Now... What do I do with This!

[jmcq]

Hello All,
Just looking for some ideas on what to do with 100MBF of Eastern White Cedar 2" Stock?
A little background on this...
Earlier this year I took a job with an individual who had a lot of cedar to cut.
I was told when I went into the job that I was to cut the material and target 2" stock.
After cutting over 100,000 BDFT, the owner found that selling the material wasn't as easy as expected.
Needless to say they asked me if I could try and sell it for them.
I have never sold cedar except to other Large Mills as posts, pulp or sawlogs.
You guys seems to have a wealth of knowledge and experience.
So I am just looking for any ideas.

Thanks
Joe

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forum
Hopefully you have been paid for sawing the stock.

What can you tell us about the cedar in addition to being 2".

Is it full 2" ?
What lengths and widths are represented?
What quality is the stock and has it been sorted into any kind of grade?
What thickness will it surface (planed) to when dry?

[jmcq]

Hi,
The boards are cut true to 2-1/32"
The Lengths are 8' and 12' (approx 50/50)
The Widths are 4-8" with the majority being 6"
When we were milling we were instructed to toss anything under B grade as well as anything under 8' (Kind of a Shame)
As to surfaced thickness, I think the owner was thinking outdoor decks. (Most places use 5/4 for decks though)

Joe

[homesteader shane]

I live in Ontario Canada and I can think of at least 5 time in the past year I have been asked to sell ceder for decks  but I only have enough for myself and family. I  traded  lumber for a deck for a hunting rifle one time. I'm shur if you put the word out in a rural setting you will get ride of it
Good luck

[SwampDonkey]

I'm sure they can use 2" cedar for decking, they use PT spruce 2" x 6", so why not cedar?

[sgschwend]

Cedar is popular in the west for outside wood.  You should be able to find even a few lumber yards to pickup a unit or two. 

You may even be able to truck some westward, locally it sells for about $1.50/bf for 2" stock.

[Norm]

Where are you located?

[terrifictimbersllc]

What about resawing it into tapered siding?  Plenty thick for that and lots of houses in New England anyway, are sided with white cedar.

[jmcq]

Thanks for the input guys!
Joe

[homesteader shane]

Hi jmcq
I did'nt realize you wher in Ontario too, I live south of bancroft. about your cedar I'v exprenced a lot of people asking me to sell rough cedar for decks 2x's 4x's 6x's and 8x's I found I had to be careful of the building code. The lumber is should be stamped to be struckurl. I know it's not my concern when it leaves  my yard but I tend to tell people anyway, I found it's good bissunes practice.
I done a saw job for a fellow yesterday and he said his friend in  Manitoulin Island told him that people on the island had a hard time getting cedar and it was running out

[SwampDonkey]

Nobody here manages for the stuff, except maybe myself and like minded. But, most people clear cut it around here as if it's stopping something else from growing.  Common phrase is: "we should cut that cedar to see what will grow" :

[jmcq]

Hi Shane
You are right about structural ratings...I was hoping to find non-structural uses for it.
As to Cedar on Manitoulin it is indeed getting scarce.
The individual I was cutting for owns a 10,000+ acre private island with loads of cedar that has not been touched. Lots of everything else too.
I have no problems selling all the hardwood that is coming off the island, its just this cedar that doesn't want to move!

Joe

[jmcq]

Hey,
I thought you guys might like to see where I was working!

[homesteader shane]

Wow ever a nice area any snow yet we just got some yesterday
just a throught, the big mill down here when a they have lumber they can't sell they build kits and prefab sheds, kids tree houses, deer stands, ect and sell them outright and delivered.  But by the look of it you've got your hands full.
My mother went up there a few years ago on vaction and said me and my wife should too the landscape was somthing to see. we'll see I 'v got my hands full too
Shane

[SwampDonkey]

There is a local bandmiller here and he only moves cedar as 6"x6". Now he's just a hobby show to begin with. He doesn't saw for months and then just plays now and again in the winter. Never saw the saw run a full 8 hour day since it was bought years ago. So, nothing that you could survive on. ;)

Nice view.

[jmcq]

Hey SwampDonkey,
Any idea where those 6"X6" timbers go, or what they are used for?
I think I have about half a truck load of those as well.

Joe

[SwampDonkey]

I have no clue really and probably not likely to be told even when asked. :D

[bic]

jmcq
That shot looks alot like Fitzwilliam Island, (any rattle snakes in that harbour) barging then trucking puts a bit of a damper on profits I would think, I had heard a rumour some time back that Home Hardware in Espanola may have been looking for a supplier of cedar.

bic