Source for Lumber

I just moved into a new city and am sourcing places to purchase my lumber besides big box stores.
I figure this might be a good place for all of us in our different cities to post which lumber yards are a good place/friendly face/cheap price to purchase lumber. Lowes and Home Depot can be expensive and don't always have good stock. Let's help each other out when we find a good find.

In central Pennsylvania I used McCune Lumber. Decent prices, ships same day or next day, and the boards are pretty clean.

Over in Southern Ohio I'm using Adelman and Clark. A saw mill where you can get good rough cuts. You have to pick up yourself. But it's better than Lowes (if you have a planer.) But for quick basic construction I go back to Lowes.

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Finding good 1x3s that aren't airplane propellers or boomerangs is indeed a challenge. We've resorted to making our own from a 4x8 sheet of plywood and ripping it on the table saw. The Home Depot's in our town usually have (don't know why) a 'secret stash' of good plywood for around $34 sheet in a different part of the store from the rest of the plywood. It's sometimes poplar furniture grade, but it varies. Check around the pressure treated deck materials.
 
The secret of the big box stores is you need to get to know the commercial sales people, they are in a separate area at the back of the store and are usually more knowledgeable. Yes, the 1x stock up front are frequently picked over, but in the back where the builders buy, the stock is usually better. Yes, the locally owned stores can have better prices and service. Same with hardware stores and electrical supply houses.
 
In my experience, if Menards has popped up out there they're usually cheap enough to not suffer a huge loss over inconsistencies in their quality, and you can buy all your lumber during the 11% rebate sale, and deliver it in parts. Buy ahead!
 
For what its worth, we get fingerjoint for all our stick lumber. Since its manufactured its always straight and strong enough for theatrical use. Costs more than plain wood but my boss says its saved money in the long run because we don't have to pick through boards for straight ones or muck around with getting a flat square and straight with bendy wood.
 

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