What is a piece of wood worth?

[Karl Card]

If this question is not appropriate just delete and I will understand.

Cedar in the past had gone for a pretty penny, I mean cedar pen blanks, cedar bnowl blanks etc. Right now I have about 32 cedar bowl blanks listed on ebay and a couple pieces that would be great for the imaginative turner or carver. I felt my starting price was fair but I am getting no bites. If you all have a minute take a look and be honest with if I am out of line. I am not trying to get you to go there and buy, I am just surprised no watchers, I mean alot of people do not bid till last seconds but no watchers is kind of disturbing...

[Mike Cruz]

Karl, the real answer is that a piece of wood is worth what someone will pay for it. But that isn't the answer you are looking for. I feel ya on this. I've listed things that I think are way below their "value" with no takers. Unfortunately that doesn't make them worth less, just that no one need it right now. If someone "needs" what you have, your price is probably low. Its price goes up when there are multiple people that need/want what you have. Good luck with this thread. I'm anxios to see what answers you get.

[Scott Hackler]

Karl, thats a hard question to answer. For me there is no value in buying cedar, black walnut, oak, sycamore, box elder and a few others....because I have an unlimited supply of it. There are some varieties that aren't around or plentiful to my location (i.e. mesquite, cherry, redwood) and I am interested in those varieties BUT the shipping alone kills the deal for me. A lot of time the shipping it as much as the wood itself.


Now the woods that I do and will buy online are the unique woods (i.e., BURL and highly figured wood). We have little to none as far as burl around here so I have little choice to get some. AND the local (2 1/2 hours away) Woodcraft's prices are double what the vendors online ask for the same wood.

So back to your situation, I think the problem probably isn't the asking price, but a combonation of total cost (including shipping) and the common appearance of cedar. (it grows like weeds around here).

[Tim Thiebaut]

Hi Carl, first off I dont know alot about this so I am winging it here, point is dont worry to much about my opinion here ok? From what I see there are some other sellers...well for example one lot is for "8" bowl blanks alreayd prepped and cut round for approx $15.

Another lister has 4 blanks cubed 4x4x12 for $12 bucks.

One of yours is roughly "5 x "8 and log form, so by the time the turn it round to prep it they will lose a lot of size off of it and you are asking $8.

"If" I were going to buy from ebay I would most likely choose the wood that was already preped and cut to size as those other are, and they are offering more wood for the money it would seem. On the surface it seems folks would get mor ebang for their bucks with some of the other listers. This is just what I see at a quick glance, as I said please dont take my word for to much here ok, Tim

[Jim Burr]

Something to remember Karl is that pen blanks are easy to come by. Have some checked bowl blanks?...easy to make pen blanks from that. I buy some upper end blanks on ebay; only from select sellers. Some of us on another forum...CoC prevents a link to any other forum...are making blanks that take 2-3 weeks to just make the blank…and these aren’t castings! You can get a redwood 4x4 at a BORG and turn a vase. Pen makers are picky because we can sell a pen for $300...try to get that for a vase or most HF's. I've paid for my 1642, air scrubber, dozens of bowl/HF blanks, and a few tanks of gas with pens. If I were to look in a bin, I have about 30 cedar blanks...6 years old and I think I've made 3-4 pens from the stash? In 4 tupperware bins, I have about 2-3000 pen blanks. I just made 4 more "scary to make" wood blanks and received 12 birds eye maple blanks in the mail today. Most of my blanks are given to "Pens for Soldiers" and other causes. It costs $12 to send a tons of blanks to a high school that makes pens in shop class and sends them to soldiers. Consider donating them to a great cause...not many "art" pieces needed by those defending our freedom!

[Jim Underwood]

Well if you were to ask me what I'd pay for a chunk of cedar, I'd say "nothing". :D

But, that's what happens when you glom onto every chunk of free wood that comes along.
I've got way too much free wood now...:o:o why do I need to buy any?:confused:
And the other turners I know in my club usually won't even come help you cut up a tree that's down.:rolleyes:

I know that doesn't help you sell any, but that's my situation....

[James Combs]

Karl, thats a hard question to answer. For me there is no value in buying cedar, black walnut, oak, sycamore, box elder and a few others....because I have an unlimited supply of it. There are some varieties that aren't around or plentiful to my location (i.e. mesquite, cherry, redwood) and I am interested in those varieties BUT the shipping alone kills the deal for me. A lot of time the shipping it as much as the wood itself.


Now the woods that I do and will buy online are the unique woods (i.e., BURL and highly figured wood). We have little to none as far as burl around here so I have little choice to get some. AND the local (2 1/2 hours away) Woodcraft's prices are double what the vendors online ask for the same wood.

So back to your situation, I think the problem probably isn't the asking price, but a combonation of total cost (including shipping) and the common appearance of cedar. (it grows like weeds around here).

Ditto what Scott said especially the last part, it applies to here in KY as well.

[Brodie Brickey]

Karl,

Shipping is always an issue, but the number one issue is size followed by blank prep. A number of your pieces are odd sized or still in the log form. As a result, its harder for the buyer to judge the figure or characteristics of the wood.

One of the other issues I personally have with cedar is that it dents easy so I wouldn't turn a bowl or cup with it.

Most turners also seem to have a 12" swing other their lathes, so if you have dimensions just under that, they're more likely to buy because they can't get the size in their area.

Good luck.

[Rick Markham]

Just wait ;). If they don't sell, prep them to your liking, repost them. if they don't sell again, turn until you can't see straight and then sell your turnings on etsy. Just my $.02

[Michael Ginsberg]

Karl,
I know nothing about turning Cedar. I personally have not bought any because I think of a very soft wood with a great smell. I used Cedar shakes to re-side my mothers house. With that limited experience, I wouldn't think of it has a good wood to turn... But that is just the impression in my mind, never having the opportunity to try it.

[Bill Bulloch]

ebay is a strange place, you post something and if the right people stop by you sell it. I bought 80 pieces of 1 1/4 diameter x 6" long Hard Maple Dowels for $5.99. I was the only bidder and $5.99 was my only bid. The next month there was another listing for the same thing and the bid was up to $56.00. So I would suggest that you keep it listed until it sells or you really get frustrated.

[Karl Card]

Thanks folks. Some really good comments. None taken negative either. Bill you are so right about timing. It does seem awkward. I know I have been on ebay for quite a few years and when I started woodworking I built up a shop very fast because I was laid off and I would stay up late looking for deals when most people where in bed. That is how I got my 16/32 sander, jet lathe, band saw, multiple other hand tools and, well, one time I got about 400 bd ft of ipe mixed with brazilian walnut and got it all for 64 bucks. Anyway thanks again folks and I do agree that they might do better with out the bark. I was kind of thinking that the the bark would for a live edge bowl or just anything... But sometimes we get so caught up in what "we" are doing we forget what is the norm.

[Fred Perreault]

Karl, I'm a little late to the thread but I never (almost) pay for wood. After paying for the tools, the electricity, the heat in the winter, bribing the wife, and the tables at the craft shows........ I can't afford any wood (almost). Having been in the construction business for decades, I have contacts for more wood than I can handle. On occasion there appears some unusual or semi-exotic stuff that I make a trade for. Acquiring wood is not a destination...... it is a journey, and can be a fun one at that.

[Rick Markham]

Put live edge in all the ads so if someone does a search they will pop up. It's actually pretty hard to find blanks for live edge turnings if that is what your looking for, at least that has been my experience (as a buyer.)