Really cheap wood

So, the other day I was approached by someone in need getting their shed empty.
They had 2000 board feet of norther white pine they were hoping to sell, for some cash.

All of the boards were in the rough, and fully air dry (I can easily kiln dry any wood, for 20 cents/bf). Widths ranged from 4" to 9". 4/4. I'd grade them as #1common and better.

They only wanted a nickle a board foot. A nickle! I know it's only $100 in their pocket, but the main thing is they wanted to get rid of it.

The only thing holding me back, was I had no place to store it....and they wanted it out of their shed.
I could have rented a storage unit, I think, for about $90/month, to hold it....but they aren't easy to come by near me.

So, I had to pass.

Now...I really don't need the Norther White Pine...but at a nickle, I gotta believe some of you all would have liked some, and I just hated to pass it up.

My question is....the next time I run into a situation like that, do you folks have some suggestions as to how I could capitalize on that incredible deal?
The lumber was in north-central Wisconsin.

I'd ask myself if I want to be in the business of selling wood. 2000 bdft of pine is way more than I can use myself, so I'd have to sell most of it. The question is whether I'd want to be fussing around selling pine, or instead be building furniture with nice hardwood. For me, the answer is clear.

As an alternate viewpoint — I’d’ve bought it, took it home, built a shed out of it to store what wasn’t used to make the shed, then used it as needed.

For me, the answer is clear, too.
I really enjoy seeing woodworkers with talent, make things. And, I love it when I can find a great deal on some wood, and pass it along.
I have no qualms about selling wood....but in this instance, I don't have the room to sit on it very long.

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Originally Posted by William Adams

As an alternate viewpoint — I’d’ve bought it, took it home, built a shed out of it to store what wasn’t used to make the shed, then used it as needed.

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I don't have the skill, nor land for that.

You could post it on this forum to see if someone else could use it. Whether you chose to act as a middleman and make a few bucks or just make someone happy is up to you.

I think it's take a lot of smarts to know when to pass up a good deal. You would have ended up with a huge headache trying to figure out how to move and store all that lumber. If it had been an expensive hardwood it might have been worth the hassle but IMHO you made the right decision.

Can't say as I have ever wanted rough white pine. You could have doubled your money I bet lol.

The real cost of that was moving and dealing with 2000bdft.

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Originally Posted by Gene Takae

I think it's take a lot of smarts to know when to pass up a good deal. You would have ended up with a huge headache trying to figure out how to move and store all that lumber. If it had been an expensive hardwood it might have been worth the hassle but IMHO you made the right decision.

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I think this is very wise advice....

White pine is very popular for wide pine flooring...it's generally nice stuff to work with as far as pine goes. Too bad you didn't have the space to take it...even if for temporary and re-sale.

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Originally Posted by dirk martin

I think this is very wise advice....

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Thanks for the compliment-I have my moments. :p

This thread made me cry a little.

At an auction 6 years ago 600bf of truly prime walnut, butternut, and curly maple were bid up to $450. I had neither use for the wood, nor any place to store it, but $450 is silly. I bid $500 and got it.
I then sold 400bf for $3/bf and kept the rest. Made (after fees and tax) $650 and got 200bf of wood. (I also sold two nice mobile wood carts that the wood was on for $50 to someone at the auction because I had no way to transport them)

Around here pine goes for $2/bf. It shouldn't have been all that hard to have resold it for $0.55/bf. A few hours sweat for a $1,000 profit? Am I wrong?

I'd have bought it and used it as is to sheet a roof.