Availability of 4/4 hardwood

[hcbph]

Add another vote for rough cut lumber whenever possible (which unfortunately it isn't always available).  I have one main man I go to that gets urban lumber, saws it and has it kiln dried.  I've had very good luck with his wood.

[fishhh4]

I have two large mills within a half-mile. The owner of the one bought a PM 72 that I had rehabbed... 2000.00 cash. He claims to have the largest so and so kiln in the US. I forget what type he said it was.
The other produces posts and beams. I have never been up there.
I probably have 10+ band-mills within three miles of me.
I get my wood from a gentleman about three miles away. He saws it either 4/4 or 5/4. Just about anything is 2 dollars a board foot. I have never bought walnut from him though it might be more.
The last haul from him was curly maple. Half of it was slightly spalted... I mean really pretty wood!
A gentleman in Fairmont WV. sells boutique wood. Curly Oak, Walnut, Maple. Ambrosia Maple. A lot and I mean A LOT of beautiful slabs. He has a very large table slab flattener...quite the machine.


The wood I get from him is surfaced to 15/16. Price varies but he generally is pretty fair.
He has classes on epoxy work and so forth.

Running wood over a jointer is a young man's work. I generally cut it down to manageable sizes. If a board is cupped I will rip it down the center. Whatever it takes to decrease the time on the jointer.

[TomFromStLouis]

I sell hardwoods here in St. Louis and most of my "competition" sells surfaced stuff. I sell rough sawn only and it is cut 1 1/8" and nearly always gives me 7/8" finished. It is less work for me and better for the buyer (who owns equipment). No brainer.

Find the mill near you that does the same and give them your business.