I just bought 15 Oak boards that are 10 feet long, 1 inch thick, and range
from 5 to 8 inches wide. The boards are clear and have no knots in them.
These boards are planed down. The edges will have to be joined to get the
roughness off. They are not quarter sawn, but they are very clear and look
beautiful. The price I paid to a man who was clearing his garage out was
$150.00. The question I have is did I get a bargain or did I pay him what
they were worth? I am just getting into woodworking and I have no idea what
wood is worth, that's why I am asking. He also had a lot of 10 to 12 inch
Cherry and Butternut that was 10 to 12 foot long. He was asking 3.50 a board
foot. Thanks for your opinions on what I bought.

Dave wrote:

I just bought 15 Oak boards that are 10 feet long, 1 inch thick, and range
from 5 to 8 inches wide. The boards are clear and have no knots in them.
These boards are planed down. The edges will have to be joined to get the
roughness off. They are not quarter sawn, but they are very clear and look
beautiful. The price I paid to a man who was clearing his garage out was
$150.00. The question I have is did I get a bargain or did I pay him what
they were worth? I am just getting into woodworking and I have no idea what
wood is worth, that's why I am asking. He also had a lot of 10 to 12 inch
Cherry and Butternut that was 10 to 12 foot long. He was asking 3.50 a board
foot. Thanks for your opinions on what I bought.

So you got something between (6"/12" to 8"/12") x 1" x 10' -- 5 to
6-2/3 bd-ft/board for a total of between 75 to 100 bd-ft. That's
between $1.50 and $2 per bd-ft for clear oak--almost a gloat. You did
good.

The pricing is certainly reasonable for cherry and butternut as
well---probably far better than what you could get at any local retailer
although you don't give any clue as to where you might be.

6" x 10' x 15 is

..5 x 10 x 15 = 75 board feet.

$2/bf

If that was 4/5 stock planed to get 1" finish add another 20%

For my neck of the woods, that's a below (my) fair market value, a good
deal, not stellar, but good.

Wood pricing is very regional thing.

Here is what I pay in northern NY:

http://www.saranachollow.com/hardwood_price.htm

It should give you at least one reference point.

"Dave" wrote in message
news:QFsaf.537233$xm3.109071@attbi_s21...
I just bought 15 Oak boards that are 10 feet long, 1 inch thick, and range
from 5 to 8 inches wide. The boards are clear and have no knots in them.
These boards are planed down. The edges will have to be joined to get the
roughness off. They are not quarter sawn, but they are very clear and look
beautiful. The price I paid to a man who was clearing his garage out was
$150.00. The question I have is did I get a bargain or did I pay him what
they were worth? I am just getting into woodworking and I have no idea
what
wood is worth, that's why I am asking. He also had a lot of 10 to 12 inch
Cherry and Butternut that was 10 to 12 foot long. He was asking 3.50 a
board
foot. Thanks for your opinions on what I bought.

Stephen M wrote:

6" x 10' x 15 is

.5 x 10 x 15 = 75 board feet.

$2/bf

If that was 4/5 stock planed to get 1" finish add another 20%
....

Typo -- 4/5 was intended to be 5/4.

To OP, hardwood is sized thickness-wise in quarters of an inch so 5/4
(pronounced "five-quarter") stock would have been 1-1/4" roughsawn.
Similarly, 2" stock would be referred to as 8/4, not 2". This even goes
to simple things like 1" stock which most would refer to as 4/4 in
hardwood lumber supplies or mills.

And, just in case you don't know and don't follow what Stephen and I
have done, the definition of a board foot is a volume measure defined as
1" thick by 1' wide by 1' long.

Was thinking I probably should've added this to my earlier post, so I'll
take the opportunity here...

Stephen

Since you know this fella, maybe you can tell us what one of the furniture
items #5 is:

http://www.saranachollow.com/furniture.htm#

Second row, first item, If it's not just an art item, what function does
this piece of furniture fulfill?

Here's another upstate reference for you. Kiln dried on the premises
guaranteed 6-8% max.
http://www.lakeshorehardwoods.com/Products.htm

Bob S.



"Stephen M" wrote in message
...
6" x 10' x 15 is

.5 x 10 x 15 = 75 board feet.

$2/bf

If that was 4/5 stock planed to get 1" finish add another 20%

For my neck of the woods, that's a below (my) fair market value, a good
deal, not stellar, but good.

Wood pricing is very regional thing.

Here is what I pay in northern NY:

http://www.saranachollow.com/hardwood_price.htm

It should give you at least one reference point.

"Dave" wrote in message
news:QFsaf.537233$xm3.109071@attbi_s21...
I just bought 15 Oak boards that are 10 feet long, 1 inch thick, and
range
from 5 to 8 inches wide. The boards are clear and have no knots in them.
These boards are planed down. The edges will have to be joined to get the
roughness off. They are not quarter sawn, but they are very clear and
look
beautiful. The price I paid to a man who was clearing his garage out was
$150.00. The question I have is did I get a bargain or did I pay him what
they were worth? I am just getting into woodworking and I have no idea
what
wood is worth, that's why I am asking. He also had a lot of 10 to 12
inch
Cherry and Butternut that was 10 to 12 foot long. He was asking 3.50 a
board
foot. Thanks for your opinions on what I bought.

Wood pricing is very regional thing.

Here is what I pay in northern NY:

http://www.saranachollow.com/hardwood_price.htm

You can save a 15% by coming out to Western NY.
http://www.dansvilledimension.com/lumber.html

Wood pricing is very regional thing.

Here is what I pay in northern NY:

http://www.saranachollow.com/hardwood_price.htm

You can save a 15% by coming out to Western NY.
http://www.dansvilledimension.com/lumber.html

I've been to Buffalo 6 times. The people are nice, but it'sone of the few
places that actually has worse weather than I currently endure ;-)

My guy is by no means cheap. He is a decent fellow with a good product at a
fair price. Unfortunately he is only one of two HW retailers I have located
within (reasonable) driving distance. Even so, 35 miles one way isn't
exactly handy.

Cheers,

Steve

Stephen M wrote:
Wood pricing is very regional thing.

Here is what I pay in northern NY:

http://www.saranachollow.com/hardwood_price.htm

You can save a 15% by coming out to Western NY.
http://www.dansvilledimension.com/lumber.html

I've been to Buffalo 6 times. The people are nice, but it'sone of the few
places that actually has worse weather than I currently endure ;-)

My guy is by no means cheap. He is a decent fellow with a good product at a
fair price. Unfortunately he is only one of two HW retailers I have located
within (reasonable) driving distance. Even so, 35 miles one way isn't
exactly handy.

My trip, if I buy retail, is about 35 miles each way. Buy green, 3
miles each way. Buy, or trade, with local cabinet shop owner, and it's
about 3 miles the other way, often with better lumber and lower prices
than retail, but you don't get to see it in advance, and you do need to
ask him to get it a couple weeks ahead of time.

If you happened to need them, and you happened to need 5/4 wood, then you
got a good buy.

If they are just going to take up space until you need them sometime in the
future, you probably paid too much.

Same deal on the cherry and butternut; good prices if you need it, too much
if you don't.

I was at an auction last week. 50bf of oak went for $25. It hurt to let it
go like that, but I am up to my ears in oak, and just can't justify buying
more even at $0.50/bf. There will be more chances later on.