always wondered how much you guys pay for your timber .Here's a shot of two little bits i just bought. As the tape shows they both go 2 x 2 x 24'' and cost me the sum of $105 Aus.
(http://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii485/bigbob292/003-19.jpg) (http://s1256.photobucket.com/user/bigbob292/media/003-19.jpg.html)
:scared:
What kind of wood is it, is is it an Australian species or an imported one? Here in Norway very little "exotic" wood is for sale so if I want some it has to be imported. With freight costs, custom fees and a 25 % Vat it becomes costly. Bue--.
It's not only outside the US. Been trying to find a certain piece of wood to fill an order. Finally found it and the cost is three Franklins plus.
Costs are the same with anything. The more that want it and the harder it is to come by, the more expensive it is.
I just spent $6000 grand on a pallet of wood....some species cheap and some definitely not.
I will say that my interest certainly was peaked with the more expensive woods.
Thanks, bigjim
Forgot to mention it is Red Palm.I think it is mostly imported from Asia, though there would be some here .I can understand the $6000 Jim, friend went to supplier and got $ 400 worth which he carried out easily in his arms.
I love free Osage.. :)
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/DCP01014.jpg) (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/ROY-CHRIS/media/DCP01014.jpg.html)
Holy Cow Roy way to be a show off..lol
Holy cow Roy! I'd die happy with that lot!
Jeez Roy, I just paid $50 plus $25 shipping for one osage board. Way to rub it in :mad: Just got back from my local hardwood dealer with 2 red elm, 2 hickory, and one hard maple boards (6' by 5 1/2" wide and an honest inch thick) for $32 total. I figure 10-12 bows (or attempts at bows) at about $3 per bow. Sure wish he carried osage.
People here want about $5 per lb, non select for Osage plus freight if needed.
I made three bows from a hickory board that cost me 25-30 bucks.
Well i am from South Africa and of course I just had to get Osage. $200 to get one stave here and bought ten. BUTTTT it was worth it. I love Osage
I used to buy walnut for about $3.00 a board foot. The place I got it from burned down. Now I pay $10.00 a BF. I imagine that with the price of gas and diesel going to stupid new heights, things will just get worse.
I feel your pain bigbob2, but when I'm told I can't choose the wood that I'm buying, I tell them to keep it.
Dave.
$200 to get one stave here and bought ten. :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: WOW!
woodcarver at least I do get to select which pieces I get mugged for ! :knothead: I prefer to source my own native timber but sometimes people want exotics and they cost.
welkom meneer! :wavey:
My local supplier lists black palm : 1 1/4 X 4 X 39 inches for about $58 plus tax. Doesn't mean they always have any though. Some exotics are $20 and up per BF.
Dave.
Partly why I have a pile of veneers three and a half feet thick. Then again, regular carpentry projects eat into that heavily as well.
Wel baie dankie Fujimo nou voel ek sommer tuis. ----Well you would know that $200 is a lot of South African rands but I wanted osage. Luckily Black Locust is on the invasive species list here and I have a good pile drying, and then i am looking at our local wood like "Wit Stinkhout" which is family to hackberry and as well as "Karee" and of cause lots of Mulberry. Mostly those I can get for free.
QuoteOriginally posted by wood carver 2:
My local supplier lists black palm : 1 1/4 X 4 X 39 inches for about $58 plus tax. Doesn't mean they always have any though. Some exotics are $20 and up per BF.
Dave.
You bet! I bought a nice kingwood board recently at was just about $40/bdft ... ouch. But at least I got to hand select.
Anyway, you wanna see the ultimate in ridiculous wood prices, check out a famous mahogany tree called "the tree" ... mainyl for super high end acoustic guitars ... a back and sides set can be thousands of dollars ... and we're talking about maybe 1bdft total in a back and sides set. I found one reference where Taylor Guitars wanted a $7000 upcharge on top of the cost of a custom shop acoustic for a AAAAA set. Wild!
If I could get a bdft of Kingwood for the equalent of 40 dollars I would jump with joy. Bue--.
Ben, the reason they ask such stupid prices is because there's always some dumb ass who has more money than brains. I wish I knew a few of them. I'd quit my "real job" and do nothing but woodwork and carving.
Bue, part of your problem is that you're so far away from the equator. What else will grow so far north besides oak, beech and birch? ;)
Dave.
Ooops, I forgot about that Canadian grown Kingwood. Bue--. ;)
Dave, I think you forgot the conifers lol.
Isn't that why everything from IKEA is made from beech or birch?
You wanna talk about limited diversity of wood? When I was growing up down on Long Island, way out in the pine barrens area, practically all we had natively was "scrub oak", "scrub pine" and black locust (depending where you were) and all of em would be short, stunted, scrawny and gnarly.
I remember I saw a small american holly growing out in the woods once and literally had to do a double take ... fist one I think I'd ever seen out there that wasn't landscaping.
How'd you know about my secret exotic wood plantation!? :)
I didn't mention the conifers because they're not used for bows. However, I still have a few boards of red deal that I brought back from Europe 12 years ago and I've been thinking that I'd like to use some as veneers when I eventually build a glass bow or two. It's a pretty wood that takes on a gold and reddish gold hue when varnished.
Dave.
There is a holly tree growing in our hollow too, no idea how it got there. Bugger stays green all year long. It's about 8 feet tall and 6 feet across.
I have only one local source for bow wood / exotic wood. I have a piece of Cocobolo set aside for me to get next week 2" thick 6" wide by 48". - $140.00 - I think that is a good deal for these parts and next week it will be mine! :D
Cam,
That is a heck of a good price for Cocobolo. The last time I looked at any the piece was barely 2"-4" and maybe 36" long for well over $200.00
4bdft for $140 is $35/ bdft .... A pretty serious deal. Plus expect cocobolo prices to keep rising .... Forever.
I've given up on cocobolo. A lot of the exotics are getting outrageous and scarce. Maybe I'd spring for a few riser blocks now and then..