The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Bed Wood comparison

The cost of oak bed wood varies a lot by supplier. Anyone seen both Mar-K and Jim Carter wood? If so, was there a big difference in quality? Anyone have a favorite source?

I just got pine for mine. That was what alot of the old ones had origninally --or so I read. maybe the pine was better back then--old growth--but I figure it is good enough. Especially for the amount of use it is going to get in the future

I've made boards for a couple beds in my cabinet shop. the rough oak cost. 5' x 7'= 35 BF at 2 bucks a ft. for #1 com.= $70 and around 1 hour labor. even if they charge you 100 an hour. I think thats cheaper. and you don't have to pay shipping. You might check a shop or two in your area.

The original boards were pine BUT they were "hard yellow pine" which is pretty hard to find now.

I've just removed the rotten pine boards and band sawed all the
rusted bolts on my 59. Ordered a set of stainless steel strips.
I had a bunch of 1x10 cypress in my shop attic for a year now and
have started cutting a routing the edges. This has been one bad
job. It's a two man job ....Good luck.
pete

I just cut them on the tablesaw, it was not a big deal. One cut over around 3/8 and 1/4 deep on the face, then put the face of the board aginst the fence and the blade set aginst the fence and 1/4 high, and your done. A router would be harder to do it with for sure.

I picked up some dressed ( S4S ) red oak at local finishing store. Was able to sort pile and select good looking grain. Used a table saw to groove edges. Take your time / maybe have a buddy to help guide the planks thru the saw. Worked great for me / cost around $ 115.00.

I bought a complete set already cut on Ebay for $270 delivered in Oak for my 3/4 ton. Pricing the same locally it was $450 roughed. Take a look on there first some of the vendors even offer the Yellow Pine down south.

I have $178 in my bed made out of Purpleheart and Cherry, much cheaper than buying from a company. They even let me rough cut the dimensions at the lumber yard, as long as I left at least a 3foot board for them to sell. You can see pics on my site of the bed. Cherry and purpleheart are more expensive than oak.
Coach Frank

Now cherry is beautiful wood and good if you keep the truck garaged. 70 year old Cypress I have always thought was tough wood however an old wood floor man told me the other day that today's cypress is not as durable as cypress was years ago because all the old cypress is gone. It was his opinion that a wood from South and Central America we call Iron Wood is the hardest and most durable. I've had statues carved in Mexico in Iron Wood and it is really tough stuff.
My bed just came in from Mar-K on Thursday with oak wood. It was eaiser and quicker to get the truck on the road after 4 years.

Now cherry is beautiful wood and good if you keep the truck garaged. 70 year old Cypress I have always thought was tough wood however an old wood floor man told me the other day that today's cypress is not as durable as cypress was years ago because all the old cypress is gone. It was his opinion that a wood from South and Central America we call Iron Wood is the hardest and most durable. I've had statues carved in Mexico in Iron Wood and it is really tough stuff.
My bed just came in from Mar-K on Thursday with oak wood. It was eaiser and quicker to get the truck on the road after 4 years.