On Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:10:15 -0400, Jack wrote:
that same board should cost $1.39 in 2010, the last year they had, so
it's even better than that. And yes, the quality of the wood is the
same or better than what I got in 1978.

That's garbage Jack and you know it. The cheap wood in 1978 was
essentially straight grained and mostly knot free. The cheap crap
you're comparing to these days is full of knots and you can't find
straight grain if your life depended on it. *That's* what I mean when
I mention quality.

And, your example of Home Depot also falls short. Board width has
diminished at HD. Doesn't matter how much you're willing to pay for
it. If you wanted to make a table out of hardwood with HD wood, you'd
be joining a larger number of pieces of hard wood. I can remember 8"
hard wood availability at HD. You can't find it now because it costs
too damned much and isn't a customer demanded product because of that
high cost.

I used to buy hard wood oak veneered plywood at Home Depot. I stopped
doing that four or five years ago because I realized the veneered
plywood they were stocking had a thinner veneered oak layer on it. So
thin in fact, that you have to be extra careful you don't sand through
it. It effect, it's cheap and not worth the money being asked for it.
Slice it up anyway you want, HD exists on the cheap end of the
spectrum and has always done so. Just, that they do it even more now.