This is just a brief After Activity Report about the Woodworking Guild Field Trip this past Friday. Only a few of us managed to make it, but it was totally worth the trip. The main reason we went there was that Morikawa Rei mentioned that even though the price of construction lumber has gone up five-fold over the past year, woodworking lumber places like Woodcraft have not re-priced their stock. So, what looked like expensive specialty materials a year ago now looks like reasonably priced wood.
In addition to that, when Rei, Turlough Feolain, and I arrived on Friday; Woodcraft had just received a shipment of off-cuts that they were selling at a serious discount. They had a stock of rough cut cherry, maple, cypress, and oak boards, in 4/4 and 8/4 thickness for $5 and $10 each! Not very wide and most only ~3 feet long, but still.
Turlough was looking to make some tool handles, so the thick lumber was just perfect. Rei is planning to make some furniture, so being able to get more than enough furniture-grade lumber at a discount price was perfect. I bought some lumber, too, but I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do with it. I’ve been thinking of doing some turning.
Anyway, they probably still have a lot of that stuff left, so if you need nice lumber at a nice price, it’s worth the drive down to Canonsburg. Thanks for suggesting the field trip, Rei! I also spoke briefly to an employee, and they have a classroom there where we might be able to have meetings or workshops.
