Am I sick, or prudent?

[Wade Lippman]

I passed an estate sale driving to walk my dog. There wasn't anything I wanted, except maybe 4bf of beautiful 12/4 Honduran mahogany. I will probably never have a use for it, but it was $5. I decided that I already have too much beautiful wood I will probably never use, and let it go. During our 3 mile walk all I could think about was the mahogany. On the way home I stopped and bought it.

So, did I make a wise purchase, or do I need help?

[Bruce Wrenn]

I passed an estate sale driving to walk my dog. There wasn't anything I wanted, except maybe 4bf of beautiful 12/4 Honduran mahogany. I will probably never have a use for it, but it was $5. I decided that I already have too much beautiful wood I will probably never use, and let it go. During our 3 mile walk all I could think about was the mahogany. On the way home I stopped and bought it.

So, did I make a wise purchase, or do I need help?Want, or need. It's hard to pass up a bargin. That's one of the reasons, I don't do flea markets. I can go, looking for nothing in particular, and before returning home see something that I can't live without.

[Ronald Blue]

My father always said nothing is a bargain if you don't need it. He and my mother never threw anything away either. So my brother and I had to have it all hauled away. The bright side is you can probably sell your bargain for a lot more if you decide you have no use for it.

[Steve Eure]

Yes, I do believe you made a wise choice. You bought it on the way back instead of beforehand. You would have had to tote it on your 3 mile walk. :)

[Bernie Kopfer]

Prudent or sick? Why choose? I’ve been both for decades, but some say more of the latter!

[Jim Koepke]

If you didn't ask if they would take $3 for it, you weren't very prudent.

Depending on the other dimensions it might be great for making new handles for a set of chisels.

jtk

[Mel Fulks]

The 12/4 is harder, and denser than 4/4 . Even years ago some of the 4/4 was just “cigar box” stuff. You did well.

[Robert Engel]

Come on - how could you not!!

[Frederick Skelly]

I'd have bought it, too!

[Jim Becker]

I would have bought it, too...and if you really don't feel a need to keep it, you can resell that at market rate for a whole bunch more than you paid for it! Nope, you're not sick!

[George Yetka]

Wise. If cash becomes tough you can always get your $5 back on it

[Brian Deakin]

I would have bought it, too... and give some of it to turning friends

[Rob Luter]

Good call.

[Rich Engelhardt]

That's one of the reasons, I don't do flea markets. I can go, looking for nothing in particular, and before returning home see something that I can't live without.& then I'd have come home with whatever it was I bought & promptly put it somewhere I'd never guess it to be in a million years....&then when I needed it - - I'd have to go out and buy it & pay retail for it........only to uncover it a few months later from where I'd put it. :D :D .


On topic - I still have all the red oak & hickory I bought a few years ago for $20. I got up one Sunday morning early and looked at Craig's List and saw it there. I messaged the seller and they told me come and get it.
I tried to give them $50 for it but - they just wanted it gone & were happy with the $20.

[Dave Fritz]

I always think, "My wife will have a great estate sale." A solid IRA

[Wade Lippman]

If you didn't ask if they would take $3 for it, you weren't very prudent.

Depending on the other dimensions it might be great for making new handles for a set of chisels.

jtk

There were two pieces for $5 and $2. I offered $5 for both and they took it. But yes, they said "yes" so quickly that I am sure they would have taken $3. But they didn't bother with the $0.40 tax.

[Wade Lippman]

The 12/4 is harder, and denser than 4/4 . Even years ago some of the 4/4 was just “cigar box” stuff. You did well.

Interesting. I was actually surprised by how heavy it is, as mahogany is a fairly light wood.

Comes out to 41 pounds/cf, which is apparently just right for HM. Perhaps I am used to the 4/4 that is lighter.

[John K Jordan]

Although I have more H. Mahogany than I can ever use I would have bought that in a heartbeat. Great turning stock. Prudently sick, I guess, but whenever a turning friend needs some wood I probably have it.

[Jim Koepke]

There were two pieces for $5 and $2. I offered $5 for both and they took it. But yes, they said "yes" so quickly that I am sure they would have taken $3. But they didn't bother with the $0.40 tax.

Then that was fairly prudent.

BTW, what are the other dimensions?

Just curious…

jtk

[Wade Lippman]

It is S4S, 4.625x2.75. 17 and 45.

[Scott Clausen]

I love to get a piece of wood and just stare at it wondering what I can make out of it, always buy it.

[Jim Becker]

Interesting. I was actually surprised by how heavy it is, as mahogany is a fairly light wood.

Comes out to 41 pounds/cf, which is apparently just right for HM. Perhaps I am used to the 4/4 that is lighter.

Aside from there being multiple mahogany species being sold, tropical hardwoods sometimes have different densities based on growing conditions of the specific tree. No matter...good score!

[Ron Citerone]

I would have bought it even if I had no use for it now. You will find a use!

[Malcolm McLeod]

...So, did I make a wise purchase, or do I need help?

Did you have to sell the dog to finance the lumber? ...this could be the deciding factor.

[Wade Lippman]

Did you have to sell the dog to finance the lumber? ...this could be the deciding factor.

Can't sell the dog, she is real money maker. In the last 16 months she has found 500 lacrosse balls, 150 baseballs, 10 golf balls, 3 soccer balls, 2 footballs, 1 softball and a field hockey ball. Altogether, they gotta be worth $50!

[John K Jordan]

Can't sell the dog, she is real money maker. In the last 16 months she has found 500 lacrosse balls, 150 baseballs, 10 golf balls, 3 soccer balls, 2 footballs, 1 softball and a field hockey ball. Altogether, they gotta be worth $50!

Does she dive for golf balls? I had two black labs that would swim out and dive to recover rocks I'd throw in the lake. I never thought of throwing golf balls.

[Wade Lippman]

Does she dive for golf balls? I had two black labs that would swim out and dive to recover rocks I'd throw in the lake. I never thought of throwing golf balls.

No, she just finds them in the woods. I have taught her to retrieve off the lake bottom, about 3', but she isn't very good at it.

[John K Jordan]

No, she just finds them in the woods. …

I found a golf ball in the woods down over the hill from our place. We eventually found at least 30, all spread out. I suspect someone used the neighboring field for driving practice

[Jack Frederick]

Well done. They got their asking price. You know what you now have and the value. I built a HM door back east and had a piece left over. It moved with us from MA-CA;) I didn’t have enough to make anything substantial out of it, but have used it as accent pieces in some projects. I suspect that every time you see it in the rack you will smile. Whether you find a use for it or not, what’s that worth?

[Rod Sheridan]

Both.

Also the wood has a good home where it has a good chance of being made into something beautiful that will be preserved and appreciated for generations.

Well done…….Rod