Hello again everyone.
I just so stubbled across 8 persimmon saw logs today I brought em home and now I'm trying figure out what the going price on persimmon is but they are all 14' long and up 15" in diameter so what do y'all think ?
Around here ther is no specialty market for it so at the most it would bring $.35 bdft doyle scale at my mill. That is quite irrelevant to you though. I am guessing you will have some kind of idea to do something with the lumber so the price should be whatever you and the owner can agree on.
I have sawn some downed persimmon before. The worms like it and most of it had been ruined in the log.
PC
Like Paul indicated, there is no market for persimmon logs that is different from just your run-of-the-mill average hardwood log in the commercial hardwood log markets. However, there is a small specialty market for the lumber if you can market it. Plane makers, golf club head makers, and luthiers like it. However, it has to be good clear, kiln dried stock. I try to get all that I can, and I will pay more for the logs to get it. For 12" small end and up, I will pay $1.00 to $1.50 per bf Doyle in the log, but, then again, I am able to market the wood to the specialty end users. This means that I generally have to ship it in small quantities. Also, for some uses like guitar fret boards or for hand-made wooden plane soles, the wood has to be almost perfectly quartersawn. Had to get much quartersawn yield out of small persimmon logs, though. The highest value is when sawn thick like 9/4 at 2 3/8" thick rough.
Im sorry gentlemen I guess I could have asked that question a little better so here goes I have 8 persimmon logs once i cut them in lumber way would be a fair price per board foot for the lumber
After reading WDH's reply, just "sawing them into boards" would seem to be the wrong thing to do. Specialty wood species need to be sawn for a targeted market.
I usually found that a good way to test the selling market is to first test the availability and buying market.
Actually I make pretty good $ on Sweet Gum. Its really easy to saw with my 4° blades.
It grows around here like Cudzu.
The tree service people bring very nice, straight SG in about 3 times a week.
IMO and my personal preference, its good for 2 things....firewood which I saw on my mill and
siding which I saw customers logs at 25 bents a BF and they use it for siding.
I saw and sell SG barn siding at 55 cent a BF......the logs are free.
Over the past 6 years I have tried to educate folks about SG siding. Get it up has soon as you can, don't let it touch the ground, use ring shank nails or deck screws.
I ALWAYS install it as board and baton, never lap siding.
I never stack and sticker.....flat stack it and put it up green.
Its a good wood if used vertical and not use horizontal.
I have made some pretty 2 inch bench slabs out of SG.
Here some pics of my SG install.
This is an interior wall in my room where I store table slabs and table top lumber.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/SWEET_GUM_WALL.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1489868453)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/SWEET_GUM_WALL_3.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1489868455)
This is on the outside wall of a air drying shed. I chainsawed some holes on it to give me more air flow. I have sprayed this wall several times with used motor oil. This siding has dried as hard as a rock.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/SWEET_GUM_WALL_2.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1489868455)
I am at $8.00/bf for 4/4, kiln dried, planed persimmon. $12/bf for 9/4, kiln dried, planed persimmon lumber. I do not sell large quantities, but what I do sell I get a premium for.
Its a beautiful wood if ya know what your doing like WDH. He don't sell no junk. (old saying)
Like WDH already stated, you have to know your market. I'm a planemaker, and in North America, there are quite a few of us. We use persimmon for boxing in planemaking, as it's the only indigenous North American ebony, and wears like iron.
The lumber has to be perfectly clear of knots and defects, and has to be dry, ready to use. I don't think you have to plane it to sell it, but it needs to be dry and stable. It is used in 1/4" thick strips of boxing on moulding planes, and is cut on the bias at the bedding angle of the plane so the end grain faces down. The boards need to be around 7" wide in order for them to work, otherwise you cannot install full length pieces from the mouth of the plane to the toe and/or heel, and that is a deal breaker for people who buy planes made by me.
If you don't have the ability to dry it, then I you won't have any planemaker's interested in your product. I cannot speak to the golf club market, as I've only seen "metal" heads on "woods" these days.
I always wanted some for making pool cues if it had good color and/or figure, but the vast majority of stuff I have seen is bland & ugly. Every once in while I see some with black streaks or even mostly black color, but it's always 4/4. I haven't cut any trees to mill myself because I'm afraid it would be a waste, and deer love persimmons.