A question about the Oak boards I bought

[Dave]

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.

[Duane Bozarth]

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.

[Stephen M]

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:

should give you at least one reference point.

[Duane Bozarth]

...

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...

[Toller]

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.

[BobS]

Stephen

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

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.

S.

[Toller]

[Stephen M]

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

[Charlie Self]

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.