Shopsmith Forums

Lucked out the other day. Went to the local commercial lumber yard (only lumber yard in the area with hardwoods). Looking for 2" thick (8/4) walnut mainly for bowl and box turning on lathe. As I was walking over to where they keep it, I saw a small pile of what appeared to be broken pieces of lumber.

Asked the guy if it was for sale as it just happened to include 3 pieces of 8/4 walnut by about 7+" wide. One piece (8" long) was cracked in the middle, and the other 2 pieces were once one 8 foot piece that was cracked in the middle. Asked how much. $40.00 for all of it, around 18 BF. Needless to say, I bought it.

Brought it home and used my table saw to cut out the cracked portions, and am now storing it on my lathe stand for added weight. Started to make a bowl yesterday that I intend to finish today.

The walnut should allow me enough of a supply to make a few bowls and cylindrical boxes on the lathe. Along with the maple that I have harvested from a neighbor's felled tree, I should be in pretty good turning shape for a while.

Here is a photo of the lumber on my lathe stand. Note, I need to make a plywood base to fit between the 4 leg cross braces that would be just under the walnut.

Nice score!!
Clean looking grain!!

Great deal. Nice looking walnut.

Good for you! I had to buy my 8/4 at $12 / bd ft.

Thanks for the responses. By the way, I just got done with the base between the 4 leg cross braces that now supports the walnut.

Charlese, that is quite a difference in price, but probably explains the difference in cost of living in CA versus here in Idaho. The regular price at this lumber yard that caters mostly to commercial sales is around $9.00 per BF. Like I said, I made a very lucky find. I'll have to stop by there more often.

Wow. Nice buy. That looks enough to do some great pieces

Paul

Good on you!

About 2 months ago, I scored just about 100 BF for about 3 bucks per BF. A mix of 3/4 to 6/4 in lengths 5 to 10 feet from a guy that had held it in his attic for about 15 years thinking he was going to do something with it.

Craigslist for the win!

Happy Turning Dan!

Cheers,
John

Thanks all. Happy turning it is. My Nova G3 chuck was just delievered late yesterday. In process of making a cylindrical box out of the recently felled maple that I got from a neighbors yard recently. I alos have the walnut bowl in progress.

Hey Dan,

With that maple being recently felled, are you worried that the green wood will distort/check over time in your projects?

Cheers,
John