Keith Stephens

[#1]

Years ago I built a desk using Red Oak.  Nothing unusual about that but all of the wood came from a single board.  When I went to buy the lumber there was a board 22" wide.  I do not remember the length but it probably was 10-12'.  At the time the size of this board did not strike me, it just seemed neat that I could make desk from a single board even though the largest piece in the desk is 5" x 52".

A few days ago a question was asked about pricing of wide boards.  The poster wanted to know if it was common to see price premiums on wide stock.  This is not standard practice yet but likely it will be in the future.  Also expect premiums for longer stock.

Historically most hardwood was sold simply based on grade and random width, random length (RWRL). The lumber buyer dealt with whatever was in the stack.  Today with more automated processing and ever increasing demands to be more effecient industrial buyers are requesting lumber to more exacting specifications.  For molding companies long narrow stock is desirable.  For cabinet door manufactures short stock may be just fine.  For most retail applications 6-8" x 6-7' will usually fill the bill.  But for a 12' conference table, 14' stock is needed. 

 
Lumber manufacturers are responding to this demand but must sell all of the lumber that is produced.  Lumber processing equipment is getting better, sawing techniques are being refined to improve yeild and automated sorting systems are being developed.  Consequently, lumber is being sorted to width and length as well as many other criteria.

To illustrate the point, here are the sort bins at Pike Lumber Co.


As lumber passes down this chain it can be diverted into any one of 40 bins.  All computer controlled. 

Here is a more manual system also providing 40 sort bins.

 

Of course, this all affects what is available in the retail market. Wider and longer stock command a premium price but lumber appropriate to your use will likely be a better value.  The days of buying wide, long boards to cut into small pieces are coming to an end. 


Keith Stephens

Woodworkers Source

[#2]

its unfortunate but also somewhat true... luckily my hardwood dealer still has a lot of those nice long wide thick boards for specialy occasions. My last project was a writing desk built from one solid piece of 10/4 13" wide by 9' long piece of sapele. Like you said plenty of premiums on it. I paid almost double per board foot for the 10/4 over 4/4. and another 50 cents per board foot i think it was for over 9 inches. Unfortunate but thats how it is.

[#3]

I don't know that it is "unfortunate",  just making wise use of a valuable resource. 

Thick stock usually has a higher price because it requires larger logs and there are larger losses in the drying process.  Depending on the species drying  loss can be siginificant.

Keith Stephens

Woodworkers Source

[#4]

What wood workers are going to have to do is change their shopping style and learn to read rough sawed lumber.  There is still plenty of the thick, thin, wide or live-edged lumber around, but you have to go talk to the sawyer.  That isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

If the sawyer hasn't got the lumber (many don't stock lumber) they may keep an eye out for you.  They see a lot of logs that are usually sawed up into "stock" sizes because that is  how the industry handles and grades lumber.  We've gotten to where we expect lumber to be available only in certain thickness, widths and lengths; devoid of bark, wane, knots or figure.

Have you considered why you don't see the figure of crotch wood in most lumber yards?  It's because the crotch is considered a detriment to production.  To saw a crotch, it must be turned just right and sawed just right, first from this side and then from that.  Even then there might not be a solid board come from it.  There would be boards with figured edges, but not the huge panels that make a piece so expensive.  Bark inclusions and other natural "ailments" make the crotch a crap shoot.  So, the crotches are usually sawed off and sent to the chipper. 

What a shame that we have become accustomed to "good" lumber, at least that which we consider "good", to be flawless, straight-grained, planed, straight-edged and s4s lumber. You cut a little notch here and a little notch there and stick it in the piece of furniture you are building.

If you know a sawyer, he might take the time to create some really nice and often overlooked lumber, just for you.  Walnut?  There are other woods beside walnut.  As a matter of fact, there are more areas prone to grow other trees than walnut in the USA than compared to where walnut is grown.

Have you ever used Magnolia?  It's a beautiful dark-hearted wood with grain that reminds one of a topographical map when flat-sawed.  How about Australian Pine, Holly, tight-grained long leaf pine heart wood that develops a patina demanding high dollars.  Folks think you have to get it from an old warehouse or barn.  It's grown and sawn every day. It will age in your piece as well as it does elsewhere.  Sycamore, Tupelo, laurel Oak, Live oak, Chinese tallow, elm, hickory, acacia, ash, cypress basswood, beech, osage-orange, persimmon, china berry, hackberry, sweetgum, pecan,mesquite........

If it grows in your area, your sawyer will eventually run across it.  Put your name on it.

Going to the big box store is handy, but won't replace a personal relationship with your local friendly sawyer.