Replies

1. 
   Bioman | Jun 21, 2005 10:57pm | #1

   A trip out to the wife’s relatives in Indiana in the late 80's $3.50 bf; nearly killed the old Honda coming back with a large load on that trip.  I thought this was a good price, so it must have been more in NJ at the time.  In NJ in the 90’s I can remember paying 6-7$ bf; I just gave up using it at that point  Now that I am in Texas, I am finding a different situation locally 4-5 bf.  It has to relate to where you live as much as anything.  All references are to SAF.

1. 
   theoldman | Jun 22, 2005 12:10am | #3

   Paid 2.85 bdf last week for walnut in Clearspring,md.

2. 
   Midnight | Jun 21, 2005 10:59pm | #2

   quick......somebody GAG Frenchy....

    

   ;)

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   billballeza | Jun 22, 2005 05:10am | #7

   Yeah, Frenchy got friendly with a miller who had "tons" of black walnut. 

   Told him to back his old truck up to the #3 shed and load up with all he wanted for twenty bucks.

   Frenchy would have taken more but he doesn't have anyplace to store it.

1. 
   lumberjacksson | Jun 22, 2005 07:20am | #8

   Front tires pawing at the air...

3. 
   BoardmanWI | Jun 22, 2005 12:14am | #4

   Iowa produces some great walnut.  I got some 10/4 slabs this spring at

   http://hartzellwoodstock.bigstep.com/homepage.html

   But they don't always have it from what I hear.  Lime Springs in on the northern border of Iowa, roughly south of Rochester, MN.

    

    

4. 
   user-343246 | Jun 22, 2005 12:55am | #5

   My BIL has some dead walnut trees in his backyard. If I can convince him to call the electric company, they will cut them down for free. Then, I call a local guy to cut it up. 300 bf for about $200 and an afternoon of labor. Then, I have to let it dry for a year (the hard part).

   There's plenty of walnut out there. If you go to a lumber yard, you'll pay way too much - $7-8 bf. Call around to some tree services. You might get a deal. Paying $2 bf is not uncommon in lower Michigan, you just have to pony up and buy the whole tree!

   Matt

5. 
   GHR | Jun 22, 2005 01:31am | #6

   On page 4 of

   http://www.census.gov/industry/1/ma321t03.pdf

   the amount of walnut produced in the US is about 56,000,000 bdft.

   the amount of cherry produced in the US is about 215,000,000 bdft.

   Lots of wood out there.

   A lot of the people reporting low prices for wood are getting log run, narrow boards, or short logs.

   I am always happy to have lumber delivered to my shop for under $10/bdft.

1. 
   frenchy | Jun 22, 2005 05:59pm | #10

   GeorgeR,

     Some of my boards are 22 inches wide and the shortest is 8'6"  long..   (actually that's not the case now in that I'll save pieces down to about 3 or four feet long) 

    Yes I do have a number of 4 inch wide boards but I will be using them for flooring so that won't really bother me too much..   To be fair I buy mill run mostly and sometimes the pieces aren't that great I'd say maybe 5% can't be used effectively.  I do get burls and crotch wood plus I seem to be getting a lot of tigerstripe recently.   Sure there are knots and punk spots to deal with but I could sort all of the walnut into various grades and I bet at least 40% of it is FAS.

     The one really great thing about walnut is how tough it is.  I stored hard maple outside and lost at least 20% to mold damage. (anybody want a deal on spalted maple?)  I have yet to lose a single piece of walnut!

1. 
   Jellyrug | Jun 22, 2005 08:15pm | #11

   Frenchy,

   Do you get insect problems with the lumber you keep outside?

2. 
   GHR | Jun 23, 2005 05:18am | #12

   frenchy ---I am sure you are happy with the quality of wood you are purchasing. As well as the price.I figure my cost of wood includes transportation to my shop and all of the handling until I get pieces planed and sawn to rough size, and scrap removal. At my shop rate this cost amounts to about $5/bdft for FAS and $10/bdft for "log" run. I find paying a premium for high grade boards (I usually buy a whole log) and for good drying is worth a great deal.

6. 
   frenchy | Jun 22, 2005 05:47pm | #9

   Will George,

        Then I suppose I'll pizz you off if I tell you how many thousand bd.ft. of black walnut  I've purchased for 17 cents a bd.ft.

     Actually the currant price per bd.ft. is something closer to $1.65  but it's been as high as $1.85 recently..

     How do you get wood at those prices?    well call Johnson logging at 507-263- 5711 and ask for Connie or Dan or you could drive up here and get it yourself..

7. 
   Billgiblin | Jun 23, 2005 06:42am | #13

   There's a store run by habitat for humanity near me that sells donated stuff at really low prices. All the money goes to habitat projects and they dont pay anything themselves for the materials. I have gotten to know the manager and he tells me when a retiring ww'er is giving up all of his stock.

   I just bring wood up to the counter and someone makes up a price for me. The board feet thing gives me trouble, but I might pay $3 for a 8ft by 10 in wide by 3/4 thick. Half of the time (depending on who's at the counter, it's less than that.

   Just got about 20 BF for $10, all 5/4 rough stock. Nice stuff though. Might build a kids train table for a friend out of it.

1. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 23, 2005 08:31pm | #14

   Thanks all..

   I guess I need to move out of Chicago... Wood to expensive around here...