I've a lumber mill right up the road - and the only traffic I hear on my acres is the lumber trucks driving by - thanks all, this thread has encouraged me to go give them a visit.
A second factor, not making the news - swine fever has run rampant thru China's pig population. We *think* its been decimated, but as ever, its hard to get good info out of China if it reflects badly upon them. Officially, tens of millions of pigs were put down last year, and a second wave of a...
My Lowes has taken the prices down in the lumber yard section. They aren't even pretending anymore. And yes, their precut "project panels" mad from dimensional sheets are nearly the price of the full sheet at present. Same is true in PVC.
I'm currently building my house, and need some 6" PVC...
Alaskan Mills require MUCH bigger chainsaws than the typical homeowner possesses, and because of the way they attach to the bar, the effective cutting area is substantially reduced. Even then, its slow going (always cut green wood this way, not last year's fall), hard on chains, and eats oil...