# My Fellow Cheapskates...



## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

I had a moment of epic thriftiness yesterday. I went to Lowes for lumber and foamboard. I got 3/4" MDF and 2x4 for framing and then cruised down the insulation isle. The $26 price tag froze me in my tracks (I only wanted a very small piece). A young man came by and asked if I needed help. I cried about the price. He then flipped all the way to the back of the stack and pulled out a 4x8 sheet of the 2" foamboard that had been lightly damaged by the forklift. "I'll sell you this one for $3."

I like that guy...


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

nice!! got to love them forklifts


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Sadly, the attitude here is to run it into the compactor rather than give a customer a price break. On the other hand when they have clearance on tools they almost give them away.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

HD and Lowes both have "cull" pieces that they sell around 80% off. I've gotten that deal as well. You can find the same thing in their large sheets of drywall.

FYI....1x4 works fine for benchwork.....2x4 is overkill (Just my opinion, but another way to save money)


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## manchesterjim (Dec 30, 2011)

JackC said:


> Sadly, the attitude here is to run it into the compactor rather than give a customer a price break.


Sadly Jack I see that here as well. I think its more of a North Eastern US thing really. (having lived pretty much all over the country I feel I'm qualified to make these little UN-scientific observations) 



sstlaure said:


> FYI....1x4 works fine for benchwork.....2x4 is overkill (Just my opinion, but another way to save money)


1x4 works great! The 2" foam board (the DOW board) is a true 2 inches. So after I get the 1x4 frame built, I'll put 1x2 bracing along the bottom edges. (2 inch side up which is really 1.5"). that and the 2" foam give me the 3.5" height that a 1x4" REALLY is! 

 Someday I'll have to research why it is that lumber dimensions are always shorter than their actual trade names!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Forget how the dimensions of how a 2x is constantly shrinking. I know doug fir, plain fir, spruce and good ol' American pine. So what's this "white wood" they're now selling?


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## manchesterjim (Dec 30, 2011)

JackC said:


> Forget how the dimensions of how a 2x is constantly shrinking. I know doug fir, plain fir, spruce and good ol' American pine. So what's this "white wood" they're now selling?


I think it may be a product brought to us be aliens....


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

nice deal on foam  i got some as well like this

yeah the dimension of lumber debacle is strange. but for now I have a good supply of old lumber for projects - most of the wood from the parents old roof was salvaged. and that 50 year old pine lumber is something, aged and hardened. it seems my saw cries every time it has to cut it


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*my fellow cheapskates*

To tdeuwaite: Dont be crying, at least you can get the 2" foam board, I have been embroiled in a battle with HOME DEPOT< LOWES< and 2 other lesser known big box stores here in oklahoma over the foam board. They all show it on their web site, at a reasonable price, but not on the shelf!! average 13- 15 bucks a sheet. all gave the same answer, will be glad to order it for you, but you must buy 48 sheets minimum at 45.00 per sheet plus shipping. I cant even get scraps of lesser thivkness they dont carry any story is if hey break say a corner off they throw the whole sheet in trash, not worth their time to fool with it So looking like, nearest location may be dallas texas, 160 miles from me!! My cousin who is in oil field bussiness near dallas is trying to locate some as he is in dallas 2 or 3times a month picking up supplies and said he would arrange a meet half way if hecan get hands on it.He does run up in your area on rare occasion, to service drilling rigs, so glad to know if up there he can grab me some!! I envy all of you who can get what you need!! I live in the bad lands of oklahoma, and the stage coach wont bring it!!


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## Ed Gerken (Jan 23, 2012)

Are there any construction sites nearby? Might not hurt to ask as they have little use for small waste sections. It's too much trouble to seal the gaps to be worth using in a building.

How about that green porous stuff that florists and dried flower people use to poke stems into to make arrangements? Hobby Lobby or a craft store might carry such an item.

No Mom & Pop hardware stores? Ours keeps any offcuts from when somebody only needs a half sheet or doesn't have a way to cut the size they need themselves, so the store keeps the remainder in a bin you can pick and choose from.

What size and thickness are you hoping to find? Can you rejoin smaller pieces to work?

I am so cheap I can squeeze a penny till it hollers "nickle!" 

-Ed


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## manchesterjim (Dec 30, 2011)

gandy dancer#1 said:


> I have been embroiled in a battle with HOME DEPOT< LOWES< and 2 other lesser known big box stores here in oklahoma over the foam board. They all show it on their web site, at a reasonable price, but not on the shelf!!





Ed Gerken said:


> Are there any construction sites nearby? Might not hurt to ask as they have little use for small waste sections.


Have you guys looked at the smaller, non-chain building suppliers? We have one around the corner from here that still has a drive-through lumber yard. They also carry DOW board in varying thickness, at a reasonable price. :thumbsup:


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*my cheap skate friends*

Evening to: ED & ManchesterRead your responses, To ed I talked to local florist here we are a small town she showed me what they use, and if you atempt to cut it goes into a sandy granular looking stuff, they buy in blocks, no 4x8 sheets listed in her supply catalouge. Even called some large home contractors at lawton, and okc and they said they dont use it in this area one reason is cost they were quoted some high prices like I was. One big contractor in okc told me he could have the purple spray foam put through out a big house cheaper We havein oklahoma, Lowes, Hd, McCoys, Fox, Sutherlands, Ace, None carry the foam board, or if will order I am looking at minimum oder of 48 sheets plus 45 to 50 bucks a sheet I have an independent old family lumber yard 40 miles to the north of me at Hobart, ok, have to go pay taxes at cnty seat there tomorrow , will chk there by off chance fluke. At this time, my operation at stand still till come up with something else!!


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## TulsaFlyer (Sep 21, 2009)

gandy dancer#1 said:


> Evening to: ED & ManchesterRead your responses, To ed I talked to local florist here we are a small town she showed me what they use, and if you atempt to cut it goes into a sandy granular looking stuff, they buy in blocks, no 4x8 sheets listed in her supply catalouge. Even called some large home contractors at lawton, and okc and they said they dont use it in this area one reason is cost they were quoted some high prices like I was. One big contractor in okc told me he could have the purple spray foam put through out a big house cheaper We havein oklahoma, Lowes, Hd, McCoys, Fox, Sutherlands, Ace, None carry the foam board, or if will order I am looking at minimum oder of 48 sheets plus 45 to 50 bucks a sheet I have an independent old family lumber yard 40 miles to the north of me at Hobart, ok, have to go pay taxes at cnty seat there tomorrow , will chk there by off chance fluke. At this time, my operation at stand still till come up with something else!!


I'd be interested in what you find out in Hobart. I can't even get the 2" thick stuff here in Tulsa. 1/2" to 1", no problem.
I did manage to get 2 sheets of 1-1/2" when they redid part of the roof at work. Couldn't seem to get them to remember where they got it.

A number of years ago when I was running a CNC router, I used to cut some customer supplied 6" thick stuff. I would love to get ahold of some of that!!


Jody


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## manchesterjim (Dec 30, 2011)

gandy dancer#1 said:


> I have an independent old family lumber yard 40 miles to the north of me at Hobart, ok,


Some people refer to it by the manufacturer name.....around here its commonly called "DOW Board".


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*my cheap skate friends*

Hey Jody: I will let you know what i find out, Also Dow produces the blue , owens corning does it in pink, same stuff either one. I posted also my cousin is looking in denton area and fort worth, we might get lucky and i will keep you in mind, as he has come upwith stuff inpast that you couldnt get anywhere else,he travesl quite a bit, and is in and out of towns all across texasand has connections in the oil industry,he and his son own big welding and mobile repair and construction co in texas servicing all the majorplayersin the oil drilling bussiness. He was somewhere up close to you last week hot shoted some kind of high dollar pump overnight that they sold to exon drilling and to replace one went bad in middle of the night!! So got my fingers crossed he will find the board somewhere. and at reasonable price, if so and you need some maybe we can hookup save you some money, andwe can maybe meet half way, save fuel on bothof us


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks guys,

All great ways to scrounge...I mean 'save'...Scott, 1x is good for table legs. I am making a pedestrian crossing for my floor rig...











































My lovely assistant load-tests my setup.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

I plan to use my 2" foam for contouring. I want to paint a divided highway down the middle then build dioramas down both sides and maybe an electric armadillo dodging the cars.


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## manchesterjim (Dec 30, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> and maybe an electric armadillo dodging the cars.


:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Sadly....after living in the area of Houston, TX for several years, I'm have to say that I've only seen on _LIVING_ Armadillo in the wild!

All the others I've seen were road-pizza!


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

"White Pine" is treated differently than from the normal 2x's and 1x's. Cheaper and whats used in walls and other building framing. Its lighter than the other kind once it fully dries out.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

I got stud grade of what Justin Wilson used to call "Twice by fours." They were $1.49 and I used 3. Instead of MDF I got particle board for half the cost, $10, and the cuts were free. I painted the top flat white and the bottom flat black. I keep buckets of those around. I also had some leftover green felt that I padded all my joists with so that I could set it on carpet or hardewood floors. I have about $25 in the whole thing so it's a throw away after we have a couple years of fun with it. Now I'm going to go look for cheap beer and pop for the party tomorrow...well, maybe not cheap beer...

Richard


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Tyco,
Does it meet building codes there? I know Fla has some tough requirements.


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2012)

Not yet. We're in a respectable neighborhood, but not far away, you might see problems like this...


*HOW TO IDENTIFY A METH LAB:*



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