Help with mill order

Tom Best wrote:
>I think the specifications for the quote should be:
>
>4/4 tongue and groove SYP

Be specific and spec the final finish thickness and width.
Be even more specific and have them bid from a drawing.

>10 foot length

This will probably drive the price up. Ask for random
lengths and install the flooring like "normal" flooring.

>No. 1 grade

This will keep the price up. You might be surprised to find
No. 2 is better if the knots are sound. You might also find
that even after all the cutting around unsound knots the
price makes using it very attractive.

>Did I miss something? Any help appreciated.

Be specific. As you have it now there is nothing to tell
the bidder what it is you want. There is a chance he'll bid
what he thinks you want and then the real pissing match
begins. I am in the architectural wooddorking business. I
see this every day.

UA100

On 7 Feb 2004 12:29:24 -0800, [email protected] (Tom Best) wrote:

>I would appreciate some help with an order I want to place with a wood
>mill.
>
>I am trying to get about 500 square feet of pine tongue and groove
>planks, one inch thick, relatively free from open knotholes and bark
>to use as flooring in my woodworking shop. I want the top edges of
>the planks to be square (not beleved). I don't know if I need the
>bottom routed for stress relief. I don't think I need exclusively
>quartersawn, just a random selection of board grain.
>
>I've had some bad experiences ordering sheetmetal when I ordered using
>"guage" as the unit of measure (now I know to use decimal inches for
>the specs) and want to avoid similar problems here.
>
>My primary goal is not to look stupid. My other goal is to get several
>quotes for the same lumber and acutally receive what I am looking for
>when I go to pick it up.
>
>I think the specifications for the quote should be:
>
>4/4 tongue and groove SYP

this will get you material that nets 3/4" thick



>10 foot length
>No. 1 grade
if you can tolerate a few knots you might look into no. 2 and better.



>
>Did I miss something? Any help appreciated.

make sure you talk to an actual person about what each quote really
specifies. stuff like the top not being bevelled and how much
surfacing is done, what moisture content the wood is- these matter to
you and may slip past the person preparing the quote sheet.


>
>Thanks
>Tom