$2.99 for White Oak at Rockler - good deal?

[jussi]

Is this a good price?

[DaveS]

Where are you located?

Is the lumber s4s?

What are the widths and lengths?

Is it quarter sawn?

[SARGE..g-47]

I pay around $1.70 a bd. ft. S4S from my hard-wood suplier here in Atlanta for flat sawn white oak. If it were Quarter-sawn I feel you would have mentioned it and it would be a steal but.. probably not going to happen. If you don't have a local source... it's OK depending where you are but that is not exactly a steal by any means. Rockler and Woodcraft do have a lot of mark-up just as the BORG's do with ply and solid wood as their customers for it probably don't have many sources or are occasional users.

[jussi]

Where are you located?

Is the lumber s4s?

What are the widths and lengths?

Is it quarter sawn?

Los Angeles, CA. It was in their latest flyer. S4S. Didn't say the widths. Just said 2.99 bd ft.

thanks for the heads up Sarge. I'm in no hurry but I don't really know too much about lumber prices and when I saw the head line "White Oak BLOWOUT" I thought I'd check here to see if it really was a good deal.

[Tom Miller]

Prices vary significantly by location, so be sure you're getting accurate information for your region.

That'd be a pretty good price for me, depending on other factors as mentioned.

Regards,
Tom

[SARGE..g-47]

From what I know of California pricing Jussi... that probably is a blow-out. The first time I went to CA. was in 1966. I walked in a Burger Kind expecting to pay around $.29 for a hamburger as I was naive at the time and what I payed at home was what I was expecting. The HB'er's were $.89. My home in Georgia would market for 4-5 times what I paid in 1987. Just the way is is.

So.. that's probably not bad. Do a google under Hardwood source and there is a web-site that will locate your closest. Call them and find out what a hardwood supplier in CA. charges. That will be your real answer as to whether it is a bargain which I highly suspect it is.

BTW.. won't matter how wide as they set the price in board feet. However many bd. ft. is in a given board will determine what you pay. And... you will find white oak won't be available in wide widths as red oak. It is generally sold in random width meaning that it can be 5" on one end and taper to say 6 1/2" on the other just as the tree trunk is wider at the base and gets narrower up the tree.

I have purchased 17-18" wide red oak. Expect from 4" -7" max with S4S FAS white oak. That's about all I can tell you. Just call local and get a couple of quotes. That will as Tom states... get you oriented on pricing as it is regional.

Good luck...

[LCHIEN]

From what I know of California pricing Jussi... that probably is a blow-out. The first time I went to CA. was in 1966. I walked in a Burger Kind expecting to pay around $.29 for a hamburger as I was naive at the time and what I payed at home was what I was expecting. The HB'er's were $.89. My home in Georgia would market for 4-5 times what I paid in 1987. Just the way is is.

So.. that's probably not bad. Do a google under Hardwood source and there is a web-site that will locate your closest. Call them and find out what a hardwood supplier in CA. charges. That will be your real answer as to whether it is a bargain which I highly suspect it is.

BTW.. won't matter how wide as they set the price in board feet. However many bd. ft. is in a given board will determine what you pay. And... you will find white oak won't be available in wide widths as red oak. It is generally sold in random width meaning that it can be 5" on one end and taper to say 6 1/2" on the other just as the tree trunk is wider at the base and gets narrower up the tree.

I have purchased 17-18" wide red oak. Expect from 4" -7" max with S4S FAS white oak. That's about all I can tell you. Just call local and get a couple of quotes. That will as Tom states... get you oriented on pricing as it is regional.

Good luck...

Sarge, if its S4S then there would be no taper, e.g. its jointed or ripped straight on both edges and planed on the faces? Still random widths but the taper is gone, that's why S4S is a premium over rough cut.

anyway, shipping is always a significant cost for lumber so prices and avaiability will vary greatly from area to area of the country or world even.

[SARGE..g-47]

[QUOTE=LCHIEN;403632]Sarge, if its S4S then there would be no taper, e.g. its jointed or ripped straight on both edges and planed on the faces? Still random widths but the taper is gone, that's why S4S is a premium over rough cut.

anyway, shipping is always a significant cost for lumber so prices and avaiability will vary greatly from area to area of the country or world even

I stand corrected Loring as you are correct. I purchase and should have said S3S with a straight line rip. Then you get half the taper. My supplier charges a given amount for a board foot which is $1.70 in my case for 4/4. You can get it rough or un-surfaced for $1.7. You can request it S3S with straight line rip... $1.70. You can get it S2S straight line rip.. $1.70.. etc..

You can ask for the 4/4 rough which will be a tad over an inch in thier case. You can ask for 15/16" or 3/4".. In other words they surface at no charge and you pay the amount per board foot. Even if you had it surfaced to S4S.. they still have a % pro-rate system of loss. You pay for what is loss in the taper.. saw kerf loss.. shrinkage that happens in their kiln..

So.. since I am paying for the whole tapered board.. I get S3S straight line rip as some of the taper will be left over once I dimension the 4th side. It can often be used for corbels.. small components.. etc. etc.

Any-hoo, you were correct about S 4 S not being tapered...