I'm planning to make 2 or 3 bookcases. I would really like to make them out
of Cherry but the plans call for 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood (both sides
visible), 35 board feet of 4/4, and 1 sheet of 1/4 plywood (1 side visible).

So far I've seen prices of the 3/4" Cherry plywood at around $96 and 4/4
lumber running at around $4.50 per board foot. At these prices, it'll cost
me almost $400 apiece just for the wood! This is in east central Iowa. Most
of the stuff I've built lately has been out of oak. Have I just had my head
under a rock or is Cherry this expensive everywhere else too? Walnut plywood
is about the same price although the lumber is around $4.00/bf.

Kevin