So that's what 200bf of walnut looks like!

[atgcpaul]

Yes, this is a gloat. Saw a Craigslist post for 175bf of walnut @ $3/bf.
The seller said it was actually closer to 190bf but he posted 175bf so 175bf
it is! Borrowed my dad's trailer and took a few hours off work to pick it up.
Doing a rough measurement of the stack, I actually count more than 225bf--
that's $2.33/bf--really good price around here.

This was perfect timing for me because I was about to go to the lumber yard
this weekend to pick up some more walnut at $6.75/bf! The problem is I have
to clear space in my shop first. They're sitting on stickers on my patio right
now under a tarp.

[Uncle Cracker]

Sweet deal!

[Greg in Maryland]

Paul

I have the room in my shop for the wood ...

Greg

[cabinetman]

Nice haul. It would be a stroke of luck to have multiple measures done by different people, and come up with the same bd ft.
.

[SARGE..g-47]

Paul.. by the time you eliminate for knots.. sapwood and end check you will probably come up with around the 175 bd. feet but... buy all the walnut you can at $3 a bd. ft.. I certainly would as that is a gloat indeed!

[atgcpaul]

Paul.. by the time you eliminate for knots.. sapwood and end check you will probably come up with around the 175 bd. feet but... buy all the walnut you can at $3 a bd. ft.. I certainly would as that is a gloat indeed!

You are definitely right.

The seller said the wood was air dried. It does look like a different color than
the stuff I buy at the yard which is kiln dried and probably steamed to be
darker. I noticed some severe end checks on the wide boards which I think I
may or may not be able to salvage. Who knows, after I finish up my Maloof
dresser, I may venture into some Nakashima butterfly splines.

[natausch]

Working through my pile of cheap walnut now. The color is related to the fuzz on top, it will darken as soon as you start jointing and planing.

The good news is with air dried the checks are fairly stable, just the wood bending a bit too far during air drying. I've only had a few pieces really bow after being cut off the 10-14" boards, so I consider myself lucky.

[SARGE..g-47]

End check is not uncommon Paul. I would get those ends painted if he hasn't done it already. Looks as if the boards are straight which will save some wood in lieu of getting the taper as the tree grows. If you purchase a 7 1/2" board kiln dried at your local and the board is 6" wide at the other end.. you are going to simply get just under a 6" wide board when you do a straight line rip and square the opposite side.

And you will get a certain amount of loss taking off sap-wood and working around knots. Just part of the game and you have to pick and chose each board for what it will usefully yield on a given project and then try to grain match. I would separate your quarters-sawn.. rift sawn and flat sawn before you sticker it. When choosing for a project I will dedicate QS to tops or something that needs to be flat and stable and must stand alone. The rift sawn can be used when you run low on QS and I use the flat sawn for side panels where you get some structural assistance to help keep it flat.

Of course this is considering you have a mix as you have. I try to buy all QS these days but.. that hasn't always been the case. And I do occasionally do make buys from local sawyers that is pretty much what you have when the price is right. You just have to accept the fact you are going to have to cull out certain portions and around knots.. etc. That's life.

Ain't all this wood-working fun? Maybe ain't it challenging is a better question?