Save Money on Woodworking Materials

Let's face it: woodworking tools, wood stock, fasteners, accessories and everything else associated with the craft can be somewhat expensive.

The good news is, it doesn't have to be. For instance, I've purchased plenty of tools at a discount off of retail price: floor models, discontinued tools, garage sales, classified ads, you name it, I've probably at least considered it.

Woodworking materials can be found in much the same way. I've seen plenty of top-notch woodworking materials available at a discount in online classifieds. Sometimes you can save money on stock by buying directly from the mill or by working a deal with a local logger who owns his own portable sawmill.

Another good source of woodworking materials is recycling. Whenever you see a business, home, farm or ranch that is obviously going through some remodeling, don't be afraid to stop by and introduce yourself to the general contractor. You may be able to work a deal where materials that are being removed from the building (and were going to be trashed) could end up in the bed of your pickup. While it may take some effort to recondition the stock into a usable form, it is often worth the trouble.

Looking for more money-saving ideas? Read Save Money on Woodworking Materials. In this article, we discuss a number of different ideas for recycling wood stock.

Yes, woodworking can be expensive, but fortunately, it doesn't have to be.

(c) 2008 Chris Baylor licensed to About.com, Inc.