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Hi Fretless Llama, I carry slabs in SW Michigan, but how far are you from Green Bay or Milwaukee? Bob Kloes is in Seymour near Green Bay and Allen Tomaszek carries slabs in Milwaukee. Both are good guys, Rich

I use my sawdust for growing mushrooms in the garden, around my yard plants like chips, and in my chicken coup. Rich

Ailantha smells like broiling dog vomit when you cut it. It is a beautiful, tonal wood with nice yellows, creams and browns and smells like hell. It also had urishiol in the wood, sawdust, etc so you break out like poison ivy after you mill it. It is a 9 out of 10 as in irritant. Such a wonderful combination. I would have used a vomiting icon but there isn't one. Rich

Hi Vinnyjojo, I realize this may not answer your question as clearly as hoped but the background may shed some light on the entire industry. My mentor is a 4th generation Japanese wood broker. His family has been supply slabs to high end table makers and woodworkers for many decades. Prices for many species have actually dropped both in Asia and here with economic conditions. The demand is generally quite low compared to boards as it is a specialty, high end item. The supply is increasing but I am regrettably seeing an increase in green, recycled timber, or air dried slabs. This causes me great concern due to the desire for live edge and organisms (insects and fungus) finding live edge quite suitable for living space. I am more concerned about increased problems in homes and forests due to fungal or insect issues since many of the of the woodworkers making slab work are not taking the time or paying the rate to ensure it is kiln dried stock. Since I live in and manage a Green Tag Certified Forest I have seen the destruction transported insects and fungus can cause. I have lost hundreds of trees to the Emerald Ash Borer, dozens of pines in the north to infection, and now huge (4'-5' diameter) Oaks to fungal Armallaria. I refuse to be the cause of any spread infection to further diminish our future forests by transporting anything but kiln dried timber. I think our current laws for the transport of logs and logging machinery are quite to relaxed and cause for much of the rapid spread of diseases. I again witnessed this first hand this summer with my involvement with the industry and conservation officers. The officers do an excellent job, but the industry allows practices that don't have the future of forestry in mind. I don't want to sound negative, but when my children and I plant trees we have to plant trees that are adapted to an entire zone farther south than the one where we live. One of the state foresters at MTU gave this advice to ensure that our forests in the future thrive instead of just survive. I continue to make some slabs since I feel that many of the big logs I have to harvest or let rot are just too hug and majestic to chop into little boards. I hope it doesn't sound aloof but the logs tell be the best way to mill them and it doesn't always match the orders I have on the ledger and I often end up with too many slabs... Those buttered rolls sound awfully nice about now. Rich

Thanks for the invite Richard. I have actually delivered down your way occasionally. Rich

Hi Terry, Thanks for the invite. I work with a master carpenter from the UK. He is a riot. Rich

Hi Mike, I think I have everything you mentioned. Any chance for a visit? I make it to Chicago almost monthly. I will there around the 4th of October loaded up. Rich

Hi wtnhighlander, Appreciate the welcome. However, I am no way a professional sawyer. It is completely a hobby gone astray. I have visited with professional sawyers and I an in no way as efficient, but thanks for the vote of confidence. Rich

Good suggestion C Shaffer. Thanks for the welcome. I edited the post. I am in Buchanan, MI. Ironic that I mismanage a small plot in Elkhart as well. Rich

I have thousands of board feet of kiln dried lumber as well as table top slabs and no time or skill to make anything with it. I would love to swap lumber for finished products with my wood if anyone is interested. I am interested in kitchen cabinets, book shelves, just about anything. I am in SW Michigan close to Northwest Indiana now. Rich

Here in SW Michigan I pay $1/bdft Scribner scale for walnut logs in decent conditions. I then have to pay at least that much to have them loaded and hauled. Sawing under around 30" runs about $.50 bdft and over 30" runs $2/bdft for the slabbing mill. Otherwise the large stock has to be quartered with a chainsaw first. Rich

I hate bugs in wood. That is why I kiln dry all of my stock. I have tried Boracare and other treatments, but I think there is nothing better than cooking. Especially since the bugs can carry fungus that some insecticide treatments won't affect. I also don't like the idea of breathing the toxic powder when sanding or planing later. Rich

Hi Mike, I have woods in Buchanan and Dowagiac. I work in New Buffalo. I only stock about 100 slabs and a few thousand bdft of lumber as I mostly mill and kiln to request. Milling to request produces exact project kits with book matched and color matched numbered boards. What kind of furniture do you make? Rich

Hello all, I just joined WoodTalk and have already found posters to be friendly. I build boats and occasionally furniture, but I mostly run my sawmills and kilns. Every hour I spend in the shop is an hour I feel I should be out harvesting, pruning, or transplanting one of our trees. I manage a Green Tag Certified Forest when I am not teaching. Nice to meet all of you. Rich

Hi Steve, Amazing detail. I visited your site and I wish you were closer. I love swapping wood for products. My location is depending on the time of year. I am usually in one of three locations and I make lumber runs. Most of the time SW Michigan, but we have forests and kilns, and milling in all 3 locations. Thanks for the welcome. Rich