Thread: What's Celery Top worth?

Cousin's husband once told me anything is worth what you can get for it in 5 minutes.

He would say that... he owned a car business!!

Hard to say. A lot would depend on length, width etc, but assuming its suitable for hull planking you might get couple of grand a cube. It's not worth much more because of species anymore then my white beech is. Size, thickness and grade will determine what it's worth rather then species.

I'd be contacting a few boat builders... not the little local guys either... direct. You're in Brisbane, start with Norman Wright & Sons. 2 cube don't go far when you start planking up a 40 footer though.

Originally Posted by John.G

Hard to say. A lot would depend on length, width etc, but assuming its suitable for hull planking you might get couple of grand a cube. It's not worth much more because of species anymore then my white beech is. Size, thickness and grade will determine what it's worth rather then species.

I'd be contacting a few boat builders... not the little local guys either... direct. You're in Brisbane, start with Norman Wright & Sons. 2 cube don't go far when you start planking up a 40 footer though.

Thanks John,
I don't get much time on the computer but after a search this morning have found CT is selling over $10,000 a cube for lightly dressed boards - I think with delivery. What I have would have been milled about 15 yrs ago & would make fine, stable furniture. I might just "value add" it as I would rather dump it than sell it for $2,000/cube. I am not expecting any where near $10,000/cube but I think my original guess of around $7500/cube is more realistic. Might even thro in a slab of Myrtle.
Have you checked the price or Radiata at the hardware store lately? You might be surprised.
Cheers,
Kiwi

Originally Posted by kiwihumidor

Thanks John,
I don't get much time on the computer but after a search this morning have found CT is selling over $10,000 a cube for lightly dressed boards - I think with delivery. What I have would have been milled about 15 yrs ago & would make fine, stable furniture. I might just "value add" it as I would rather dump it than sell it for $2,000/cube. I am not expecting any where near $10,000/cube but I think my original guess of around $7500/cube is more realistic. Might even thro in a slab of Myrtle.
Have you checked the price or Radiata at the hardware store lately? You might be surprised.
Cheers,
Kiwi

Respectfully, hardware store prices and timber prices only have timber in common. Pine is a four letter word around here but I think radiata is worth around $550m3 at mill gate. I can pull it out of NZ for $300m3 FOB Auckland anyway, and freight isn't that bad by the container load.

sized 150x38 "Hull Grade Riftsawn"

Gum, Spotted: $1900 m3
Beech, White: $ 2600 m3
Hardwood, Johnston River: $2800 m3
Mahogany, Philippine: $3450 m3
Teak, Burma (old growth) $8500 m3
Teak, Burma (mature plantation) $3600m3

Good old growth Celery top is very hard to find, of that I have no doubt. But that doesn't push the price up it just means boat builders use something else... unless you're lucky enough to find someone who is totally committed to having a CT hull, which isn't out of the question. Adding a couple of grand to the cost of a hull to use the timber you want is nether here nor there really as anyone whos been that route knows. (I've had more then one hole in the water I tried to fill with money so I speak with some experience). The problem you'll have is finding that person who really really wants what you have. That can take a while. Maybe try an ad with Yachthub or BoatPoint... it's that whole targeted marketing thing.
Regards
John

$2k/m3 wet $3.5k dry. Surcharge30% lengths over 4.8m

Originally Posted by rustynail

$2k/m3 wet $3.5k dry. Surcharge30% lengths over 4.8m

Best solution I think is keep it & continue to enjoy working with it. In the last 5/6 yrs the small % I have used has certainly paid it's way. It,s about time I built a runabout for the Broadwater.
cheers,Kiwi

Originally Posted by rustynail

$2k/m3 wet $3.5k dry. Surcharge30% lengths over 4.8m

That's the trouble with this business. Every time I just think I might be able to sneak my prices up some b@$t@rd comes along and undercuts the market!!!

Originally Posted by John.G

That's the trouble with this business. Every time I just think I might be able to sneak my prices up some b@$t@rd comes along and undercuts the market!!!

John, Thats not an undercut, thats the going rate out of Tassie at the moment. Plus freight.

Originally Posted by rustynail

John, Thats not an undercut, thats the going rate out of Tassie at the moment. Plus freight.

Figured that, I was only being facetious and hope I didn't offend you.

Originally Posted by John.G

Figured that, I was only being facetious and hope I didn't offend you.

Not at all.

Originally Posted by rustynail

John, Thats not an undercut, thats the going rate out of Tassie at the moment. Plus freight.

Thanks guys. .
When restoring antique furn. or classic boats there is NO choice as to using cheaper timbers. On a boat one might find 6 different timbers in 6 different locations - each chosen for a combination of strength/weight/flexability. Replacing one with another species can drastically alter the integrity of the boat.
I am not selling spotted gum, teak or recently milled young growth CT. I have had a couple of enquiries from people who have researched what other CT is avail. & they were not impressed with it. In fact the comments above & enquirers have only confirmed the rarity & value of what I have. Also I would assume the CT for sale at around $12000/cube is from an honest & legitimate company who might not be impressed with your comments .
Once again I am happy to negotiate a value with anyone interested in long boards of well seasoned, old growth CT. When it's gone there aint no more.
Cheers,
Kiwi

Originally Posted by kiwihumidor

Also I would assume the CT for sale at around $12000/cube is from an honest & legitimate company who might not be impressed with your comments .

Kiwi

Kiwi,does this statement imply that anyone else selling CT at a lesser price is dishonest and illegitimate? And who cares what they think .I am sure there are individual stashes of CT in many sheds around this wonderful country of ours,old growth or otherwise.Once your 'stash' is gone,there will be more available for sale i am sure .Not understating the value or application(s) of CT,but the fact is it is a fairly obscure species in the eyes of many woodies.Alot of folk would never have heard of it before Rusty gave you an honest appraisal i thought.Money is very tight at present and 12k will buy the astute punter alot of quality boat building timber.I could purchase a quite a few cube of figured Qld Maple,Silver Ash,White Beech for that amount of money...MM

Originally Posted by kiwihumidor

Thanks guys. .
When restoring antique furn. or classic boats there is NO choice as to using cheaper timbers. On a boat one might find 6 different timbers in 6 different locations - each chosen for a combination of strength/weight/flexability. Replacing one with another species can drastically alter the integrity of the boat.
I am not selling spotted gum, teak or recently milled young growth CT. I have had a couple of enquiries from people who have researched what other CT is avail. & they were not impressed with it. In fact the comments above & enquirers have only confirmed the rarity & value of what I have. Also I would assume the CT for sale at around $12000/cube is from an honest & legitimate company who might not be impressed with your comments .
Once again I am happy to negotiate a value with anyone interested in long boards of well seasoned, old growth CT. When it's gone there aint no more.
Cheers,
Kiwi

Anyone who isn't impressed with my comments is always welcome to explain to me the error of my ways....I don't claim infalibility, I'm always happy to learn from people smarter then me, and I'm not that hard to track down. I do claim to know a little bit about going a long way from the beach in wooden boats, and a little bit about sawmilling and timber though.

Regards
John

John Goyne
Master III (USL)
Director, Mayne Australia Specialty Timbers Pty Ltd

MAST.gif

Originally Posted by kiwihumidor

Thanks guys. .
When restoring antique furn. or classic boats there is NO choice as to using cheaper timbers. On a boat one might find 6 different timbers in 6 different locations - each chosen for a combination of strength/weight/flexability. Replacing one with another species can drastically alter the integrity of the boat.
I am not selling spotted gum, teak or recently milled young growth CT. I have had a couple of enquiries from people who have researched what other CT is avail. & they were not impressed with it. In fact the comments above & enquirers have only confirmed the rarity & value of what I have. Also I would assume the CT for sale at around $12000/cube is from an honest & legitimate company who might not be impressed with your comments .
Once again I am happy to negotiate a value with anyone interested in long boards of well seasoned, old growth CT. When it's gone there aint no more.
Cheers,
Kiwi

Best to never assume anything....It makes an ASS out of both U and ME.
As for your Company not being impressed with my comment, I could not care less. You asked a question and I gave an honest answer. Should that answer have fallen short of what you wanted to hear is unfortunate, but it does not give you, or anyone else, the right to suggestively besmirch my character sight unseen.