# How do I get the most $ out of a Cherry log



## crowbait (Apr 1, 2008)

Guys, I'm being given a Cherry log. It is about 8' long, and 26" in diameter. Veneer quality. (I might be getting a similar Walnut log down the road, also).

I have a wood shop full of equipment, as well as a Logosol sawmill, as well as a monster wood splitter. Basically, I can do almost anything with this log that I desire.

I have no need for the log, other than to make $ out of it. My question is, what do you suggest I do with this log, to garner the most money?

Cut/dry 1" lumber out of it?
Cut/dry 2" or thicker lumber out of it?
Cut some real thick table tops or benches out of it?
Cut the entire thing into pen blanks? Turkey call blanks?
Split the whole thing up for firewood?
Cut it into bowl blanks?
Cut it into 1" boards, dry, then resaw into 1/8" or 1/4" boards to resell thin boards?

As you can see, I've got a lot of options, and have probably not thought of other ideas. One thing I really don't have the equipt. to do, is slice it into real thin veneer...so that option is out of the picture.

Ideas?


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 1, 2008)

> How do I get the most $ out of a Cherry log



Simple... saw it up with a bandmill... Every fith board is FREE! 

After that, i would "grade" saw it, as that's the best way to get the highest possible grade of lumber out of a log.

Highest grade of lumber + bandmilling = the most bd. ft. and the most $ per board ft. out of the log...

Rob


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## crowbait (Apr 1, 2008)

Simple, you say?

What thickness?
What brings more? Thin wood or Thick?
Do you know anything about bowl blanks, or other turning stock? No drying involved with that stuff.

Or do you feel 1" lumber is the most profitable?


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## big daddio (Apr 1, 2008)

no matter what dimensions you saw, somebody will ask for something else. if you've got some regular customers, ask them..........then hope they'll buy it........in my dream world they'd offbear to their truck as they buy it.


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## woodshop (Apr 1, 2008)

crowbait said:


> What brings more? Thin wood or Thick?
> Do you know anything about bowl blanks, or other turning stock? No drying involved with that stuff.



Thick or thin... in GENERAL the reason (retail) thicker cherry costs more is because it takes longer to kiln dry it, and in GENERAL in the long run they get more money out of that log by sawing it all 5/4 than if they sawed out some thicker stuff. 

I beg to differ... bowl blanks and turning stock does indeed need to be dried very carefully in order not to ruin them (they dry to fast). Small thick stuff like bowl blanks need to be sealed right as they come off the mill.


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## crowbait (Apr 1, 2008)

If I was to cut this log into bowl blanks, I would perform no drying. I would Anchorseal the blanks, right off the bandsaw. Drying is not performed by me, in such case. That's a big cost savings (time wise) for me, if I was to cut this into bowl blanks.

I've got a ready market, for almost anything I turn this log into...I was just curious if any of you out there would make a statement such as:

I think we'd all agree that if I was able to veneer the log, that that would garner the most amount of money from it....so that stands out as the clear leader. I was just curious if processing the log some other way stood out clearly in 2nd place.


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## timhar (Apr 1, 2008)

IMO, there are two ways to approach this, either go for max $$ no matter what the obstacles or go for the fast but maybe lesser money with an easy sale. 
The easiest way to get decent money for it is to grade saw it at 4/4. Easy to dry, easy to sell. Throw an ad on Craigs list for just under the local retail price and it will sell. Some wood retailers (i.e. Woodcraft) also buy from local sawyers but they obviously pay wholesale prices.
You'll get more $$ cutting 8/4, but it's slower and costlier to dry. There is less demand for it in the market place but still a fairly easy sell.
A thick flitch for a table top will bring even more $$ but the drying time is now measured in years. The market for such a piece is very narrow so you would need to advertise extensively and/or do a lot of leg work to find a buyer.
Turners are a fickle lot who can comb through a firewood pile to find blanks. Some are willing to pay good money for pre-cut blanks but on the whole I find them to be scroungers rather than buyers.
The pen makers I know want highly figured wood, not plain jane clear stock. Besides, could you sell a trees worth of pen blanks?


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## woodshop (Apr 1, 2008)

timhar said:


> IMO, there are two ways to approach this, either go for max $$ no matter what the obstacles or go for the fast but maybe lesser money with an easy sale.
> The easiest way to get decent money for it is to grade saw it at 4/4. Easy to dry, easy to sell. Throw an ad on Craigs list for just under the local retail price and it will sell. Some wood retailers (i.e. Woodcraft) also buy from local sawyers but they obviously pay wholesale prices.
> You'll get more $$ cutting 8/4, but it's slower and costlier to dry. There is less demand for it in the market place but still a fairly easy sell.
> A thick flitch for a table top will bring even more $$ but the drying time is now measured in years. The market for such a piece is very narrow so you would need to advertise extensively and/or do a lot of leg work to find a buyer.
> ...



Pretty good thorough advice. I too find that turners in general, are more scroungers, and are not willing to pay for blanks unless they are really special like something spalted or lots of figure. Of course, it is a correct statement that as far as bang for the buck, if the log is as good as you say and you peeled it into veneer, it would bring the most money. But for me at least, that wasn't even mentioned since who has a machine that will pick up a log that size and peel it??? Sortof a moot point ain't it?


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## crowbait (Apr 2, 2008)

I agree...peeling a log into veneer is a moot point...
I mean, I know where I can take a log, to have it cut onto lumber, and I know where I can send blanks to have them stabelized, but I have no idea where I can take one log, and then bring home a ton of veneer....if someone else does....please speak up.

I think you write correctly, timhar, with your post. I have had great success selling blanks of all sort, primarily because in the past, I've filled the nitch of selling huge bowl blanks. I think I sold the largest bowl blank eBay has ever seen...it was a Box Elder blank, that was 38" in diameter, and had no pith. 18 inches thick. I sold it for $250, plus there was another $150 in shipping to the state of WA. Weighed in at 148#.

Does anyone know...is it possible to take a log or two any place, and return home with veneer?


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## PaulLovesJamie (Apr 2, 2008)

crowbait, what range of $ are you hoping to get out of this 26" x8' cherry log? 
I'm asking because I have a nice straight 30" cherry thats going to fall across my driveway one of these days, I'm planning to take it down before it falls. If I could make enough off it to pay for a new 660 I'd do the work...


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 2, 2008)

woodshop said:


> Thick or thin... in GENERAL the reason (retail) thicker cherry costs more is because it takes longer to kiln dry it, and in GENERAL in the long run they get more money out of that log by sawing it all 5/4 than if they sawed out some thicker stuff.
> 
> I beg to differ... bowl blanks and turning stock does indeed need to be dried very carefully in order not to ruin them (they dry to fast). Small thick stuff like bowl blanks need to be sealed right as they come off the mill.



"If" that log came to my mill, and i wasn't keeping it for myself... i'd consider two possibilites.

1. Sell it to a "veneer" log buyer.

2. "Grade" bandmilling it like woodshop said... @ 5/4, and as wide as ---------> "grade" would allow...

Rob


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## crowbait (Apr 2, 2008)

I honestly have no idea....that's why I started this thread. So far, it seems clear that if I sliced the entire thing into veneer, I'd get the most $ out of it, but slicing logs into veneer isn't something your typical woodworker can do, or even have done.

So, that leaves a ton of other options, as we've kind of detailed above, but so far it seems none of those other options clearly stands out as the best money maker.


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 2, 2008)

So, i guess your discounting what woodshop and i have told you??

Rob


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## crowbait (Apr 2, 2008)

You lost me, Rob.... ??


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 2, 2008)

crowbait said:


> I honestly have no idea....that's why I started this thread. So far, it seems clear that if I sliced the entire thing into veneer, I'd get the most $ out of it, but slicing logs into veneer isn't something your typical woodworker can do, or even have done.
> 
> So, that leaves a ton of other options, as we've kind of detailed above, but so far it seems none of those other options clearly stands out as the best money maker.



Everything has been discussed here, and both WS and I have answered your question... Yet, you feel you haven't got an answer yet???

My experience is, EVERYONE has an "veneer" log... And i mean everyone!! If that is so, why aren't they talking to a veneer log buyer??? A TRUE v log is worth INSTANT money!! And you won't have to saw it, or sell the lumber!

Answer... damn few are really v. logs! It takes a lot more that straight, round, and long to be a v. log! And only a "experienced" v log buyer can grade that log...

Rob


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## crowbait (Apr 2, 2008)

Perhaps the reason is that veneer log buyers don't want to waste their time on 1 or 2 logs.


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## timhar (Apr 2, 2008)

Crowbait,
You are correct in presuming a veneer buyer isn't interested in 1 log. You didn't mention were it came from but if it is from a residential area, they are doubly not interested, if such a thing is possible. Additionally, I believe a veneer log needs to be 9' long but I could be mistaken about that. 
The value of the raw lumber you will cut is, to a large degree, derived from the value added process steps you take. Yes, a 4" thick "slab" of cherry will sell for more per boardfoot than 4/4 material, but you have to find that one buyer who either wants it green or you will have to sit on your investment while it dries and hope it dries defect free. IMO, cutting it at 4/4, drying it and selling it in a month or so for $5 per boardfoot to a ready market beats cutting it 16/4, waiting for it to dry and then trying to connect with the few people who want that material at $10. But that's just me.
BTW, you can increase the value of your 4/4 & 5/4 lumber by numbering the boards as they come off the saw and selling them as book matched, or keep the boards from the log together and sell it as a whole unit and advertise it as color matched. You can add as much value through marketing as you can through sawing.


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## crowbait (Apr 4, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback, Tim. i forgot about the numbering of the slices, and offering them book/color matched...thanks for the reminder. Good stuff.


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## woodshop (Apr 4, 2008)

timhar said:


> ...BTW, you can increase the value of your 4/4 & 5/4 lumber by numbering the boards as they come off the saw and selling them as book matched, or keep the boards from the log together and sell it as a whole unit and advertise it as color matched. You can add as much value through marketing as you can through sawing.


 This is true... there is a niche market for both bookmatched stuff and also a numbered "whole log" sliced into boards, dried and stacked as they came off the saw. Little bit of work involved, but some woodworkers will pay a premium for that. 

Bottom line is though if you only have one or two logs, and they ain't 5 ft dia perfect sawlogs, and especially if they came from a yard or side of the road, sawmills and veneer buyers won't be knocking at your door. BANDsaw it up into 4/4 or 5/4, anchorseal the ends, don't let it dry too fast, and that's about as good as you're gonna get in your situation. If you really really really want veneer, and you have a cool 16 grand in your piggy bank for toys, Grizzly has a resaw bandsaw that will cut veneer, sortof. 

http://www.grizzly.com/products/g0504 

Go slice that log into 10x16 cants and go have a veneer party, but you have to invite me, 'cause it was my idea


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## crowbait (Apr 4, 2008)

Hmmmm, looking at the Grizzly resaw.....
Odd it doesn't mention how thin a slice it can make....


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## crowbait (Apr 4, 2008)

the video mentioned it can resaw as thin as 1/16th of an inch. Sweet.
Wish it wasn't 3 phase....


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 4, 2008)

I've sawn veneer with my bandmill before... It always makes a believer out of those that say all bandmills saw wavy lumber...

Rob


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## extraspecialman (Apr 4, 2008)

around here,both local sawmills have veneer buyers that stop in once a week.Youll get the most for a veneer log from a veneer buyer,rather than sawin them yourself.Logs dont have to be perfect to veneer.If the wood is clear,you can even have a big knot on 1 side,and still make a 3 sided veneer log.But most mills will stock up on veneer logs for a week or so,the veneer buyer will come in,grade the logs,and write a huge check.The only draw back here is you might have to wait a few days for your money,but its generally worth it.Not sure what cherry is bringin now,but 2 years veneer cherry was bringin over $1800 a thousand


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