Cherry gloat - sort of.....

[John Keeton]

The good news is that I got this load (114') of fresh cut cherry, cut 1 1/8" thick, for $100. The other good news is there are 5 boards that are 12" wide, and a few at 10", and although it isn't surfaced - some of it appears to have a little curl.
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The bad news - it certainly isn't the best I have seen. It has been out in the sun since being cut 3 weeks ago, poorly stacked, and some of the wider boards have some splits in the center. A couple of the boards are just trash.
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All in all, not bad. But, as I have found out in this area, the lumber industry is depressed, and the smaller mills just are not buying logs. The price may be right, but there is not much wood to be had from the small operations I used to buy from.

[David Christopher]

looks like a pretty good haul to me...anytime you can get cherry, wallnut or maple at a reasonable price it a good haul

have you got plans for it yet ??

[John Keeton]

No plans yet, David. Actually, other than a longrifle I built years ago with cherry, I have never used cherry. But, along with the other wood I have stashed, I thought I should pick up some if I could find it cheap enough. If I get into doing more in retirement, I probably would want to do some cherry pieces.

I had some more located, but it turned out to not be worth the price - at least to me.

I would like to get 2-300 more feet of cherry, but walnut, curly maple and QSWO are my favorites.

[Bruce Page]

$1.14 a bf is a screaming good deal. You're going to love the cherry.
It's my favorite wood to work.

[John Keeton]

Bruce, actually it was $.88/ft - 114' for $100. Division dyslexia!

As I recall the rifle (30+ years ago!), it worked easily and finished beautifully. Seems I recall that it was prone to split out on fragile inlets, etc., but those methods were far different than furniture building.

[David Christopher]

John, cherry works and finishes easier than wallnut or oak....you dont have to worry about grain filler

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John....as I know you are a Kentucky lawyer I won't insult you with the "You XXXX!" term.......I will say, however... "You vacuum!"

I paid $275 for 23 bd. ft. of kiln dried cherry for the table I'm making for my wife.

I'm getting sick to my stomach!

[Bruce Page]

Bruce, actually it was $.88/ft - 114' for $100. Division dyslexia!

As I recall the rifle (30+ years ago!), it worked easily and finished beautifully. Seems I recall that it was prone to split out on fragile inlets, etc., but those methods were far different than furniture building.

Yeah, I did the math again in my head while eating dinner....:rolleyes:

Long day:o

[Jerry Olexa]

you did very well...IMHO, cherry ranks along with Walnut as my 2 favs,...Easy to work with, finishes well...That is a GREAT deal!!!

[John Thompson]

Simply put.. if you only recover enough from the haul to do a few small pieces and a ton of small boxes..... you got a deal IMO. I'll give you $110 for it sight unseen. Let me know if you're interested and if so... I'll start picking up Coca-Cola bottles on the side of the road today to return for deposit to come up with the $110.

Just pokin' some fun as I personally think you made a very wise decision regardless of board check.. cracks.. etc.

Regards...

Sarge..

[John Keeton]

Sarge, you are welcome to visit anytime! Come on up, I will even feed you dinner, and send you back with some wood - how's that for a deal. No bottle pickup needed!

Thanks for the affirmation, guys. I think it will make up into some nice stock, but I really wish the wide boards had been more stable. Had it been handled properly initially, it would have done better.

Jerry, I think I will enjoy working with it. I will just need to wait for a project for someone else, as my wife does not care for the cherry. Maybe I can convince her;)

[Cody Colston]

Great score, John. $0.88 per bf is a steal, even if it isn't primo stuff. Kiln dried, 3/4" Cherry here goes for ~$8.00 per bf.

There's only two things I dislike about working with Cherry (besides the cost) ...it burns easily and sap wood that you thought you avoided will show up later when the heart wood darkens.

But, it's easily worked with hand tools which I know you are starting to use more, it's an absolutely beautiful wood and it only gets better as it ages.

[Matt Meiser]

I'm paying $3.25 with a discount for buying 250 bd.ft. from a semi-local small mill.

[Wilbur Pan]

A couple of the boards are just trash.

Two thoughts:

1. If you have a lathe, there is no such thing as "trash" wood anymore.

2. Even if the wood is that bad, You can use them for shop projects. Just think -- you could have a dust shroud made out of cherry. How many people can say that?

Good job on the score!