Earlier in the summer I went to an auction and got the bid on a bunch of wood.  It was up in a barn loft and couldn't really tell what it exactly was, but a relative of the old boy that had collected it said there was walnut, ash, cherry and cedar.  It had been up in that loft for 30 to 50 years and it was a dirty mess.  It really made my trailer squat down, I figured I had roughly 2,300 board feet.

 

I got the stuff sorted best I could but the first piece I pulled out thinking I had walnut turned out to be cherry.  Looking at the outside of it there isn't a lot of difference being so dirty, but as soon as it hit the blade I could smell the cherry.  What I was told was ash so far is looking a whole lot like maple, but that's ok, maybe I just haven't hit the ash yet.

 

I've got this piece glued up for a coffee table.  It smells like cherry, but the cherry I've worked with before hasn't had this kind of color variation in it.  It still looks good, and the guy that's making the table likes it.  This wood is turning out to be a grab bag of stuff, but whatever it is it works for us here at school.  I figure I got it for about .40 a board foot, so it's not all bad.

Nice score, Roy! At that price you should have been wearing a mask 

fantastic grain in that pic! you sir are a fortunate individual!

Part of what is causing that color is the resin pockets . Looks like a great find.

Roy, If you feel guilty in the least about this acquisition, feel free to send me a couple hundred board feet. 

Once in a lifetime score...scrap bin at Menards is more than .40/bd/ft. You did GOOD!

At that price, you still sleep ok? That is an awesome score!  And that table top is BEAUTIFUL!

Roy,

Since we are less than 20 mile apart is there any chance a guy could buy some of it off of you?

I'd say you really fell into a deal! Can't beat that, a real gloat for sure.

Nice find Roy.  I see quite a few "affordable" projects in your future.

13 hours ago, Ralph Allen Jones said:

Roy,

Since we are less than 20 mile apart is there any chance a guy could buy some of it off of you?

Hey Ralph, last few times I've stopped around to see you you've been off somewhere else.  We could probably work something out on some wood.  I'm out of poplar, maybe do some trading with you?

Roy, Sounds good to me.