Replies

1. 
   allenb | Oct 10, 2007 05:02am | #1

   8.59 board foot

   $36

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Oct 10, 2007 08:26am | #2

   Unfortunately, 8.59 isn't the right answer for a board foot calculation, though it is the correct cubic volume of the board in cubic feet. 

   For board feet, first determine the surface measure 5.5" x 120" / 144 = 4.583 sq. ft.  Then, before multiplying by thickness, it is rounded to 5 sq. ft.  The it is multiplied by the nominal thickness.  The thickness ought to be 6/4 making the multiplier 1.5 since 7/4 isn't an official nominal thickness, and 1.875 is less than the 2.0" thickness of rough 8/4 lumber.  That would make the measure 7.5 bd. ft.  My guess that some yards will call it 8/4 thick--"it shrunk when it dried" though that's not actually proper, making it 10 board feet.  You might see it priced at 7/4, though I've never seen that in price lists.  In that case it would be 8.75 board feet.  You will never see 1/8" increments in thickness considered.   

   Edited 10/10/2007 1:30 am ET by SteveSchoene

1. 
   saschafer | Oct 10, 2007 04:42pm | #3

   It also depends on whether the measurements are of rough or surfaced stock, of course.

   -Steve

    

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Oct 10, 2007 09:56pm | #5

   Absolutely right.  I was assuming rough, but as I read more closely the o.p. could be asking about the approximate (rough) price and not the price of rough lumber.  If it were surfaced, you would add 1/4" to get to the nominal thickness dimension. 

1. 
   USANigel | Oct 11, 2007 06:02am | #6

   I ask because I have been offered 35 "planks" S4S 1 7/8" x 5 1/2" @ 120" plus 12 "planks" S4S 1 7/8" x 11 1/2" @ 120" plus 15 planks 1 7/8" x 5 1/2" @144" long. All nice clear red oak. I can use some right now but would have to store the rest for a while.

   Whats a fair price? He told me it all cost $5,200, not sure if I want $$$ tied up in a pile of oak.

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Oct 11, 2007 02:12pm | #7

   No matter how you tweak the board foot calculation that's over $6 per board foot--not what I'd call a bargain. 

3. 
   BoardmanWI | Oct 11, 2007 04:08pm | #8

   I sure there's price variations by area of the country, say MN vs. Arizona, but anywhere outside of American Samoa that's a stiff price, especially considering the quantity.

4. 
   mapleman | Oct 11, 2007 06:16pm | #9

   USA,

   First of all, do you really need that much 8/4 oak? Would you resaw some into 4/4 thickness for other projects? If so then it's a waste to tie up that much cash in oak.

   Also, the price is artificially high unless you live thousands of miles from a local sawmill, who will usually sell oak for $.25 (frenchy's price) to $2.50

   Lee

5. 
   oldusty | Oct 11, 2007 10:37pm | #11

   Lee and All  ,

              Bones and you see this like I do , also I find it interesting the OP has said the lumber is S4S and 1 7/8" thick .

          It's not impossible but in most cases you can get 1 7/8" H & M (hit and miss) but not finished much thicker then a strong 1 3/4" , coming from  8/4 rough .So this leads me to think the lumber could have been specially milled and started out more then 8/4 ?

       The straight edge usually is a 7% margin of cost  for one side and I would think another 7% for the other . So it took a lot more board feet to make those boards net the amount they do . So if it came out of 10/4 and you added 14% to the tally it could add up to a higher price .

        Usually 8/4 is more per foot then 4/4 because of the premium .

       So if we pay $3.oo a bf for 4/4 maybe 8/4 is 3.25 a bf , but that still don't make this a good deal at $7 bucks a foot uh uh !

                            regards  dusty

6. 
   USANigel | Oct 12, 2007 03:14am | #13

   I hate to resaw because most seems to twist and move when cutting and you end up with loads of extra fire wood.

   It does price out high, maybe not to bad if I had a "right now" use but sitting on it for a few years maybe 20cent on the dollar!

7. 
   mapleman | Oct 12, 2007 03:24am | #14

   I agree 100% - unless you have a need for an a$$load of 8/4 oak then it's not really a good deal, much less a great one.

   And if you end up resawing any of it besides the problems you mentioned, you are adding unmpteen hours of your labor to the price of the wood.

   Show me a container of snakewood logs for $5000 and I'm all over it.

   8/4 oak - no thanks I'll pass.

   Not to mention, oak is very plentiful all over the US - not like cherry that only grows or grows best in the northeast. So just about anywhere you live someone will have a sawmill and oak milled up for sale - not really a great idea for me to stock up on something that is readily available unless it's a killer deal.

   Just my $.02

   Cheers,

   Lee

8. 
   bones | Oct 11, 2007 08:04pm | #10

   Doesn't look like a good deal to me. I'm paying about $3.50bf for QS.  Plus, like others have said, do you need that much 8/4 stock?Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

9. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Oct 12, 2007 12:25am | #12

   Where's the rest of the wood he got for the $5,200.

   Jack

2. 
   frenchy | Oct 10, 2007 09:31pm | #4

   10 bd.ft. $8.00, (some to spare)