A question about something I milled...

[mike515]

I searched the first few pages of this forum because this has probably been discussed at length somewhere....but I didn't find anything. This is something I cut from an Ash. 18 inches by a little over 8 feet. I just mill the stuff for myself and have only recently started using it for anything. But....I've had people see these boards and they are interested in buying them from me because they can't even order anything like it around here (supposedly).

So would anyone like to share some wisdom with me on what something like this is worth? I've actually had a few guys tell me they think a board like that would be worth over $300 but they must be crazy. No way would anyone pay that much. I'm thinking less than $50 if it's dried and straight/flat. I honestly am not really even that interested in selling wood but...I can always make more and if a person has cash in hand....

Thanks for any advice. I'm not super experienced at milling but I know enough to cut some halfway decent stuff for myself.

Edit to say....I'm not even saying I think it's worth $40 or $50 but maybe I can get a little extra if the buyer wants it bad enough and can't find it anywhere else. I don't know.

 

[Dobbs]

Around here $3 a bd ft is real nice clear Ash. But since it is wide $4.50 -$5.00 a bd ft wouldn't be out of line. I didn't see where you said how thick it is.
18" ×96" ×1" =12 bd ft. $60

My 2 cents....lol

Dave

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It matters who is selling it too, places that sell hardwood in town will get more for that same board "every time" and they will have that board dried down to 7 or 8% moisture content too...

IF it's dried down to 7 or 8% , an inch thick and sitting here at my place, I could "probably" get $3.00 per bd. ft., so $36.00 for that board... (if I'm lucky) And, less if the moisture content is higher...

SR

 

[mike515]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I knew that board couldn't be worth anywhere near as much as those guys thought.

I don't know how to tell how much moisture is in the board. I know that the "feel" of it can be misleading but it doesn't feel like green wood anymore. It seems pretty dry. It's been in the solar kiln for quite a long time (at least to me it seems like a long time....over a year for sure...probably even over a year and a half).

 

[Runknpap]

$ 3.00 per board ft

 

[Daninvan]

I have noticed that prices for slabs can be higher than the price per square foot at lumberyards for the same species. Some people put a value on the width, the live edge look, the often rustic nature of knots bug holes and so forth, and the 'story' of a slab.

I have sold alder slabs (a pretty soft hardwood that is not in high demand or popular for any particular application, other than perhaps BBQing!) similar in dimension to your oak, for $200. And they were soaking wet, fresh off the mill.

I don't think we can command the same prices as Hearn Hardwoods does for their slabs, but it is reasonable to expect a slab to get a premium over what the local lumberyard sells s2s lumber for.

 

[Dave Boyt]

Tell that fellow that you'll sell it to him for $150, and he can double his money. There is a big difference in value between a slab off the mill and one that is kiln dry.

 

[Runknpap]

Good Point Dave