Home Depot gives away free tropical hardwood! After a couple of years of this, I guess I should pass my secret on –
Home Depot gets their 4X8′ sheets of Masonite/Hardboard/Pegboard (6 SKUs) from Brazil. The full size pallets are, you guessed it, invariably Jatoba. I have verified this from Berkley, CA to Atlanta, GA to Arlington, VA.
The trick of course, is to get there just as the last sheets are purchased – the hardboard is too flimsy to straddle the rack stanchions, so it has to stay on the pallet on the rack till the end. HD has no interest, but the guys on the floor are glad for you to haul them away (they’re sometimes 80-90 lbs). At my local store, I can sometimes get a call from a guy or have the pallets held a day or so before they’re broken up and crushed.
I have literally gotten hundreds of pounds of the stuff! Usually a pallet consists of (5) 1 X 6 X 8′, (2) 1 X 2 X 8′, and (4) 3 X 4 X 4′ pieces. They seem to be nailed green, and the nails will not reliably come out.
But, I get small boxes, turning blanks, inlay and accents, mirror and picture frames, medicine cabinets, anything that’s about 2′ or less in clear length.
FOR FREE!
Also, some HDs carry or carried “Golden Virola” cabinet plywood that comes on a pallet of very hard, pinkish wood – use carbide planer blades if you find it.
Forrest McCanless
Replies
I think I've posted this before but if you havent read it......I go to major suppliers of granite and marble......Comes in from the rainforest areas of Brazil.....etc etc,,,,,the pallets and 4x4's under them are the most intense pieces of lumber you ever saw...to be resawn...lol.......I loaded up my basement only to dump most of it (see the thread I started about getting rid of shi~t in your shop.....) Thats the very best place to get exotic wood for free....Yeh..like I have the friggin time to resaw wood to make damn pens.......OK OK..with my Co. name burnt in.....that'll be the day....Sure I'll be dead and burnt before I see the day I have time for a "hobby"......lol
Be well
Namaste
Andy
It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Andy, I just checked out your website for the first time...nice. If I lived near you ,you wouldnt have to throw any of the wood out. I would liberate it for ya.... Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
Ron.....Thanks.....Really wasnt all that much wood I dumped....after all over 20 something years bits of molding just get in the way at a point but I'd loved to given it to you......I really couldnt be bothered trying to find takers...If I did most of it would probably still be sitting here all over the place....More to come where thatcame from I'm sure. My newest project I'm sure will warrant a newly stocked bits and pieces area to the dirt floor basement.
Thanks again for website compliment.....
BE well
Namaste
AndyIt's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I once read somewhere (FWW?) that Kubota tractors come in crates made of some tropical hardwood.
T
Do not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
My town has a big Komatsu and giant Sun Kyonh plant. During construction, we all got all the (cheap, luan) mahogony we could stand. A friend has an entire wooden dining room (walls and ceiling + framing) of the stuff. It's not strong, but has a clear fine grain.