BajaNomad - The lumber problem

The lumber problem

DianaT - 10-8-2007 at 11:08 PM

We needed 2 x 12 x 16 boards we were told. Our carpenter said we needed to go to Guerrero Negro, but we found the boards at Vizcaino. They said they were the sugar pine our carpenter wanted, but they were actually red pine, according to our carpenter. They were OK, but not as good as the sugar pine. We don't have a clue about the difference.

But our boards were at the bottom of the lumber pile and no amount of banging and pushing was going to release them from the pile; rearranging was needed.

Ah yes, relieve enough pressure and those boards can be freed---but opps, when they moved the pallet of cement bags to a new location, someone was not thinking well.

The one worker really smiled over the situation.

The fork lift had to return to the scene.

Just another interesting day

Diane and John

[Edited on 10-9-2007 by jdtrotter]

Iflyfish - 10-8-2007 at 11:41 PM

Great series of pics! My thigh is bruised from slapping it!

Iflyfish

Diver - 10-9-2007 at 07:03 AM

Ah Diane......
I can't wait to have the kind of "problems" you've been having !

DENNIS - 10-9-2007 at 07:49 AM

Sugar Pine isn't the best selection, although down south, it may be your only selection. It warps, splits and is rated near the bottom for strength. It's soft, best suited for cabnetry if nothing better is available. A better choice would be Hemlock Fir or Douglas Fir. They arn't readily available below the border but Ensenada has it in places. Home Dpo has Doug Fir. Expensive but, the best choice.
Sugar Pine has to be used as soon as possible when taken off of the stack. The weight of the stack is all that's keeping the boards from twisting. Cut it, nail it, bolt it quickly and it will work.

Diver - 10-9-2007 at 08:00 AM

The board in the close-up actually looks like #2 fir.
The grain looks like fir and it's not yellow or sappy like pine; actually a bit reddish.
?????????????????????????
.

Mexitron - 10-9-2007 at 08:16 AM

Some of the Southern Yellow Pine gets reddish. I've never seen Sugar Pine cut into 2x12--like Dennis said, its used mainly for window frames and cabinetry. Looks like fir to me too... and SYP(SE US) and Red Pine(NE US) are grown so far from Baja it would be pretty expensive. This is all assuming this isn't lumber cut somewhere in Mexico, though Douglas fir does grow in the Sierra Madre to some extent.

Al G - 10-9-2007 at 08:22 AM

I agree with Dennis to a certain point...depending on application.
Sugar Pine is a molding/cabinet wood, because of ease of machining. It is very soft and would not be my first choice except for Base mold and crown...never for door mold or EXTERIOR use. Great for fine cabinetry...not heavy use kitchen cabinets.
The pine in the photo is ponderosa pine...much more stable in use.
It is difficult to get straight "c" and better quality. It also requires a more quality skill level and knowledge to produce a stable product.
I have used it as supports in the 1000s and 1000s board feet.
As Dennis said keep them stable/clamped to stack until use...do not expose to sun for long.
What I fear is you buying in a 2X12"X16'...this size indicates exterior use...if so, you should be using Douglas fir
Edit: wrong Due/Do :lol:

[Edited on 10-9-2007 by Al G]

DianaT - 10-9-2007 at 09:09 AM

One of our favorite expressions these days regarding the building of our place is, "It is what it is." The materials available in Vizcaino are limited and the wood available is "what it is." We just smile and live with the differences. :yes:

Things like having the hot water heater the only grounded thing and limited electricity is interesting. We turn on the water heater and when the dimmed lights return to full light, we know the water is hot.

The wood is for the front door frame. Our carpenter made us a new solid core door out of sugar pine, and it is his wood of choice----"It is what it is".

Thanks for all the wood advice and education, but we think that rather than dragging materials down, and rebuilding our house, we will live with our new philosophy. :lol:

We just had fun at the lumber yard.

Diane and John

Al G - 10-9-2007 at 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jdtrotter
One of our favorite expressions these days regarding the building of our place is, "It is what it is." The materials available in Vizcaino are limited and the wood available is "what it is." We just smile and live with the differences. :yes:

We just had fun at the lumber yard.

Diane and John

Diane...I understand you completely...My suggestion is to back prime even if there is no chance of exposure. The top and bottom of your new door should have two coats of primer/paint even if you stain and clear coat the faces...do not use clear on top and bottom.
The "red pine" is OK for a door frame...much better then white/sugar pine... will be a different color though if stained.
If clear coat...use 6 coats (each fully cured)of polyurethane/varnish or 6 coats min. clear latex. The number of coats will make the pine as surface hard as Douglas fir...kissing cousin of ponderosa pine.
If this is more info then you want...no porblema....
Remember in the environment you are in all wood...all wood...must be painted on ALL surfaces when used as exterior trim.
If you are past this point...oh-well...as you say "it is what it is", but maybe it will help someone else.

DianaT - 10-9-2007 at 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Al G
Diane...I understand you completely...My suggestion is to back prime even if there is no chance of exposure. The top and bottom of your new door should have two coats of primer/paint even if you stain and clear coat the faces...do not use clear on top and bottom.
The "red pine" is OK for a door frame...much better then white/sugar pine... will be a different color though if stained.
If clear coat...use 6 coats (each fully cured)of polyurethane/varnish or 6 coats min. clear latex. The number of coats will make the pine as surface hard as Douglas fir...kissing cousin of ponderosa pine.
If this is more info then you want...no porblema....
Remember in the environment you are in all wood...all wood...must be painted on ALL surfaces when used as exterior trim.
If you are past this point...oh-well...as you say "it is what it is", but maybe it will help someone else.

Never too much information----always appreciate learning, keeps the mold off the old brain. :yes:

Diane

DENNIS - 10-9-2007 at 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Al G

What I fear is you buying in a 2X12"X16'...this size indicates exterior use...if so, you should be using Douglas fir.

My guess is joisting. Thanks Al, for your expertise. All builders should have the benefit of your advice.

Diane.... It's all good. It'll get built. I remember the days when this discussion would have been unheard of. Wood was wood. Your house will be better than perfect. Consider thick sound insulation 'cause I'm ordering new drums. Much larger and enjoyable.

Taking Lumber Across the Border

Roasty - 10-9-2007 at 02:27 PM

Anybody tried it lately ? Since they clamped down on lumber imports ?
It was OK until May - I think, but then was told that they were turning you back if you declared it.
Some kind of retaliation against the need to fumigate imported lumber into the USA.
I am in the middle of building at the casa and want the good quality USA stuff !

it is what it is

sylens - 10-9-2007 at 03:25 PM

yeah. good mantra.

spanish "ni modo" works well too. i taught my husband the expression; he is teaching me to "mean" it. :lol:

ni modo. oh well...

DENNIS - 10-9-2007 at 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roasty
Anybody tried it lately ? Since they clamped down on lumber imports ?

Yes. They're going to ram it up your culo on duty. They're rightously protecting their material yard industry that has paid the duty to import lumber. Those days of bringing down a house in pieces are over. Just buy it here. It wont be that much more, probably cheaper when you consider the pain in the butt dragging it all down here.

BajaWarrior - 10-9-2007 at 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roasty
Anybody tried it lately ? Since they clamped down on lumber imports ?
It was OK until May - I think, but then was told that they were turning you back if you declared it.
Some kind of retaliation against the need to fumigate imported lumber into the USA.
I am in the middle of building at the casa and want the good quality USA stuff !

No problem with lumber or any materials, just go to Declaration, present your reciept, (not even the one from the store, just a manifest with values) pay duty of about 17%, your outa there.

Waiting to hear from BMG as they crossed into Baja with a load of goodies in an enclosed trailer.

We are in the process of building, this is what we have brought across the border so far:

Floor joist for a 1500 sq. ft. home
Sheeting for floor and roof
Roofing materials
9 Doors and 17 windows
All framing material
Beams and rafters for decks, roof, and patio's
A 20' flatbed trailer full of all the furniture for the house in one shot.
Kitchen and Bath cabinets and counters
90 sheets of drywall plus mud and corners
1700 sq. ft. of Tile
Toilets and sinks

All legally through the Declaration Lane.

Declaring Lumber

Roasty - 10-10-2007 at 10:19 AM

I've always gone thru the customs lane and declared it, but I was told that they are playing hard-ball on lumber and refusing to let you through with it unless you have some kind of fumigation document. Purely as retaliation to the USA doing the same going the other way.
So what I am hearing now then is that it is back to normal? Just drive thru and declare it and pay the 17% - right ?

BajaWarrior - 10-10-2007 at 03:07 PM

Roasty, yes.

We brought at Labor Day:

All Doug Fir

20@20'
60@16'
80@12'
80@10'

Gadget - 1-4-2008 at 10:46 PM

Thats a stack of Doug Fir 2x or I'm blind after 30 years of eye balling framing lumber. The locals call it sugar pine because it's so much more "sappy" than pine. I can't imagine the origin of that wood is any where other than the Pacific Northwest and that means pine for trim and mouldings with nothing milled much bigger than 1x dimensions and Fir for 2x and up framing lumber.

Wish I was having your issues and or fun, John and Diane.

DianaT - 1-5-2008 at 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gadget
Thats a stack of Doug Fir 2x or I'm blind after 30 years of eye balling framing lumber. The locals call it sugar pine because it's so much more "sappy" than pine. I can't imagine the origin of that wood is any where other than the Pacific Northwest and that means pine for trim and mouldings with nothing milled much bigger than 1x dimensions and Fir for 2x and up framing lumber.

Wish I was having your issues and or fun, John and Diane.

Whatever the wood is, it is now happily framing our new door---and we are having a great time even though our first guest in our guest room had to go one day without a toliet seat because we could not find one. :lol:

Diane

DENNIS - 1-5-2008 at 07:02 PM

Quote:

You're blind. They arn't getting Doug Fir in Asunción. Look at the ends of the stack of lumber up on the forklift. Sugar pine is a species of pine, not a sappy charachteristic. It's the tallest of the pines and one of the most limited in construction quality. Very common as an export to Mexico. One dollar per board foot has been the price for a long time, same as the states.

I love exhumed threads.

amir - 1-5-2008 at 09:29 PM

All termite food in a humid oasis by the ocean in Todos Santos...

Gadget - 1-5-2008 at 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Why are we looking at the painted ends of a unit of lumber that is being moved and not the close up side view of the yard guy in the red shirt. Isn't that the material John is buying? That side grain sure looks like Doug Fir to me.
But I could still be blind, stupid or worse for putting in my 2 cents on an otherwise pointless debate. :rolleyes:

DENNIS - 1-6-2008 at 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gadget
Why are we looking at the painted ends of a unit of lumber that is being moved and not the close up side view of the yard guy in the red shirt. Isn't that the material John is buying? That side grain sure looks like Doug Fir to me.
But I could still be blind, stupid or worse for putting in my 2 cents on an otherwise pointless debate. :rolleyes:

You're right Gadget.....It is kind of pointless but, I don't see any painted ends. The lumber, I believe, is Hemlock Fir. The grain is similiar to Doug Fir and the quality isn't far behind. I'm building a framed house and am familiar with what's available here. It wasn't till Home Depot came to town that Doug Fir was available. Too expensive for the locals.
Anyway, lumber is now available here. That's good because I can remember when it wasn't.

Pescador - 1-9-2008 at 08:12 AM

As my good friend said the other day, "Todo es carnada por las Termitas."