Building and Flying Related Boards › miniMax, Hi-Max, and AirBike General Discussions
StilsonJune 26, 2020, 1:47am
I had the good fortune of finding the "holy grail" today, 15 roughly 1 3/8" thick x 14" wide x I'd guess 14' (didn't have a tape measure with me, wasn't looking to buy wood today, just had a conversation turn to "lets go look at something i have in the shed across town") of clear vertical grain Douglas fir. I mean "clear grain", the lighting was dim, and again I didn't have a measure with me but I'd guess +20 grains per inch, less than 1 in 24 runout, only a few nail holes (reclaimed from an old gymnasium bleachers). what is a fair price? He said what he wanted for them, and I agreed to buy them all, going to pick them up tomorrow, but he said he has more in another shed (I'm pretty sure he has the entire bleachers stored away). I plan to horde these first fifteen, but what's a board like that worth now days? I've spent the last 5 years rummaging through lumber stacks try to find boards with enough usable wood to justify buying it and most of it going to other projects or the wood burner, I'd like to find a fair value to base an offer on what else he has so I can buy it and redirect it to airplane building rather than see it wasted...
aeronutJune 26, 2020, 2:19pm
WOW That was a great find! It almost amounts to unubtanium. Good luck finding a fair price.
never surrender; never give-up
AkwrencherJune 29, 2020, 5:56am
aeronutJuly 1, 2020, 3:12pm
The D. Fir that was described by Stilson in his post would appear to me to be old growth because of the annual ring growth and the lack of any knots and the fact that it came out of a gym bleachers that are old. I do not know if they are currently harvesting in any old growth stands today but I kind of doubt it. If the wood was cut in the late 1940's for the school bleachers then there is a very good chance that it is old growth. The pricing of the wood from the vendors list may be a valid starting point for a estimated price but I think that the spec's for any wood harvested currently will not be as good as the old growth wood. Your find is quit unique and valuable. Just my .02 cents worth.
never surrender; never give-up
StilsonJuly 1, 2020, 5:34pm
Most definitely old growth, I finally found a way to post pics
StilsonJuly 1, 2020, 5:39pm
1 3/8" thick, 15' 11" long, straight grain from one end to the other. sealed on all surfaces. The one pic was after running it through my surface planer
aeronutJuly 1, 2020, 7:47pm
Congratulations on your find and purchase. The fact that it will go into a aircraft project and not tooth picks leaves me feeling that there is hope for this crazy world we live in.
never surrender; never give-up
kennethMarch 6, 2022, 2:26pm
I found some of this too and thought the same thing. Unfortunately, I was down on money at the time...the seller had a truck load...talk about Holy Grail!. I was able to get 12 ft boards for 25 a piece...he wanted more. I did buy 4. Best wood I have ever seen...good luck!
