend was Alamo. I found that their prices were about the same if not higher than the big box stores. I ended up buying what they called "bargain walnut" which ended up being beautiful, but couldn't bring myself to pay $7-11/BF when I could get the same wood for $5-8 at Lowes for their standard fare.

I am trying to decide if I should wait for a day off to check the other places which are only open from 8 - 5, M - F or if I should look into some online purchases and have the wood shipped to me. It looks like with freight, I may be able to save a bit of money from the places I've looked (the sites escape me right now as this was a few weeks ago that I had looked).

Projects so far are pretty standard (book cases, end tables, blanket chests, frames, crosses). I'm looking to expand my skills and the types of wood I use without going broke. I don't have a planer or jointer…yet.

Thanks for the help!


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## Cricket (Jan 15, 2014)

Have you checked out these folks in San Antonio?
http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/store.aspx?id=319


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## DeleteMePlease (Oct 3, 2014)

Cricket - I did check them out. Their selection wasn't that great and their prices were pretty steep.

I did think of something I wanted to clarify though. I don't mind paying reasonable prices for wood. I know it's an expensive hobby, and I'm fine with that. Not necessarily looking for a great deal, I just want to make sure that I am not getting ripped off. Is $11/bf normal for cherry?

I appreciate the suggestion though!


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

YOu can get just about anything you want from Downes and Reader in Ma for around $7.50 bd ft including shipping.

I have some beautifully figured cherry I haven't found a project for yet that I got from them.

I have some logs here that if you wanted to slab yourself could send you home with more than you could carry.


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## DeleteMePlease (Oct 3, 2014)

Dallas - thank you for the company name! I'll definitely check them out.

And be careful - when I'm set up with a bandsaw and planer, I'm going to take you up on your offer!


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Matt, I have a chainsaw mill, You use, pay for breakage or chain sharpening plus gas and oil, you can use it to your hearts content. I'll even teach you how to use it and sharpen your own chains.

Most of it will have to sit a year or two stacked and stickered.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

It's all about location I guess, and the forest gets a bit thin around San Antonio but $11 bf for cherry would have to be some damn nice figured wood;

Here' My sawyer's sale list for this month to give you an idea what rough sawn in MD runs for, Woodcraft and the places selling you S4S wide boards will get high dollar but there are ways around that.

Purple Heart $7.50
Wenge $14.95
Padauk $8.55
Zebrawood $14.95
Yellow Heart $8.55
Sycamore, quarter-sawn, wide $5.95
Walnut 4/4 5/4 6/4, narrow clear stock, SLR, good for cutting boards $1.95
White & Red Oak wide plank flooring, 6-10" wide $2.95
Ash 4/4 Normally $2.95 $2.49
Cherry 2"x2" leg stock Normally $5.95 $2.95
Cherry 4/4 S4S (surfaced 4 sides), 3 1/2" wide $1.95
Cherry 3/4" x 3 1/2" bull nose $0.99 per linear ft
African Mahogany 4/4 - 16/4 Normally $5.95 $4.95
Sapele Mahogany 4/4 - 8/4, 6" wide and over $3.95 under 6" wide $2.95
Sapele 2 5/8" base/casing Normally $1.25 per linear ft $ 0.49 per linear ft
Hard Maple 8/4, under 5" wide $2.95
Red Maple 4/4, under 4" wide $0.99
Red Maple 4/4, 6" wide & over Normally $3.45 $2.50 under 6" wide Normally $3.45 $1.95
Red Maple 2" x 2" leg stock $1.95
Red Maple 12/4×3" leg stock $2.95
Red Oak SLR, under 5" wide, 5/4 $1.50
6/4 $1.75
8/4 $1.95
Red Oak 4/4, B grade $1.25
Red Oak 4/4 FAS Normally $2.75 $2.49
- 200 ft or more $2.39
- 500 ft or more $2.29
- 1,000 ft or more $2.19
Red Oak 3 5/8" crown moulding - Normally $1.25 per linear ft $0.79 per linear ft
Red Oak bar rub rail - Normally $8.95 per linear ft $2.95 per linear ft
White Oak 4/4 S2S $1.95
White Oak 4/4 S4S, 3 1/4" wide $1.50
White Oak quarter round, 3/4" x 3/4" - Normally $0.49 per linear ft $0.25 per linear ft 
White Oak hand rail, 3 1/2" x 1 3/4", round top - Normally $8.95 per linear ft $2.95 per linear ft
Poplar 4/4 - 12/4 narrow stock $0.49
Poplar 4/4, under 5" wide $0.79
Poplar 5/4, under 5" wide $0.89
Poplar 6/4, under 5" wide $0.99
Poplar 10/4 S2S (surfaced 2 sides) $1.95
Poplar 12/4×3" leg stock Normally $2.95 $1.50
Poplar, surfaced 3/4" - 11/16", for drawer sides $0.89
Walnut 7 1/4" crown, 66' available - Normally $9.95 per linear ft $2.95 per linear ft
Spanish Cedar 4/4 - 8/4, 4" wide or less Normally $5.95 $3.95
Western Red Cedar decking, 5/4×6" $1.59 per linear ft


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## DeleteMePlease (Oct 3, 2014)

Goodness! Are there any good jobs around there? For those prices, I'd move!  Sounds like I may be in the wrong part of the country to take this hobby up.

Do you know if they ship? That would be worth getting a jointer and planer.

I I wouldn't even mind traveling am hour or so outside of SA if I could find a place with even triple those prices.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Have you looked at Woodfinder.com, there werre several within 100 miles of SA when I put in a zip, but many of them were Woodcrafts and they're not cheap, there are other LJ's with more experience with getting by mail, I'm spoiled, but much is harvested locally and this guy has a BS mill and a kiln, so I don't need to go to far, and that's just whats on sale this month, there's more stuff too.

Depending on how much you're planning to buy, he might arrange a truck for you but I don't know if he'll ship, Wworth a try though, google Maryland Select Hardwoods


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Matt, I would look for a sawyer near you (WoodMizer should have a listing for sawyers in your area). An inexpensive planer will pay for itself with only a couple of projects considering the price difference in rough sawn vs s4s lumber. If I lived where you are, I would be cutting mesquite! My very favorite wood!


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## darkone (Jan 16, 2013)

Mugsy, you don't say whether you are looking at S4S or rough sawn lumber. I'm in Austin I end up at Austin Fine Lumber and Plywood since it's close and they are open Saturday mornings. The prices you are talking about for walnut are the same I'm seeing for rough sawn here. The guy working there gave me a big, long explanation but it basically boils down to a shortage of the nicer domestic woods, at least here in Texas (walnut, cherry, etc). Oak and poplar are what the cabinet makers and home builders are looking for, so those are in demand at the moment. You can still get those for a way better price than Home Depot or Lowes, so compare those prices and I think you will see you are better off. For exotics and the nice domestics, if you in Texas, learn veneering (which is next on my list)


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## greenacres2 (Jun 18, 2012)

We are priced pretty well here in northwest Indiana, especially for poplar and oak. But at ChefHDAN's pricing, it wouldn't be a bad deal to rent a van and make a run east. On the flip side, we have Rich Eberly less than an hour away so when i get the need for special-it's almost in my back yard!!

earl


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Bring mesquite logs to me and I'll trade you all the white oak, cherry, walnut, etc you need!


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## DeleteMePlease (Oct 3, 2014)

ChefHDan - I hadn't heard of woodfinder. I'll have to look it up. Thank you!

gfavdm - thank you also for the site recommendation. And I agree on the mesquite. A lot of cracks and knots, but I've seen some nice projects made out of it. I am also really going to start looking into a good (moderately priced) planer once my divorce is settled and figure out what's going on with the house. From what you and a couple other folks mentioned, that's the way to go.

darkone - S4S would be preferable because of my lack of equipment, but Ling term, rough cut sounds like the way to go. Right now I have an old hand plane that belonged to my grandfather. I think my hands would fall off if I tried using that too long.  The walnut I got was basically the stuff they couldn't sell as "good" wood, so they marked it down. I bought about $100 worth and got just about enough for a DVD cabinet I am building. I think it looks great, but it's a mix of sap wood and heartwood, so I imagine the folks who want better grain and color matching wouldn't even consider buying it. For a beginner like me, it was like striking gold! I think I paid around $5 or $6/bf. But I ramble…

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. It's great to know that I can have a place to come for help on something like this!


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## DeleteMePlease (Oct 3, 2014)

I hate to resurrect this thread from 3 weeks ago, but I did want to post an update. 
I had a couple of days off from work so I decided to visit Dakota Hardwoods here in SA. Their prices were awesome and the service was just as great! If anyone in town is looking for a good place, I would definitely recommend them. 
It looks like I needed to take some time away from work to really be able to search the city.

Thanks to everyone again for the replies!


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