Craigslist Wood cost question


legenddc

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I'm fortunate to have a hardwood dealer pretty close (20 mins.)to my house down back roads so I can bring my almost 30 year old truck without worrying about it. I still look for deals on craigslist, facebook marketplace, etc. but I'm not sure what's appropriate to pay. 

What are you willing to pay and how far would you drive for wood? Is there a general rule of thumb you follow like it needs to be 25/40/50% cheaper then a hardwood dealer?

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That depends on the source of the hardwood to begin with. If the wood was milled by them and dried questionably there is a lot of risk  so I'd pay very little. If they had an invoice that showed the wood was purchased from the dealer you typically buy from a year previous it'd be a lot easier to make the purchase at only a slight discount.

Also depends on if they are selling full pieces or shorts. I bought some lumber full price because they included a large box of shorts basically for free. All said and done it was about a 25% discount.

Air dried questionable Cletus lumber ~$1 a BF (there is a lot of risk here, bugs defects etc.)
KD questionable lumber ~40% retail
If they can provide a source and it's reputable 10-25% off retail depending on condition.

Distance I'll drive is not a good gauge as i often piggy back pickups with work trips etc. I'll generally not drive any further than I have to go for regular lumber trip. The best deals are a hobbyist that is quitting and is just trying to dump all his lumber.

 

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On 1/14/2020 at 11:54 AM, legenddc said:

Thanks Chestnut. A lot of what I come across around me is maybe $1 a BF off retail and farther then the retail. Unless I want to rent a truck and drive 4 hours each way I haven't seen any 'deals' come through. Guess I'll just keep my eyes open.

 

22 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

With a good yard that close, I'd stop wasting time on CL. The only reason I bother at all is because the nearest hardwood yard is almost 2 hrs away.

I keep alrets up because sometimes i'll stumble accross the closing my shop deal. I seem to find one once a year or so and it's usually worth it. I don't have a good source for exotics and those shop purges generall have a few BF of a handful of exotic species like bocote or cocobolo.

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1 hour ago, Dave said:

I always say - if i die for some reason, I hope my wife doesn't sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them...

I actually keep a spreadsheet with links to pics. She has never seen it nor will she prior to my passing but at least then she or my kids can figure out at least a ballpark.

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2 hours ago, Chestnut said:

Am I the only one that has told the truth on how much my tools have cost?

+1

If it’s a big purchase I tell her that I want it/am planning to buy it. She’s never scoffed, been upset, or objected. Her usual response is something along the lines of “treat yo’self” or “you should definitely do that.” It’s usually me that delays or talks myself out of the big purchases.

I told her that after we move I am buying a sawstop and she said “I will support that purchase 1000%” 

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