Trying to sell rough cut white oak

[Mike G T]

Hello, I cut down a dead white oak in March and had it rough cut in May. Looking to sell most of the wood.
Question: where/how can I sell it. I've contacted some local lumber yards and they were not at all interested.
They have been in the garage since cut.
I live in southeast Wisconsin.

 

[rwh63]

deliver to MA?

 

[begreen]

This is not regular lumber. Look for fine hardwoods suppliers that cabinet and instrument makers go to.

 

[bholler]

It isn't dry yet though so you won't get premium prices at all.

 

[sesmith]

Facebook marketplace would be your best bet these days.

 

[armanidog]

Beautiful wood. A custom woodworker would be your best bet. Those thicker pieces would make nice mantles. It looks like the grain is nice and straight. You have not thought about making some furniture or cabinets yourself?
Also while it is drying you may want to coat the ends with sealer- that will help keep down the splitting and checking.

Air Drying White Oak lumber

Air Drying White Oak lumber

forestryforum.com

 

[johneh]

Sell it as greenwood on Facebook or other market type program
Custom furniture makers would not be interested because it is not kiln dried
unless they owned their own kiln

 

[Mutineer]

One thing I can come up with is investigate bourbon barrel makers, white oak is used exclusively by them and it seems every town in the USA today has a whiskey distiller.

 

[johneh]

One thing I can come up with is investigate bourbon barrel makers, white oak is used exclusively by them and it seems every town in the USA today has a whiskey distiller.

True if you can find one a cooper may be interested

 

[Sawset]

I have a feeling any distiller would want a source that hasn't been next to gas cans and car exhaust. Just saying. Hardwood suppliers a lot of times have regular accounts that are fairly large, on the order of 10s of 1000s of board feet, and may set aside some for the local retail market. At that point the choices for local cabinet makers would range more than just a couple species or sizes, so the convenience and full service would be a factor. If I were to sell sawn dried lumber, I would expect a lower price, a limited number of customers, and limited demand. To get quality hardwoods here, I can drive an hour in a several directions to get it direct from sawmills. That's only a couple of places within a 60mi radius servicing three metro areas. Demand would be an issue for small lots unless the price is right.

 

[Jags]

Barrel staves are sawn with a slight arc. Straight boards are no good for barrels.
Check around and see if you have a seller of specialty wood to the public (hobby type stuff)

 

[stoveliker]

And for next time, I would suggest to first check for demand of what you might saw before you spend money on milling logs...

 

[Mike G T]

Thank you for all your replies. Looks like I have some work to do...making phone calls and checking on line/Facebook marketplace.
I do have a workshop in my basement with plenty of tools, just need a planner and jointer...
My wife has a list of things for me to make...I just have so much wood.

 

[Mike G T]

deliver to MA?

Hey, I have more wood not pictured.
Don't know how serious you are, but we could somehow look into it.
Don't really think the cost of delivery/shipping would save us much money.

???

 

[stoveliker]

I just have so much wood.

Complaining...? Poor guy (I'm joking...)

 

[johneh]

I do have a workshop in my basement with plenty of tools, just need a planner and jointer...
My wife has a list of things for me to make...I just have so much wood.

Too bad you are so far away. I have everything you would ever need
for a home or personal woodworking shop for sale. Retired and
figured I would still be in need of it but now prefer seeing it go to a good
home than just sitting here

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I love your post and photos. My hunch is what others have said -- a small company that does custom woodworking, or a small hardwood flooring manufacturer that uses local wood (I have one 8 miles from my house).

 

[bholler]

Flooring manufacturer maybe many of them have kilns. But few small cabinet shops do. And even properly air dried wood really isn't dry enough for cabinet work

 

[Nealm66]

You might try advertising on Craigslist in different states where oak isn’t readily available and maybe ship it through uship.

 

[Sawset]

And even properly air dried wood really isn't dry enough for cabinet work

Properly dried wood for cabinet use should end up within a few percentage points of the end use. 8-10% is a good figure for indoor use. Air drying just may take longer, a lot longer than oven dried, but there's a good chance in se WI it will get there. One problem here is actually getting enough humidity in the house in winter due to the wood stove and it's venting requirements. The floors were put in with kiln dried 8% wood, yet the equilibrium mc at 30% humidity in winter is less than that (5-6%). In summer, it's more than that (9-10%). Wood furniture and floors need to be able to move, 8% is kind of in the middle.

 

[Mike G T]

So, this wood is still in my garage. Sold about 5 to 10 pieces. I'm really wondering how to price this wood? Or, how do I price each board? Gonna keep a little for my projects. 8% moisture.

 

[stoveliker]

Price it for how much you are willing to let it go for...
If you want it gone, price the whole load at a lower price. If you're not bothered by the stacks, offer it by the board and price it for more.

Find what others sell for and factor in how much you wish it gone.

In the end it all depends on the local market: what is the demand (apparently low given that you did not sell much of any significance), and what is the supply (other white oak boards for sale?)

Do you need the money? If not, why not try to only recoup your milling cost, and nothing else. You'll make someone happy. I don't believe in karma, but do believe in doing good...

It's really hard pricing something like this from afar...