The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Wood in CA

I ordered a set of bed wood from a major vendor. It arrived timely but was crap wood. Every single piece had different grain, color (even some grey rot wood). I will not use it in my truck.
I have bought from Mar-K twice before and was very happy with it. But is has been a couple of years and now they want $200 to ship to CA. For a long bed and I understand it is heavy, but not $200. The previous vendor shipped a full set 1/2 way across the country for $80. I have air freighted a motor cross country for $250.
So my question is does anyone know which vendors have good quality wood kits ? I want predrilled and a few don't sell it this way.

I'd sure start by getting a refund or replacement from the vendor, at least for anything with rot ... OTOH, the beds on these trucks were painted, maybe your expectations re grain & color aren't realistic, grain matching is a fine woodworking thing - Mar-K occasionally has 'free freight' sales, if you can wait, they're the only place I'd recommend - alternatively there are vendors in CA where you may be able to actually go and see what they have before you buy, and maybe you could inquire where their wood kits come from, likely some source it from Mar-K

Bill

Why not get some planks from a lumber yard and make your own? (I don't know where in CA). Fairly easy. Just need wood, and a table saw and a sander!

Calculate the widths, cut to width and length, mill the grooves for the bed strips, cut to fit wheel wells, drill holes for all bolts and washers and finally sand and apply finish!

My wife has an online vintage/art shop and the one thing that has happened this year is that the shipping vendors have changed the way they price things. She shipped a chair to Washington state [it was small and lightweight as chairs go] and the shipping was $275! We were told that size, these days, means more than weight sometimes. ami dos centavos
lane

Decided to bite the bullet and order from Mar-K as I have had good luck from them on a 46 bed I did. Shipping was miraculously $100 cheaper. Back to what I felt was reasonable. So I ordered it.

I used to do wood work and could do this project easily. But once I got into old trucks my table saw is buried so deep under my house covered in truck parts it would have taken me a week just to clear a path.

that's funny Brian ..... I have the same problem [in re: truck parts covering everything else!]
lane

Got the wood from Mar K. Quality was excellent as it has been in the past. Fit perfect, beautiful matching grain.

Just picked up a very nice 1937 and will be ordering a complete new bed from mar K.