A week ago, I placed an order with a www.dndhardwoodsonline.com (kind of redundant domain name, really) for some 1/16" hardwood veneers because the plywood I purchased from the same vendor was shipped quickly. Upon calling the vendor with some questions about my new order (like how to tell the difference between the woods), I learned that the hardwood order would take up to two weeks, and the owner seemed rude and unwilling to help with an order where he'd "only make a dollar or two."
Needless to say, I cancelled the order with D&D and placed a new, larger order with Ocooch Hardwoods, based in Wisconsin. I couldn't be happier.
I had no indication of how long it would take to ship my order, but the Ocooch website FAQ says most orders take 1-4 business days.
The company has a working telephone number, but apparently no one ever answers the phone, and most calls are only returned if a message is left. Not being one to leave voice messages, I emailed the day after placing the order, inquiring when to expect shipment. I received a reply that same day that the order had already been shipped!
There was a place to leave a note or message upon placing an order, and I asked that the woods be labeled so I could determine which one(s) to re-purchase, should I need more. Custom requests like this are a pain for businesses to act on, because they are easily overlooked. When I received my order, I quickly opened the box and was disappointed that, despite the excellent packaging and tight wrapping of the woods, I wasn't able to see any labels.
Then, I removed the plastic wrapping that was keeping everything tight together (to keep from warping), and discovered the printed labels on the back side of each wood species! I was thrilled! Now I can tell the difference between Hard Maple and Ash, and Aspen and Basswood (those were really tricky for me without labels).
The woods themselves, while I don't have much experience to compare them to anything really, appear to be well cut and sanded, with almost no knots or other imperfections.
I highly recommend Ocooch Hardwoods if anyone needs hardwood veneers. Other than not answering the phone, their service and products seem outstanding in every respect.
What am I going to do with the woods? Here's a preview, but only time will tell:
Edited by drtrmiller, January 13 2015 - 10:54 PM.
