RobinBHM
Established Member
Togalosh":2i6nelcl said:
I can remember that clip when it was shown on not the nine o clock news. Still brilliant and sadly very much applies to some trade counters.
Your first timber yard visit
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I can remember that clip when it was shown on not the nine o clock news. Still brilliant and sadly very much applies to some trade counters.
If your a hobby woody my recommendation is look for a yard that offers a cut to length service. Call a few yards and ask for a price per cubic foot or meter of the species your after to know the right sort of price. Creating a list of what you want, and against each item state what it's for. State the exact length dimensions allowing at least 1/4" for straightening / thicknessing (state somewhere the allowance you had made) and state how much you need either end spare for snipe if your using a P/T.
Pop along to the yard about 11am or 3pm and tell them the project, your inexperienced at buying and ask for help with your list.....they can only say no.....but 99% will agree.
The reason to recommend a yard that cuts to length is that they will have bits lying around that after a while get sold as fire wood unless someone pops along looking for stuff for small projects. It helps the yard to make a decent profit, your not a problem but an opportunity.
There is always spoilage boards that they can't sell and need converting into something.....and you are likely to be happy to pay for a part board and get the rest for free. This is why you need to know your dimensions.
Take a tape measure, steel toe caps, gloves and an old saw. You may need to cut something down to fit into your mode of transport. Do this after purchase so the yard can get on with the next customer.
Turn up dressed as you would if you were doing woodwork.
The phrase 'just started in the game and been sent for this can you help?' comes in handy! Getting stuff often is the Goffar type job for the apprentice
Pop along to the yard about 11am or 3pm and tell them the project, your inexperienced at buying and ask for help with your list.....they can only say no.....but 99% will agree.
The reason to recommend a yard that cuts to length is that they will have bits lying around that after a while get sold as fire wood unless someone pops along looking for stuff for small projects. It helps the yard to make a decent profit, your not a problem but an opportunity.
There is always spoilage boards that they can't sell and need converting into something.....and you are likely to be happy to pay for a part board and get the rest for free. This is why you need to know your dimensions.
Take a tape measure, steel toe caps, gloves and an old saw. You may need to cut something down to fit into your mode of transport. Do this after purchase so the yard can get on with the next customer.
Turn up dressed as you would if you were doing woodwork.
The phrase 'just started in the game and been sent for this can you help?' comes in handy! Getting stuff often is the Goffar type job for the apprentice
For my first time, I tried a local yard for some oak - I called them, saying I knew nothing, and they were fairly helpful - said to email through the cutting list and they'd sort out boards to match. I added on 20% to each dimension (they then did the same), and then sent me a quote back. I went to pick it up (strangely had to do it at a particular time, I think 12-2pm), and had to wait around until they called my car through to collect. It felt a bit weird sliding 3 boards into my car when everyone else had flat-bed-truck-loads to collect! I second the comment about taking a saw - I barely managed to get my boot shut - 1 inch longer and I would have struggled to get home.
Given that it was for around £100 they were helpful, but I probably paid twice as much per cubic foot as I would have done for a very large order.
Given that it was for around £100 they were helpful, but I probably paid twice as much per cubic foot as I would have done for a very large order.
When I went to local timber yard to get the wood for my bench I didn't really have a clue. Knew enough not to go to the local Travis Perkins etc though. I wandered in, had a mooch about looking at what they had piled up. Nothing was labeled up, fork lifts shooting here there and everywhere. So I hung about for a few minutes and when they had a quiet spell had a chat. Whats the hardwood at the back there mate? Hardwood. Any idea what wood it is? Yehmate. Hardwood.
Fair enough Pal.
So I hung about a bit more.
Watched what was going on behind the counter. Big Rob and Fat Dave talking about football to the builders coming in. Young lad there in the corner, doing some paperwork but the two Kray twin wannabes deferred to him. That's the boss's son then.
Waited a little longer till it was quiet again. Got his attention. You got 2 minutes mate? Went on to have a nice chat with him. He took his time in talking me through a few bits and pieces. I explained I was just starting out and trying to make a go of 'woodworking' as a hobby. Nice fella and I'll take my money there again for what it's worth. I've been going to builders merchants and so on all my life. I'm not intimidated by them at all but as other have said there's a time and a place to go there and ask questions as an amateur. Early afternoons are a sweetspot while they are quiet. Have to accept that the guy in front of you might be buying a couple of thousand pounds worth of timber for a roof and take a backstep. Get the right one and you're onto a winner. Get the wrong one and never go back.
Edit: When i went to Ternex, my first visit to a sawmill/lumberyard they couldn't have been more helpful even though they were busy. Young lad walked me round the yard, explained the drying processes for the oak, must have spent half hour walking round asking questions and having a nice chat. I was only pricing out a cutting list for an oak porch. Great experience and they have a customer for life because of it.
Fair enough Pal.
So I hung about a bit more.
Watched what was going on behind the counter. Big Rob and Fat Dave talking about football to the builders coming in. Young lad there in the corner, doing some paperwork but the two Kray twin wannabes deferred to him. That's the boss's son then.
Waited a little longer till it was quiet again. Got his attention. You got 2 minutes mate? Went on to have a nice chat with him. He took his time in talking me through a few bits and pieces. I explained I was just starting out and trying to make a go of 'woodworking' as a hobby. Nice fella and I'll take my money there again for what it's worth. I've been going to builders merchants and so on all my life. I'm not intimidated by them at all but as other have said there's a time and a place to go there and ask questions as an amateur. Early afternoons are a sweetspot while they are quiet. Have to accept that the guy in front of you might be buying a couple of thousand pounds worth of timber for a roof and take a backstep. Get the right one and you're onto a winner. Get the wrong one and never go back.
Edit: When i went to Ternex, my first visit to a sawmill/lumberyard they couldn't have been more helpful even though they were busy. Young lad walked me round the yard, explained the drying processes for the oak, must have spent half hour walking round asking questions and having a nice chat. I was only pricing out a cutting list for an oak porch. Great experience and they have a customer for life because of it.
I have to say I always phone ahead and ask when is best to come and see them, they typically ask you to come when they are usually quiet, this allows them to spare you some time without it affecting their service of more 'valuable' customers.
Its the same for me at my work, if someone phones me and asks to come in then I can say when would be convenient and spend time with them without an issue.
However if someone shows up announced, I could well be in the middle of a production order that is on a deadline for an hours time with no time to spare, this is when it gets awkward because you simply cannot spend time talking to them when you have an order with a deadline and they are (at that point) only a potential customer not an actual customer. It will undoubtedly come across as rude when you explain you're can't talk to them right now because you are busy working on a job to meet a deadline.
Positive happy attitude and courtesy builds many bridges i've found.
Its the same for me at my work, if someone phones me and asks to come in then I can say when would be convenient and spend time with them without an issue.
However if someone shows up announced, I could well be in the middle of a production order that is on a deadline for an hours time with no time to spare, this is when it gets awkward because you simply cannot spend time talking to them when you have an order with a deadline and they are (at that point) only a potential customer not an actual customer. It will undoubtedly come across as rude when you explain you're can't talk to them right now because you are busy working on a job to meet a deadline.
Positive happy attitude and courtesy builds many bridges i've found.
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