Latest wood report from the BORG

[jeff...]

Went to the BORG today got my $10.00 off coupon thingy. I always look at the lumber while I'm there - 1x6-8' KD15 S4S pine is around $1.25 a BF and 1x6-8' KD FAS S4S Flat Sawn Red Oak is about $5.00 a BF.

Internetlumber.com has a 20 BF minimum order KD flat sawn 4/4 Red Oak in the rough for $2.69 a BF and .75 a BF charge for S4S which makes the same Red Oak as $5.00 a BF BORG flat sawn Red Oak for $3.44 a BF plus whatever shipping is.

I have to ask myself - would you pay $5.00 a BF for the same thing that you could buy for $3.44 a BF plus shipping? of course not, cause that would make me a moron now wouldn't it?

Just thought I would pass that along...

Later

[Ray Martin]

Jeff,

Thanks for that. It's good to do the math once in a while... just to keep BORG, etc., in perspective. Most of these places are better at merchandising than they are at good deals.

Ray

[JimmyC]

"Forgiveth him father, for he know not what he do", or more commonly "ignorance is bliss". People either don't know that there are other suppliers out or do they care. Most want it now, and are buying in small quantities, alot of people also dont want to store stuff. Then there are the people that only have circular saws and MS and use it as dimensioned because its usually S4S. Why think about these people and let them bother you. These are the same people that pay sticker price for a car and think they got a great deal because it was blue.

Knowledge is power.

Jimmy

[AndyBarnhart]

Well, if I told you what I paid at Woodcraft for a 7' long hard maple 2x8 (atually 8/4 a little over 7" wide), my IQ would probably dive into the single digits. There is something to be said for laying your hands on the wood and deciding between boards. I usually go for the best possible deal, but sometimes I want convenience and convenience costs more. Hand picking a single piece of premium stock is a different deal than what you are talking about though.

[DaveO]

Jeff, I agree with you 100%. But it's the convenience factor. Many folks only need a board or two, and couple that with the fact that you only have to drive a few miles to find a BORG, no matter where you are. They are the convenience store of wood. I will admit that I have bought a few select pieces of Red Oak from Lowe's when that was all I needed, and I needed it now.
The bad thing is that most folks don't know any better, and aren't able to fairly judge the costs as the BORG is all they know.

Dave

[Bas]

Originally Posted by DaveO

But it's the convenience factor.

Very true. I see wood advertised sometimes on CL, in the paper etc. for significantly less than you can get at the BORG, Woodcraft, Klingspor etc. But, I have both a Lowes and a Home Depot 5 minutes away. Driving to Raleigh will cost me at least a few dollars in gas. So, for just a couple of boards, it's not worth it.

I actually picked up some poplar at Klingspor today. $2.29/ board foot. I can probably get it cheaper elsewhere, but where am I going to go? The local lumber yards are closed on Sunday. I'd love to buy from the local sawyers, but I think the closest one is almost an hour away. I could try an ad on Craig's List, but who knows what I'm going to get? At the local woodworking store, they'll trim the boards so they fit in my car, I can pay by credit card, AND browse some tools while I'm there.

Originally Posted by DaveO

The bad thing is that most folks don't know any better, and aren't able to fairly judge the costs as the BORG is all they know.

I don't know. Maybe ignorance is bliss. If you don't know you're overpaying, maybe you don't feel so bad

My new strategy of course is to get in on the lumber runs. Just buy ahead of time, and figure out a project later. That way, you have it when you need it, for a good price, and already acclimated to your shop. Of course, now I REALLY need to get going on a lumber rack

[Travis Porter]

Originally Posted by Bas

Very true. I see wood advertised sometimes on CL, in the paper etc. for significantly less than you can get at the BORG, Woodcraft, Klingspor etc. But, I have both a Lowes and a Home Depot 5 minutes away. Driving to Raleigh will cost me at least a few dollars in gas. So, for just a couple of boards, it's not worth it.

I actually picked up some poplar at Klingspor today. $2.29/ board foot. I can probably get it cheaper elsewhere, but where am I going to go? The local lumber yards are closed on Sunday. I'd love to buy from the local sawyers, but I think the closest one is almost an hour away. I could try an ad on Craig's List, but who knows what I'm going to get? At the local woodworking store, they'll trim the boards so they fit in my car, I can pay by credit card, AND browse some tools while I'm there.


I don't know. Maybe ignorance is bliss. If you don't know you're overpaying, maybe you don't feel so bad

My new strategy of course is to get in on the lumber runs. Just buy ahead of time, and figure out a project later. That way, you have it when you need it, for a good price, and already acclimated to your shop. Of course, now I REALLY need to get going on a lumber rack

$2.29 a bf for poplar isn't a bad price considering IMO. It is $1.80 a BF at Wall lumber, and with the price of gas, the math just doesn't work.

Personally, I still buy some construction grade stuff from the BORG, but that is pretty much it. I used to like the luan and hardwood plywoods, but they are now wavy wood grade so I stay away.

[AndyBarnhart]

I have had mixed results with going alternative routes. A few years ago, I got a bunch of cypress from a sawyer at a really good price. I made some Adirondack furniture and then when I needed other wood, I offered cypress for trade. One of the responses I got was from a well respected TWA member (for good reason; really nice guy) who I traded with a couple of times. I got great deals from a value perspective but I also had a few mystery boards that did not look like they were what he thought (a "maple" board that looked like maple in the rough, but more like ash when planed, for example) some others that he knew were in the wrong pile but just let me have for nothing and there was a lot of spalting and rot that wasn't obvious at first. I am not mentioning his name because I do now consider him a friend and he certainly didn't do it on purpose; I still got a very good deal from a pure value perspective, but the wood I got was tricky to use. Then I had a couple of people who did try to take advantage and offered pretty bad trades and I did them anyway (my fault, but you get so tired of trying to find your trade that you just want it done).

These days I am into fussy work on small amounts of wood, so it is less of an issue to pay premium prices for convenience.

[NC Scroller]

Andy, the sawyers here are great guys. From my experience you get your money's worth many times over. Just wait until we have another wood run. Bring your check book and clean out the garage.

Jeff, Ivey and others will you be bringing wood to the picnic?

[Jim Murphy]

Originally Posted by NC Scroller

Andy, the sawyers here are great guys. From my experience you get your money's worth many times over.

I have made several purchases from Jeff... at the HF in Raleigh, and ALWAYS got more wood than I had ordered.

Last weekend I picked up my cypress order from Beaver Branch Sawmill (Ivey) in Burgaw. I loaded so much more wood than I had ordered I handed Ivey more money than he asked for.
I had to with him to get him to take the extra $$$, although I presented no argument to accepting the additional wood.

I think we were both pleased with the transaction. My cypress was cut to uniform width and length for the most efficient use of material. If there will be wood at the picnic, you just can't go wrong.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by jeff...

I have to ask myself - would you pay $5.00 a BF for the same thing that you could buy for $3.44 a BF plus shipping? of course not, cause that would make me a moron now wouldn't it?

Does it make a person a moron if they have very limited storage??

[AndyBarnhart]

Originally Posted by skeeter

Does it make a person a moron if they have very limited storage??

Nah, we just need to band together and then between a few of us small time buyers we will have enough brains - er, I mean storage - to get a better deal.

The 7' maple 2x8 I referneced earlier will provide the bodies for 4 instruments and take me a while to use up. My assumption is that while a sawyer might have had a better price on that board, a sawyer doesn't want to sell me just one board (and I don't blame him - not worth his while).

[Bigdog72]

Originally Posted by NC Scroller

Jeff, Ivey and others will you be bringing wood to the picnic?

Now this is a great idea! I hope the sawyers see this and agree to bring orders!

[McRabbet]

Obviously, you didn't go to last year's picnic because you weren't a member, but here's some examples of Jeff Mills and Scott Smith's deliveries: First is mixed walnut, maple and oak:



Second is all KD quartersawn Sycamore.


Yep, May is not far away, so they best start planning!

[Bas]

I'm building a wood rack. Right after I roll up my tongue and stick it back in my mouth. *drool*