Need some 4" thick lumber

[mr douglas t]

I have some large prodjects coming up and need some 4" thick wood for some tops. Cant seem to find any species other than mahogany in 16/4. Have thought about some reclaimed lumber, like large beams, and have tham resawn to 4" thick. Any one know any sources for thicker lumber? I would like to find some white oak or cypress?

[mystry_tour]

I know of some 3" white oak in Tenn Mr. but its a little far from you

[crzypete]

White oak is really hard to dry 4" thick- It tends to check and honeycomb. You might find it green, but you are going to really need to scrounge to find it KD.
I suspect you have tried to usual places?

Pete

[buck shot]

I doubt you're going to be able to find white oak at that thickness without checks and honeycombing, but if you can live with that, I've heard sawyers swear they can do it (I've tried, and they were wrong every time). Finally figured out that getting that four sides quartered look might not have been the only reason Stickley was mitering his larger legs. I did get some 4" stock from a guy outside of Princeton, NJ awhile back - it had been air dried for 15 years - still had a lot of checking, but not as bad. I can't recall his name, I'll look around and see if I can find it.

I'd go down south for cypress, see if you can find a source in Louisiana or nearby.

For walnut, butternut, maple, and as a good source of info, call my man Skip over at Good Hope Hardwoods in Lancaster, PA - (610)274-8842. I've been buying 4" walnut from him for years. You might also try Tech-Wood, a guy named Larry Schmel - I don't have the number handy, but he's listed in PA. Don't rely on the "tech" part, he's about as low tech as they come - no computer, no credit cards.

The thick stuff is definitely out there - you just have to use the smaller guys. Avoid anyone who tells you they can dry it quickly - they can't.

[sammy23032003]

In addition to the places mentioned, you might want to give Groff and Groff Lumber a call. They have a pretty good selection and have several band mills on site. Another place is Talarico Hardwoods. They specialize in quartered white oak. I don't know if they go 16/4. Larry Schmehl probably has the highest quality wood of the bunch. He invented the vacuum kiln, which would be able to dry your white oak with no checking or honeycomb. He sold it to a company in Canada. He is semi-retired last I talked to him. His number is 717- 933-8989. He might tell you where and how to dry 4" WO. Good Luck.

[thouser]

Wow Talarico has some nice stuff but I think even my wealthy clients might balk at $21,000 per 1,000 bd ft of 12/4 Quartered White Oak. I complain when I have to give $6,500 for high medullary ray Oak in 12/4 .

[buck shot]

I recommend Larry Schmel highly as a source of good lumber, good advice, and good stories - but no matter what he tells you, I think trying to speed-dry 16/4 white oak is a fool's game.

That "Canadian company" turned a couple grand's worth of green 16/4 walnut I had into total firewood for me a few years back, with nothing more than "sorry, it doesn't always work" as a result. Even had the nerve to hire a collection agency when I wouldn't pay the bill!

The one good thing about buying RF kiln dried wood from Larry is that it's his lumber and his kiln, so if it comes out honeycombed (and it will), he's got to stand behind it. Just be careful - he was trying to talk me into a walnut slab that was honeycombed, saying "as long as you don't plane too deep, it'll be fine on the surface."

Disclaimer - I do business with Larry regularly, and plan to continue to do so. He's a solid guy and and a stand-up businessman - I don't think he'd ever try to cheat you or short change anyone.

[sammy23032003]

Thanks for the expanded info on Larry. I have delt with him on several occasions and been very satisfied. But I am just a small home shop with limited experience, so I value your opinion greatly. I've bought 16/4 from Groff and Groff in mahogony and hard maple, having no problems with checking or honeycombing.