Howdy all,
Well i was just doing some slabbing today that i had put off for awhile. Did a cherry branch chunk and a splated maple branch chunk, then a walnut with a rotten spot. Just thought you might like to see some pictures. The saw is a Stihl 088 with a 52" bar that gives me something like 38" width on the mill. I have a new bar that is a little bigger at 72" i think, which might let me do a 5' wide slab. Now if i could only sell one of these things to pay for the thousand dollar saw, and equal amount of chains and bars.
Do any of you sell these things consistantly? I've got some older seasoned cherry and walnut slabs that are around 12/4 thick and 5' or so long. Mostly branch, crotch figure from what i would call a branch ball from an open grown field tree, you know where there is an 8' trunk with a ball on top of branches?
I've seen postings for thousands of dollars, and would actually like to sell some. I've given people prices of $100 for some that made the wood $3 bd ft. This isn't workable financially, but i've yet to have anyone actually buy them at that. They say "neat", someday i'll buy one, which means when they are free?
I'm looking for niches as i'm still not really making a living at this. I'm trying to advertise and sell my lumber dirt cheap, and sales come and go, mostly go... so from all the talk about slabs i wonder if there is any real use out there? I can always saw up later, but i would think they would need to air dry for a year or so before they went in the kiln so they wouldn't explode. We sealed the ends and any figured end grain on the faces. We'll see what happens. Any ideas? They are hard to store, hard to saw, hard to dry, hard to display. I'm thinking of how to make a lean to where i can have them out for sale.... So many ideas, so little time.
KP
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11006/708/maple.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11006/708/maple_milling.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11006/708/spalt.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11006/708/walnut.JPG)
Make furniture with them to broaden your audience. That will also get you the slabs full earning power.
$3bf is a good value. I might want one some day. :D
I'd make the rounds at some of the "larger" flea markets, and talk to the vendors selling larger items. Maybe you can become their supplier for slabs.
Here are a few ideas from New Zealand, the dimensions are metric and the prices are New Zealand dollars NZD1.00 = approx USD 0.69
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Lounge-dining-hall/Tables/Dining-tables/auction-239635641.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Lounge-dining-hall/Other/auction-239740116.htm
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Lounge-dining-hall/Tables/Coffee-tables/auction-240638987.htm
We used to make fireplace mantels complete with two braces from the same wood. Would get $50 to $100 each and they sold fair. You could get several mantels from each of your slabs. I would say make up some samples and then take custom orders for them.
Gday
Kelvin I use to sell afew slabs (Still do ;) ) somthing nice in hardwood say 3"x24" by 8' id sell gos for between $100 and $200 depending on what mood i was in at the time ;) :D ;D i sold some to a furniture maker in Bendigo on a regular basis which where himalayn ceader 2 thick in log form from 6' to 10 long ;) just slabed through n through then stapped the lot up with afew sticks for an avv of $90 ea on logs 24" to 34" dia sounds cheap but when you do two logs with about 26 slabs all up in a day it can keep abit of cash coming in mate ;)
High Prices are ok but you have to wait for the ones who will pay that extra i think its better to sell more at a lower price to get things moving along ;) Put the Premo ones to the side dry them and sell them for Top dollar Mate
Regards Chris