Funny. In Malaysia, land of rampant logging (legal and illegal), I can’t seem to find really nice wood. Well, maybe the wood is nice, but it is stored horribly. It’s typically kept out back behind the hardware store under a big tin roof, all stacked right on top of each other.
So you can imagine that I would be somewhat tempted by the beautiful boards lined up at the back of Ace Hardware (there are a few branches of Ace here in Kuala Lumpur). I’m so glazed over that I don’t even realize that they’re really just laminated poplar and oak, sold for shelving. On the bright side, though, the surfaces are flat and smooth.
Here are the prices of these boards – let me know if they are particularly high or low; my guess is insanely high. Prices have been converted to U.S. dollars:
poplar:
1×12x36: $29.29
1×6x72: $21.28
oak:
1×12x48: $50.57
1×12x36: $44.71
1×8x72: $53.05
[This entry was originally posted on my personal website, Adventures in Woodworking.]
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
4 comments so far
Tomcat1066
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573 posts in 324 days
posted 285 days ago
Yeah, I’d say they’re pretty high. The poplar is something like $10.00 per board foot. The oak is about $14.00
However, I could be screwing up the math in my head. Still, it looks very high. Of course, if that’s all you can get…
-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!
FrankA
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136 posts in 307 days
posted 285 days ago
I would say that almost $14 a board foot for oak was “insanely high” .
Even mail order 5/4 s2s is under $4 a board foot.
Your post makes me glad I live in a very lumber abundant area.
-- Frank Auge---Nichols NY----"My opinion is neither copyrighted nor trademarked, but it is price competitive."
Scott Bryan
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9724 posts in 350 days
posted 285 days ago
Wow. I believe that I would look for some local wood.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
patrick miles
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131 posts in 341 days
posted 284 days ago
Yes , in the beginning I was looking outside the u.s. for “nice wood” Hit me like a brick in the head, Duh the most beautiful wood in the world is right here at home… California red woods, old growth salvage, desert iron wood indiana walnut ! gotta love it ! Take care
-- PJM.`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((º> why's there a light in fridge and not the freezer? , aka, the wood hunter.aka tigermaple5