Beginner - Hobby

[Bruce]

Usually from a hardwoods dealer. You won't find it at Home Depot or any of the big box stores. Or you can buy it online and have it shipped to you. There may be a local cabinet maker that can sell you some. You just have to look around.

[BuckeyeDennis]

Where are you getting rough sawn?

Check your local Craigslist for "rough sawn lumber" and "rough sawn boards". Local lumbermills often advertise there. Add a wood species to the search term if you are looking for something in particular.

Also, woodworkers / estates sometimes unload surplus personal stockpiles on Craigslist, and fantastic bargains can result. To use this strategy, though, you will want/need a lumber rack to store your booty.

[rjent]

Where are you getting rough sawn?

Check your local Craigslist for "rough sawn lumber" and "rough sawn boards". Local lumbermills often advertise there. Add a wood species to the search term if you are looking for something in particular.

Also, woodworkers / estates sometimes unload surplus personal stockpiles on Craigslist, and fantastic bargains can result. To use this strategy, though, you will want/need a lumber rack to store your booty.

I said "yeah, right", in New Mexico, we only have pine, fir, spruce, cedar, cottonwood etc. No way, but I did it anyway.

I found two guys (450 miles away) in the norther part of the state that has maple and red oak that came from his parents place in Wisconsin. The other was in Albuquerque who had cleared out his fathers wood stock and brought it to NM .... Who knew? LOL

Thanks Dennis, good tip.

[Capertrj]

So I might get this table saw

http://m.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-15-Amp- ... /100090444

And then going to look at this tomorrow

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/tls/5333855401.html

Today is last day for sale on that table saw, and with military discount it will be 270. Then I might check that 500 model out since it has all the accessories the other doesn't. I could have best of both worlds possibly.

Any opinions?

[JPG]

IMHO, you will someday regret the HD saw purchase. I do not think it is as good as the 500!

[Bruce]

IMHO, you will someday regret the HD saw purchase. I do not think it is as good as the 500!

I agree. At least give the Mark V a chance before getting another table saw. That saw will be on sale again. Also, I doubt if any portable saw like that will have the accuracy of the Mark V or a cabinet saw.

[algale]

My $0.02: Save the money you would spend on the Home Depot saw and put it to a used 510 or 520, which will be way more capable as a saw. Be patient, one will pop up in your area.

[Capertrj]

Ok thanks for the advice. I'll pass on the table saw then. Is the 500 worthy as a table saw with the smaller surface area? Asking 250 but could offer 150-200.

Again, thank you all. Sorry for all the questions and thanks for being patient with me.

[ERLover]

some reading history here on SS
http://songofthegreatlakes.com/shopsmith.htm

[jsburger]

[
True, but for education purposes, a jointer is also used to flatten one face of a board that may be cupped or twisted or rough sawn. The board can then be run through a planer to flatten the other face. If you intend to buy only straight, surfaced boards, then you can probably get by without a jointer.

Yes Yes Yes.

"If you intend to buy only straight, surfaced boards" where the heck would that be. Those boards pretty much don't exist. That is why you need a jointer, planer and a table saw. I mostly use rough sawn stock and those tools are essential. The other essential tool is a band saw.

Where are you getting rough sawn?[/quote]

There is a local custom wood shop here called the Ellis Planing Mill. It is not now a planing mill it is a custom wood shop. It has been in the Ellis family for over 100 years. There are now two brothers and they do one of custom builds. I went in there one time and they had a 40' piece of Norway Spruce that they had been commission to build a replacement wing spar for a glider.

They keep all manner of rough sawn stock in 4/4, 6/4 and 8/4. They can get anything you want if they don't have it in stock. There is a MacBeth Lumber in Salt Lake where they buy a lot of their stock. MacBeth delivers once a week so they will get me anything I want without driving to Salt Lake.