So... one of my projects on the horizon is going to be a Nicholson style work bench. I've been digging through the local big box stores piles looking for some decent boards - I gotta say, those people who say they literally go thru the entire pile to get a half-dozen boards worth using, my hats off to ya. I'm not little, but digging even a little ways through a stack of long 2x10s or 2x12s by myself is a workout.
I got the bright idea to ask (email) the local hardwood / lumber supplier for pricing on some clear 8/4 SYP or DF, min 12" wide, 7' long, about 60 BF worth. Had to ping them again after a month to get a response... now I'm not sure if they are high-balling the price so I'll just go away and not bother them, or if these prices are actually reasonable.
The first option they provided was Doug Fir 'VG' 2x12s, @ 1-3/4 x 11-1/4 S4S... for $25 / linear foot. Looking at this table here and converting (roughly) the board feet I asked for (4-5 pieces at the dimensions mentioned above) to linear feet... then multiplying by their price... I come up with $875 (!!!!) for ~5 boards 7 feet long, before taxes. Yeowza. I think that works out to $10-11 per board foot, for Doug Fir, 'very good'...
Second option they suggested was they have a laminated beech slab, 26" wide by 1-1/2" thick by 14 feet long, for $450. I'd have to have them cut it at least in half (7' pieces), and probably in half again length-wise on each of those halves, and end up with four pieces 13" wide by 7' long by 1.5" thick. Just not sure how the laminated aprons would look...
Anywho, are those lumber prices normal? Granted I haven't seen the 'very good' boards, but I have a hard time swallowing $950 (including tax) for 5 boards of Doug Fir.
Maybe I'll just have to go back to box store 2x lumber...