Price for Cherry – is $3.00 a good deal?
user-135401
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Hi all—
I am new to Knots. But I do visit alot. I read lots of great tips here.
I like working in cherry wood and have the chance to get about 150 BFT at about $3.00/BFT. Do you think this is reasonable? I live in Indiana. I used to live in PA where I could almost always get cherry for a deal. Thanks and I llok forward to your responses.
Thank you,
Dom
Replies
I can't answer that- I live in New Zealand, but first priority is the grade and condition, then the price, in my view....
There are specific rules to the grading of Cherry, to determine the quality-which influences the price.
$3 may be a lot to pay for fire wood.
Dom,
As Philip said, grade is everything.
Let me preface what I am about to say by this: If you are buying from a commercial lumberyard, the following would be a rough guideline. If you are buying direct from a sawmill, the following might not be as accurate. Sawmills usually have rock bottom prices, provided you buy in quantity (sometimes you don't even have to buy large quantities).
If it is FAS (6" or wider, 8 ft or longer, 85% clear or better) it is a good deal, provided there is little or no sap, unless you like sapwood.
If it is select (under 6" wide and 6-8 ft long, 85% clear) it's still not a bad deal.
If it is #1 or #2 common, not really a good deal, about average.
For an example, I live in Southern Mississippi. Local price of cherry here is $7.00 b/f from 1 local lumberyard, and $4.50 from 2 of the others. The $7.00 b/f yard has the nicer cherry, but nobody down here has anything over 6"
The places I buy from in Penn. sell cherry at about $5.00 b/f up to 9" widths.
Just remember that the more it is cupped/bowed/twisted the more work you will have to do to it to get it usable. Just use good judgement.
Good luck and welcome to Knots!
Lee
In addition to the above, you need to know if it has been kiln dried, and what it's moisture content is. Bill
I pay (in Mass) $4.00 for 5/4 selects & better, max 10% selects, 100% red one face 80% red on the reverse, KD.C.
Citrouille: I live on the Cape. Could you share with me where you get nice cherry for that price. I would very much appreciate it. Thank you. PMM
TO PMMATTY AND THE OTHER GENTLEMAN IN SE MA. I LIVE ON CAPE AND AM GOING TO GET SOME CHERRY THIS SUMMER IN PA. FAMILY LIVES RIGTH BY MILL. I COULD GET ADDITIONAL AND SELL FOR 3.25 BD FT. I JUST PICKED UP 200 BD FT AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU THE QUALITY OF WOOD. I AM NOT A LUMBER DEALER JUST A HOME WOODWORKER. YOU CAN E-MAIL ME AT [email protected]
I live in Vermont. I pay per bf for 5/4 rough and take my chances on color and grain. I travel to mattapoisett frequently and would gladly run across the Sagamore bridge for good material I can count on at $4.00. Would greatly appreciate the source. Many thanks. Jim
That should have shown the price at $5.75 per bf. I'm half asleep already. Jim
I'd probably drive from Memphis to buy it at that price. Name of source, please.
Also, is it steamed or unsteamed? The crappy stuff we get here is steamed.
Come to think of it, most of the cherry here is crappy, and expensive.
If I ever go to Pennsylvania, I'm bringing a flatbed with me ...
I buy at auction through a mill in southwest New York, near state line. It's a crap shoot what you get, but at $1/bd ft i don't care. I bought 750 bd ft awhile back and my biggest complaint is that it appears to have come from 3 maybe 4 different trees and they're all shorts 4-5ft in length. Some of it takes a bit of effort, some of it is beautiful, flat and with little or no sap wood. A few times i actually had to purchase from the local hardwood dealer. Granted it was nice to be able to work with some long flat pretty boards, but again for the price, i'm willing to put the extra effort into it.
Still awaiting the name of your supplier, please. Thank you.
Portville Lumber, they do an auction twice a year. My advice, don't be afraid of the bundles that look ugly on the outside.
If you have to travel to New England from Memphis to buy cherry, you'll end up paying way too much, unless you buy a truck load, in that case you will be better off buying it in Virginia or West Virginia.C.P.S. Allegheny Wood Products in Petersburg, W Virginia, they put up a killer Cherry.
Edited 4/26/2007 12:53 pm ET by citrouille
Thanks for your concern, but we spend about a month in New England every summer. I'll be there and I'd like to buy a load from your supplier. It won't be an inconvenience at all.
Please, a name if you have a moment.
I know of a couple of suppliers that were in the low five dollar range for 4/4 not long ago, in Southern Maine. One is Old Mill Lumber Specialties, in Biddeford. The other is Maine Coast Lumber, in Westbrook, and in York. I bet they may offer a quantity discount. I have gotten some cherry from Old Mill, and the quality was good.
Dustin
Did you ever get a reply to your request for the name of the cape Cod source of select cherry at $4.00 per bd ft from citrouile? I'm going to the Cape in two weeks and would like to look at it and purchase some for a project. Many thanks.
Jim in Woodstock, VT
I did send you an e-mail ...but I am not on the Cape, I am in central Mass and I buy my lumber in NH.C.
Mind sharing, where in NH?
j
Add me to the list of people looking for a good supplier in NH. What's with all the secrecy with the name of this place anyway. Shouldnt' we reward good suppliers by snding them more business?
OK, I'm in too. Put me on the list. I'm in southern Mississippi, but the prices must be insanely low since citrouille won't divulge. Might be worth the trip.
Maybe we can beat it out of him;)
Lee
Thanks all for the suppliers' names.
Citrouille did respond but by private email. I'll let it be his decision to post the name of his supplier on the forum.
Check out Highland Hardwoods in Brentwood NH
They have a web site
They have great stock and much closer than the cape!
j
Last bit of cherry I bought was $5.25/bd ft for 6/4 select. I am in Canada and that is a wholesale price, so if the quality is there sounds pretty good to me.
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