Buying wood cheap for projects or Pens

If you havn't noticed wood is expensive. Here are a few tips on buying wood that have helped save me money.
1. Shorts - I buy from a company on the web called Wall lumber. They sell usp bundles which are 20bf feet and include shipping to my home. They also sell what they call shorts. They sell shorts in cherry, walnut, oak and maple. The shorts are boeard which range from 36" to 52" in lenght of random width. These are great for small projects and the cost is half the price of regular lumber.
2. Lumber grade - I sometimes buy number 2 grade instead of number one. The big difference is that number 2 will have a few knots ot sap wood. On some projects I can cut around that or may even built it into my project.
3. While shopping on ebay for lumber, which is the best place to buy reclaimed chestnut, one of my favorite woods. I can across a local cabinet shop selling cherry, at great prices. I bought some and now when in need of wood, i drive by the cabinet shop and see what they have to offer. Wood can be 60 % od regular pricing.
4. As you can tell , I do shop the internet for wood also. I use ebay, and other wood sources on the internet will offer deals from time to time.
5. Use a lower grade of lumber for hidden parts such as drawers or backs or framework. I often use popular for these parts instead of cherry or oak.
6. A local saw mill can be a source for cheap lumber also. Since you are buying wholesale and not retail. I even found one who through out the spalted lumber because it was no good for the flooring he was producing.
7. Pen makers can save a ton buy cutting there own blanks. Larger boards or scarps from your last project can be cut into pen blanks saving a lot or even getting them free.

BEWARE shopping at the local home store will cost you and is not the place to shop for lumber used in furniture or pen making. It is great for 2x4's buy try buying an oak board..wow
I do buy some ply wood there, which I use in the drawer bottoms.

One place I had yet to find saving is the pen blank market for stabilized woods. These are my favorite to turn but also are very expensive. If any one has a cheap source please let me know.
Please visit my website for more information http://nokeswoodworks.com