# 134 bf of birch and maple - what was I thinking?



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

So I answered an ad on Kijiji (like Craigslist) and ended up coming home with 134 bf of birch and maple for $175. Some are 2" thick and 10-12 feet long. The seller (who I tend to believe) got them from his wife's grandfather when he passed away. He also had oak and cherry, but to my untrained eye, they looked really rough so I passed. He knew a little more about wood than me, but not much.

Based on the price of birch and maple at the box stores I think I got a pretty good deal but I have a few questions.

Any storage suggestions?? They are going to have to stay in the garage. It always stays above freezing, but I presume I should keep them off the floor?

Some of the ends are cracked etc. Should I cut those off now to shorten up the boards for storage, or is there a reason to keep them as is?

Most of the boards have old red or green paint on the ends, supposedly to mark the species, but the seller pointed out a few that he thought were mismarked. Other than the bark, how can I tell the difference?

At this point, I really don't know what I'm going to use them for other than a 10ft piece for a ledge leading down to the basement.

While I'm in the market for a planer, I think it's time to call on one of my neighbours for help. I've never planed a board let alone a 10 ft one.

Thanks for any pointers

Sandra


----------



## Alexandre (May 26, 2012)

Ok, well, where do I start 
so, The paint was when the people were drying the wood, it is like a sealer to the end grain.
You might want to build a lumber stand out of 2×4 pine to hold the wood horizontaly, or if you have no space, just keeping it off the ground would work also…
Umm, There are a lot of ways, but you can get a ridgid/dewalt planer for around 300-500….
The dewalt has good stuff, and the ridgid seems pretty decent.
Wait, you live in canada right?
So, Federated tools in london, ONT has a autumn sale…
I'll be there on saturday… if you are there… meet you there!
Heres the sale thingy: http://www.federatedtool.com/Sept2.pdf 
after going there, you can pass lee valley on the way home


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Unfortunately I'm closer to the US than Ontario. And I could get into some serious trouble with a credit card at Lee Valley….

I"ve been reading about planers, and have pretty much settled on the Ridgid. Although there is a Dewalt on Kijiji.
Pardon my ignorance, but is planing a 10ft board something that can be done solo??

Thanks


----------



## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Sandra, Where in Eastern Canada are you.
I might be interested in the rest of the lumber you didn't buy.

Mike


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Okay, I just checked out federated tools - no fair! I'm in the Maritimes, and HD is about as good as it gets here…


----------



## Alexandre (May 26, 2012)

HA! 
so, you are pretty close to mike, and umm, you could get it shipped….


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Hi Mike,

I'm in Fredericton. If you go on Kijiji Fredericton the ad says hardwood/softwood lumber.
Heck, if you help me run some of the birch through the planer I plan on buying, you can HAVE half of what I bought. And I am serious.

Sandra


----------



## Alexandre (May 26, 2012)

Also, 10 ft… its best to have a outfeed table… i've never planed that big, but you are probably going to get a ton of shavings… also, what model number is the dewalt?
A dewalt 735 is pretty much the best benchtop planer, and they cost around 500-600 dollars..
Also, last time I was at federated tools, last year… I spent more than $1200 on a router table… .


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

The kijiji dewalt is the 735, but they are asking 550. The ad says it was only used once. hm…. sounds fishy to me. HD has it for 699. I may offer 450 for the kijiji one, and see what happens.


----------



## rhybeka (Nov 8, 2009)

wow - wish I was closer Sandra! I'd help you plane for some of that wood  Sounds like a great buy!


----------



## Danpaddles (Jan 26, 2012)

An infeed and outfeed roller might be in order, but the planer will make it an easy job. Just give yourself a 20 foot space to work in. For a wall ledge as you described, you should be able to do it in one pass.


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Question about the outfeed table - I have a Ridgid stand for my SCMS with very long outfeed rollers. As long as they are at the same level as the planer, could I use those somehow?


----------



## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have a one car garage so I do my planing in the driveway. My planer (Dewalt 734) is on a stand so I roll it out in the drive, set up a outfeed roller and go for it. But I don't plane more than about 4 feet. I don't have any place to store 10 foot lumber, even though the local hardwood dealer has some oak that long.

It would be nice if you could figure out what you would be using the wood for and cut it down to a shorter length.

The DW 734 sells locally her in Houston area for $399 at Lowes and Home Depot. $569 for the DW 735.
I use a shop vac hooked up to the planer to collect the sawdust.
Good luck.


----------



## Alexandre (May 26, 2012)

You would need more than 20 feet… 20 feet youi'll get stuck at the planer!


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Good point. The driveway is about my only option….


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Sandra, You can plane those boards no problem by yourself with adequate infeed and outfeed tables BUT unless you need 10' pieces for your project, I would cut them down to more managable lengths and then run them through the planer. I have planed a LOT of 16' 1×7" by myself with my Ridgid planer when I floored my office and my daughter's office in her house (a LOT of planing!)


----------



## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Hi Sandra,

I'm in Sackville. 2hrs away. If I was a little closer I'd let you use my planer.
There are more options than HD though.

Mike


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks gf - I do need one 10 ft piece, but have a few smaller ones that I can do first. Good to know.

Mike - Other than HD, where would you suggest? I'm likely going to buy a planer in the next few days.
I thought of going across to Bangor, but don't know if it would be worth the drive.


----------



## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Sandra, there's always Busy Bee.
I would go out to your industrial supplier stores and see what they carry as well. In Moncton Action Fasteners carries the Steel City line.

Yes you can plane long boards by yourself.
Make sure you have space around you so you can focus on what your doing and not tripping over things.
Ensure your planer is on a sturdy stand and attached to it.
pick up your board at the balance/halfway mark and start to feed it into the planer backing up as the board feeds in. Back up and support the end until it is halfway through the planer and then walk around to the other side and support it as it comes out of the planer.

BTW There's nothing wrong with HD either.
My planer is the Ridgid one and I've been very happy with it for 3 years now.

Mike

PS If you're ever headed down this way stop in.


----------



## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks Mike!

I have some work colleagues in Sackville, so you never know. The specials at the cafe look good. I appreciate the advice, particularly about technique. I would have been looking on youtube, but I'm seen some supposed 'how-to' videos on there that are downright dangerous.

HD has the Ridgid planer at $100.00 off, so I think I'll be heading there tomorrow.

Sandra


----------



## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Watch the credit card. LOL! Don't spend more than ya got…hind site..LOL!re the storage: if the ends were painted that was to keep the boards relatively stable. use stickers( wood spacers) between material.the 2×4 shelving is a good idea. off the studs in the garage.On the planer, see how sharp it is? Cut and mill the wood as you need it? you will have to check patterns and grain for whatever project you make. Do you have dust collection?


----------

