Are Lumber Prices Killing Woodworking Hobby?

[Mike Goetzke]

OK - did what I should have done before posting this - I went to the hardwood store that is about 20 minutes from me. Red oak is the most prevalent species by me so I bought that. The had really nice 5/4's for much better price than I saw on a supplier that is a bit further from my house. My material costs including BB for the drawers and drawer slides was about $500. Pretty reasonable considering I'm using solid hardwood (but that BB is still pretty high).

Mike

 

[squall_line]

It's looking like I'll end up having to build a piece that I need because almost nobody sells it in the dimensions that I need (depth especially).  Even with a shed full of 4/4 and 8/4 rough ash that I've long since paid for, it'll probably still set me back more than I'd prefer.

Quality salvage lumber, trim, etc. is what I'd prefer, but salvaged wood can be almost as expensive as harvested nowadays, unless you're the one performing the salvage.

 

[luvmytoolz]

It's looking like I'll end up having to build a piece that I need because almost nobody sells it in the dimensions that I need (depth especially).  Even with a shed full of 4/4 and 8/4 rough ash that I've long since paid for, it'll probably still set me back more than I'd prefer.

Quality salvage lumber, trim, etc. is what I'd prefer, but salvaged wood can be almost as expensive as harvested nowadays, unless you're the one performing the salvage.

A lot of the salvaged wood suppliers here in OZ treat it like a speciality timber with gold dust in the cells, or at least that's what the prices reflect. I've quite often seen it far more expensive than the equivalent skip dressed furniture grade timber.

 

[alltracman78]

You could always mill your own lumber.

Of course that's another expensive rabbit hole to dive into.

 

[squall_line]

You could always mill your own lumber.

Of course that's another expensive rabbit hole to dive into.

I've watched enough Youtube channels and dealt with some of the local sawyers around here enough to know that's a rabbit hole I don't need to even get into the same zip code as.

Urban lumber is plentiful (RIP, white ash) but so garishly problematic...

 

[sancho57]

Ive had to modify my woodworking because of the price increases.  I buy what i need but take more time machining and building to avoid mistakes which can cause me to buy even more wood.

Since Im not building anything fancy now and have changed my focus from furniture for the house to things like organizing my garage and outdoor storage, Im trying things Id never use in the past. Like melamine. Im building some garage cabinets, with shelving out of melamine. Never fooled with it much, but I got me a melamine blade for my TS55 ad some melamine roo glue and plan on useing dominos for assy.

Yea its heavy but my son is getting out of the Marines in a month or so, he young and strong and can help me lift the melamine and move the assembled cabinets from my shop to my garage and set them.

 

[demographic]

I've noticed that some woods have doubled in price, but others are about the same as they were 10 years ago.

If you're curious you can look at the pricelist from Hearne Hardwoods, a big lumberyard in PA from 2015 here.

Cherry (4/4 FAS) went from $5.00 in 2015 to $5.50 today.

White Oak went from $4.00 to $9.50!!

So if you're concerned about wood prices, just find a different species.

Cherry is a really nice looking wood as well, although not in big sizes usually.