What range is good for top quality maple dowels 1"x31". 15+ ring count, straight grain and clear or return for another no cost! I am liking a ring count pricing... what do you guys think?
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Quality maple pricing
- Thread starter Jason Robichaud
- Start date
I'm paying $10-15 for hand select now so I would like to see it close to that.
At $15 a piece that's roughly $75 per bdft for specialized maple. I'd say that's pretty darn good for the seller.
Don't care for the ring count pricing thing.
At $15 a piece that's roughly $75 per bdft for specialized maple. I'd say that's pretty darn good for the seller.
Don't care for the ring count pricing thing.
i agree with Dave.$15 for basically perfect shafts sounds like the max.i don't think the cents per ring method would work that well for you.i know i would buy all 20 rpi and under and be paying $10 or less for perfect shaft at 50 cents per and i don't think i would pay $1,if i got one with 50 rings i would be pissed
i doubt anything higher than that will fly just b/c good shaft wood really isn't very expensive right now if you know where to look.
i doubt anything higher than that will fly just b/c good shaft wood really isn't very expensive right now if you know where to look.
i agree with Dave.$15 for basically perfect shafts sounds like the max.i don't think the cents per ring method would work that well for you.i know i would buy all 20 rpi and under and be paying $10 or less for perfect shaft at 50 cents per and i don't think i would pay $1,if i got one with 50 rings i would be pissed
i doubt anything higher than that will fly just b/c good shaft wood really isn't very expensive right now if you know where to look.
This is how ring count pricing would work or maybe just graded by rings:
15-24 @ .50$ would be $12.00 or $10
24-34 @ .50$ would be $17.00 ... $15
35+(considered 44) @ .50$ would be $22.00... $20
So I would have 3 grades based on ring count. Down side would be everyone might order only 15-24 and I would be sitting on loads of inventory. I will depend on you guys here for advice once I'm ready to start this...
Thanks.
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$10 to $20 will work also........
Ring count to me is secondary.
I'm more interested in your statement about "straight grain". Are you talking about the grain line being dead center end to end? How much runoff or wave do you allow and still call it "straight grain"?
I'm more interested in your statement about "straight grain". Are you talking about the grain line being dead center end to end? How much runoff or wave do you allow and still call it "straight grain"?
This is how my wood will be cut. Someone posted Rift cut and that is what quarter radial is called.
http://star.walagata.com/w/horizoncustomhomes/qtr_sawn.jpg
This gives the straightest grain. What I want to produce is parallel grain, centered on the dowel and clear. Again this will depend on what people will pay. I can't take the time to center a square on a lathe for $5 per dowel. I would like to do extras that make my dowel better.
Rift cut
Tolerances for wave set by you guys. (I don't know what is good here... maybe 1/16 or 1/8??)
All dowels center determined by grain. I would like the middle of grain middle of dowel.
And it is looking like 15 min grain count although I think most will be above 20.
These are my goals going into this and I hope that will make my product better than others with a demand from makers for this quality. I don't buy dowels for cues so I don't know what is available at this time.
I will need to visit shops and see first hand what is expected and why.
While I am not qualified to chime in(yet)regarding what constitutes GREAT shaft wood, I can remark about your guarantee.
If you send out wood that isn't as advertised(runoff, yellow...ect) you will have a tough time.
Let's just say that 1 out of 10 doesn't make the grade(as a dowel, not after further turning) and I order 200. Do I want to bother sending them back to Canada at my cost?
I might suggest a credit system where you would include replacements or simply some sort of other compensation. Maybe even just send out some more shafts. I am probably lazier than most, but I would much rather send an image of a shaft than package it up and send it back.
I surmise some might try to take advantage of this and I don't really know what return policies are for other suppliers, but if you GUARANTEE a certain quality, then you should stand behind the product and be willing to take a few hits to uphold a good reputation(which is everything, of course).
Just my .02
My product will be stamped and checked. I don't do close enough! I don't know what will show once final turn is done so I can't guarantee that, just the dowel. If a mistake is made during grading, I don't expect someone to pay for it. Send back and credit will be made on next order including shipping. I will require all refused product back with stamp so I know it was my dowel.
Thanks
A couple of years ago, Erik Crisp and Wes Hunter brought in a load of high grade dowels and sold them on the w/fs forum. I was fortunate enough to get four of the highest grade. They didn't have nearly as many as you are talking about, but there seemed to be a decent market...I would buy a few high counts, but only a few, and I don't think that's what you're looking for. I think Mr. Crisp would have some good advise for you. Here is a link to that thread from back when....
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=67985&highlight=dowel
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=67985&highlight=dowel
A couple of years ago, Erik Crisp and Wes Hunter brought in a load of high grade dowels and sold them on the w/fs forum. I was fortunate enough to get four of the highest grade. They didn't have nearly as many as you are talking about, but there seemed to be a decent market...I would buy a few high counts, but only a few, and I don't think that's what you're looking for. I think Mr. Crisp would have some good advise for you. Here is a link to that thread from back when....
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=67985&highlight=dowel
Thanks for the link. It is hard to find good wood looking through already sawn lumber. This lumber is usually cut for hardwood floors, furniture, crafts etc... I sold plenty of these logs to mills and they wouldn't be good enough for what I want. The grade for this type of lumber is based on 8' to 16' lengths, straight logs, no rot or large branches. You will never get a piece of log with no branch marks over 8'. The above log would demand premium prices and most would not meet the quality required for cues. I am only cutting/buying a 32" piece and paying premium for that piece. My waste will be reduced greatly. I don't know how many out there do this, but I'm guessing very few do all this and for the sole purpose of shaft wood. The reason why mills don't bother is because they get $2000 for TBF. To sort through the wood for the best is a waste of money to them. They look at making X$ for their 8 hour day and sorting wood for a pool shaft wouldn't pay. They might get 100 pieces on a full day production.
Thanks
I will not be setup for boards. Startup cost would be much higher for producing boards. I would need trim saws, edgers etc. Difference would be like getting setup for cue repair to cuemaker.
I would guess pretty accurately that you are going to have a few of these babies still spring when you cut them down, and I wouldn't hog them down either. You still have to wait 2 weeks or a month between passes. IMO