"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..

"GarageWoodworks" .@. wrote in message
...

Too bad, but no harm asking I suppose. I just can't believe that a
lumber mill wouldn't consider selling it for a markdown - even if only
on that one section. Figure wood that's split, and especially something
like oak where it never actually separates just tears and frays isn't
really usable, but the rest of the board would be. 8 feet, 1 foot is
bad, give me 7 feet, plus a discount on the remaining 1 foot. That
seems entirely reasonable to me and would prevent good lumber from
piling up in their inventory.


That's why when I buy my lumber I like to chalk out most of my cuts. If
I am buying a 6" wide piece of 4/4 maple and there is a split at one end,
I will check and see if I can use that section for a piece of the project
that is not as wide. Most often you will be able to do this.

Also, if the split is not very long and you find you can't use that
section of the lumber, use it for fire wood.
Pretty expensive firewood, but your point about using it for other
purposes is well taken.

I'm not trying to **** everyone off, and my response to dpb was more
irritation at how flippant his comments were. I'm hearing two answers
depending on the source. Go to alt.home.repair and the word is - pick
through the pile at insert box store to get the straightest piece of
lumber you can find. Then when asked here the first answer I get is "quit
trying to be a perfectionist." Again, I'm NOT a perfectionist, but I'm
looking at this from the angle of (this is hypothetical) I need 12 feet of
1x6. I get to the yard and find a nice looking 8 footer, and a another 8
footer that's split on the end. I'm thinking, okay, I don't need the
other 4 feet really, so why not get it, try to talk them down on the split
end, and use the other 3 or so feet for something else? That seems very
reasonable, but based on what I heard from the first response - that's a
terribly unreasonble opinion.


Well I went hunting around all morning and found a decent place for some
stock. Nice selection and good prices. I say good, but who knows what you
see back east. 20 bucks with tax for 6 board feet of red oak - 1/2"
finished on 2 sides. Pretty damn good, very small cupping. Board is
exactly perfect for what I'm working on right now.