Fair price for rough cut African Mahogany slabs?

[Harlan Theaker]

Just had a guy get in touch with me. He has 5 African Mahogany slabs, each approx 9"x98"x5-6" thick.

He said he worked in Africa and had them sent back here about 10+ years ago and since then have been sitting in his garage.

Anyways, the fact they are so thick adds in some more work for me and who knows how long I'll have them sitting in my garage before figuring out a project for them, so that certainly decreases it's value to me.

However, wood like this doesn't come around that often and I'm definitely interested, just not sure about what would be considered a fair price for them.

I figured the boards to be approx 36 bd ft each...

What do you guys think?

[Joe Angrisani]

This doesn't involve the Prince of Nigeria and bank transfers, does it?? :D

[Dan Hintz]

Can't help you on pricing offhand, but if you decide to turn some of it into turning stock, I might be interested in some of the more figured pieces (assuming there are any in the boards) :)

[Jamie Buxton]

Rough-sawn Khaya retails for $6-7 per bdft around here. Thicker lumber would be somewhat more expensive. Look out for big end checks.

[David Kumm]

If you don't have a need $4 to $5 bd ft. If quartered and ribbon and really nice a little more. It's always worth more if you need it soon. Dave

[Montgomery Scott]

S2S for 4/4 here is $4.50 bd ft. $5.50 for 8/4. I personally don't like working with the stuff because of some undesirable qualities and would only get it if if had a mottled or beeswing figure in it.

[Brian Tymchak]

8/4 African Mahogany is priced at almost $13 bf at my local supplier. Since I can get it locally (and in much wider boards) if I were to ever need it, I would need a pretty good deal (maybe $6-$7 bf) to jump on ~180 bf of it. The extra thick slabs, while maybe hard to work with, adds value. Being only 9" wide, they can be easily resawn on a band saw to any thickness needed.

[Frank Drew]

I was always on the lookout for it, but I never saw Genuine Mahogany (S. American) for sale in anything thicker than 16/4; if you think you might ever do a turned pedestal table, or larger refectory table (for the legs), or even a big four-poster bed, stock that thick, even though African Mahogany, might be worth stashing. Generally I'd want the width of thick stock to be in multiples of its thickness, but sometimes you take what you can get.

[Dan Hulbert]

I just bought some 6/4 Merranti Mahogony and paid 5.88/ bd ft. About 12' long and 14" wide.

[Harlan Theaker]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I have absolutely no idea how much he's wanting to get out of it, but I'm going to give him a call back and see if I can pick it for on the cheaper side. I've got absolutely no idea what I'd use it for at this point, so it will have to be a good deal as it will probably sit in a corner for a good while... I'll update after I talk with him.