Buying wood from the mill, sizes and selection

[ET.Ontario]

Hi,

One of my main concern as a newbie woodworker is how to buy wood.

I live in Orillia, Ontario, and my local mill is Bass Lake Mill. As far as I know, they stock only 8/4 boards. Do anyone know if they can resaw the boards to a more usable thickness?

Otherwise, does it mean that I have to have a bandsaw to deal with the resawing myself? I haven't been doing any projects since I started my shop because I always feel like I'm missing a tool to be able to get started. In this case, I really feel like a need a bandsaw. Is it the case?

Now if I want to make raised panels, let's say 5/8 thick, and the stiles and rails at 2.5 inches, how to do you about picking boards to mill all the parts? Do you try to get 2 pieces out of the thickness of the material or you try to fit the cuts laterally across the board? How much time can you spend at the mill selecting your boards? Do you make a list of what length and width boards you are looking for?

thanks

ET

[Brian @ Muir]

Bass Lake Mill is owned by Townsend Lumber in Tillsonburg and they carry about every native species going in all widths and thickness. I find it hard to believe that they only carry 8/4 at Bass Lake. Never been to Bass Lake but I do know that at the Tillsonburg Mill all their lumber is graded and kiln dried. If you are looking for that special board there is a 20% surcharge for sorting.I buy from them and a couple of other places and have never sorted. Very rarely do I come across a board that I can not use . Select and Better is about as you can find in this area. It is a bit more than 1 & 2 common but well worth the extra money. The saving on 1&2 common soon goes out the window when you start cutting around the knots.

Brian

[Mike in Waubaushene]

Unless they changed policy in the last few years, all they carried in native hardwoods was 4/4 rough. Nothing was planed. It is kiln dried. It is milled at tilllsonburg and dried there. I've bought a lot of oak and cherry from them. Not sure of the prices now, but then it was below other suppliers. The couple that runs it lives in the mobile home next to the barn. Good folks.

[ET.Ontario]

Alright, it sounds like I'm wrong about the 8/4, maybe it was only the wood we were looking for (black walnut) when I was there last.

So if you want to do 5/8 raised panels, you would start with 4/4?

[Mike in Waubaushene]

Yes, plane it down to 5/8. Or use a profile bit with a back cutter. Then you can use 3/4 panel

[Rod Sheridan]

Yes, you'll need to joint one face and one edge, plane the other face and rip to width, probably on the table saw.........Rod.

[Shabahfan]

ET, how did you make out with Bass lake? I'm also in Orillia and looking trying to figure out where to go for decent rough sewn lumber. I was thinking there was a place down in Barrie but wasn't sure. Thanks...

[ET.Ontario]

I've been once for Black Walnut. I can't say good or bad since I'm a newbie but the staff is helpful.