[Camden]

Hey everyone
So, I lost a close relative recently(no condolences necessary- it was his time), and he was a lifelong woodworker, sometimes hobbyist, sometimes pro, always with 100 irons in the fire. He worked at a mill for many, many years, again, sometimes for giggles(to help out a friend), sometimes pro(for money), and he acquired quite a lot of stuff. I, being the only living woodworking relative, and the only one who spent anytime with him for the last several years(bat **** crazy, but fun as heck), inherited EVERYTHING, including his mind boggling collection of veneers. I hope to post pictures soon, but for now, I'll try and do it justice. For just an example, I have we'll over 3/4 of a walnut log measuring 2.5' across, and averaging 12 ft long, all sliced into perfect 1/42" slices. There is some minor cracking on the ends, but the majority is flawless. The collection includes domestics and exotics(more rosewood than you can shake a stick at), and everything from full sheets to edge-banding, to panel-balance sized to cut-offs. I guess what I'm trying to say is, "I've got too much veneer!" I definitely want to use some of it, but even if I worked with veneer every day, I couldn't use it all in 10 lifetimes.

So, I guess my question is, what would you do if you were in my position? Should I maybe try to sell it? I'm not trying to get rich(although there appears to be many, many thousands of dollars here), but I also don't want to just give it away. Should I try to barter it for lumber(woodbarter?)? Or, should I just get really good at working with veneer? I'm stumped... I don't have the indoor space to store it for more than a few months, and he kept it so pristine that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let it degrade. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and if I can help anyone out with this windfall, let me know(please don't try to take advantage). Thanks in advance everyone!

WCT

 

[cabinetman]

Sounds like quite a haul. Depending on your woodworking habits, it would be nice to use it. If you store it flat it should keep. You might find out what it goes for in your area and get what you can. I would still save some for personal use. You might trade it for something you need, like maybe some tools or a machine that you want.

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[Sprung]

I think everyone here would love to be in your position! :laughing: And, there is no such thing as having too much wood! :yes:

If I were in your position, I would sort through it and take out what I wanted and keep what I wanted for myself, as well as some extra beyond what I think I'd use (because you never know!) After that, I would probably try to sell or trade away the rest. Woodbarter is a great forum (I'm also a member over there), and you'd probably get some interest in sales or trades, but your biggest route for sales there would be to pack it into flat rate boxes from the USPS. That would probably mean cutting the sheets so you can get them into the boxes, but flat rate boxes sell the easiest and they are the easiest for everyone to know what the shipping will cost them.

That said, I really wish I was in your position! :laughing: I'd love to get even a large flat rate game box stuffed with veneers. I'm sure that would last me a lifetime! But, any of the online storefronts I've seen selling boxes of random, but decent to good, veneers, the prices have been way out of the range that I can afford. Maybe someday I'll score like you did!

Sounds like you got a really great score! :thumbsup: You should post some pictures!

 

[phinds]

That quantity of veneer is going to hard to unload. You'll have to work at it pretty hard. I agree w/ the suggestion about cutting it up. I'd also suggest putting some on eBay, but be warned, you have to keep the prices WAY below the kind of several-dollars-per-sqft prices that you see at big retailers.

 

[Camden]

Thanks for all of the advice guys! As far as working with it, I have very, very little experience, but that's never stopped me before. I definitely plan on holding on to as much of it as is physically possible. I'll likely sell some in order to afford more storage space(maybe a climate controlled storage unit?), and gift some to those who have helped me along the way in my woodworking. Barter was my number one thought as well. I reckoned that there would be people in similar positions with other materials, and if we can reach an accord, then everyone would be happy. I hadn't really thought about trading for machinery, but that is really a wonderful idea. Even by wholesale pricing, I have enough to aquire most of the larger machines that I've been pining after. Maybe that 36" bandsaw is back on the table? Anyhow, I'm still sorting, racking, loading, moving, unpacking, sorting, racking, etc., etc.. I will most certainly post pictures at a point when they will do some sort of justice. Up until this point, I have subsisted on a diet of primarily salvage, cast-off and dumpster dives, and am hoping this will allow me a bit more flexibility with materials. We shall see. I suppose I should purchase some Marquetry tools and literature, as well as lots and lots of MDF and plastic for storage. Obviously, not an adventure one would normally plan for. Thanks again!

WCT

 

[phinds]

You should check out the Wood Barter forum if you're not already a member there.