The Most Expensive Wood Slabs to Date 

GOBY - how much do you think Goby Walnut paid the client for that tree? Can't wait to see some new videos soon.

Anyone spending 15 million on a house is not going to think twice about 30,000 for a table. That's good conversation for him and his buddies. Like the 30,000 canoe above his mantle.

GOBY - No apologies necessary, (from a former paper mill employee) this is one of the best renewable resources available! If you feel bad about it, just plant another - or several (then someone else can have another awesome table in about 100 years!)

This guy is just awesome. So much effort into making these video’s as well as ensuring each detail on the table is to perfection. Very admirable work sir I appreciate the videos

Goby. I’m just starting into the business and this has definitely helped to not cap how far one can truly go in a business! Keep up the incredible work, you’re a big inspiration!

goby. When you really think about it $32k isnt that much for a dining room table when your building multi million dollar homes. Cam stepping into the big big big leagues now :)

I've seen so many videos on resin and wood table construction but for me yours are the most professional I have seen and your video's so easy to watch and follow, really inspiring work man. A big hello from from the UK.

Dude, I absolutely love your channel. Never new I was into this kind of work and now I find myself clicking through all these videos with my morning coffee. I greatly appreciate how much information you share on the subject.

I really appreciate his explanation at the end about the cost of the slabs. I run a pro shop and so many people don’t have a clue as to why finished pieces are so expensive! Well, there’s the labor of cutting down the tree, milling it, drying it, prepping it, storing it, etc. there’s a that goes into it. And then the costs associated with making the actual piece, cost of materials, epoxy, the base, finishing, and the general expertise. It all adds up! 👍🏼

Goby. A fascinating video, full of important tips-of-the-trade for creators, and I really enjoyed Aaron's honesty with his behind-the-scenes segment.

Love to see you at this level of business. It definitely takes some guts to go at slabs that expensive (I’d imagine) . Always inspiring!

I'm hooked on these videos. The depth you go to explain the details on the wood and the reason why they cost a lot is amazing. We own some land and I've found some large eucalypt threes that went down due to wind and it has been very helpful. Cheers from Brazil!

The connection and communication you have with your customers is unmatched.

One option for the wood countertop is a thick glass overlay. Glass is actually durable and can serve as countertop alone. Drawback is the tactile surface if the wood is lost. May also need to install thin silicone pads to keep moisture from building up between the wood and glass as with any type of wood furniture

I have been into wood working for about three years now and I've done a wide range of things. Worked with all kinds of wood and I've enjoyed working with walnut and maple. I've done some small and larger projects. I have also really enjoyed working with burl's. I am sure you have worked with them before but I hope you do something with burl's in the future. If you already have then I'd love too see it!

Your video's are very good not just because of the very interesting topic, but also you do a great job of explaining as you go. You do it without interruption's "like introducing your cat as it walks by ect."or other off topic tangents, and you nailed it with the fast forwarding through mundane, repetitious exercises that are necessary throughout your process. I'm a retired log house builder, I had my own company and my best market was into the resort areas of Wyoming and Colorado (high end stuff). I also owned a couple bandsaw mills including one I built, so I really appreciate the effort that goes into breaking down one of these rare and beautiful oversize trees and the importance of targeted marketing. A big hello from British Columbia!

Goby- Thankyou for your amazing content it really helps me to unwind after a day's work and inspires me to tackle new projects. Your work is truly amazing, I wish you the best in your future 👍

Goby, great job in explaining the whole process of cutting and drying the beautiful wood. And also love watching the videos of your woodworking. I'm a new subscriber and love your work. Keep them coming.

Good job and very useful.

It’s incredible to believe that a lot of these videos are recorded and uploaded from an iPhone. This shows that video quality isn’t correlated with equipment; love the work. Keep it up, and most importantly keep doing what you enjoy

GOBY - Wonderful video and discussion on selecting/drying wood etc. Very knowledgeable young man! Your approach/attention to detail, in your videos, is absolutely amazing! Thank you.

Goby - Just built my first River Table using a couple of small slabs of English Walnut (not quite as nice as the American stuff) with the help of your videos - came out brilliantly. Thank you for getting me into this. I'm looking forward to trying something bigger now!

Goby. Thanks for this video man, these are so beautiful, I love seeing raw wood. As long as it’s sustainably source, there should be no guilt when cutting it down.

GOBY- Very interesting video today. I really enjoy the interview with Erin. He explained the process of drying the tree slabs and why it cost so much to process them. Your artistry in making such beautiful creations out of these slabs is truly amazing! Seeing the process of start to finish is very interesting to me. Thank you for such wonderful videos!!

OMG the troll of the week comment and you reply sent me 🤣☠️☠️☠️ Cool interview! My dad was a logger from way back in the day (Douglas and Coos/Curry counties, then later, SE Alaska). Started as choker setter and worked his way up to yarder engineer/site boss. He instilled a love of the tree in me. One thing that irks me is when people who don’t understand forest management get angry when trees are harvested. Yes, it’s sad to see a living thing come to an end, but old and dying trees can be vulnerable to disease and pests and can spread such to healthy trees. I’m so impressed by Goby and his dedication and knowledge. Rock on 🤘🏼

Goby - thanks for the video! The interview at the end was especially informative. Good luck in your new shop!

Goby: I went there last Thursday, saw you stepping into the backroom to do the interview. Dang road work cost me the couple minutes to say thank you for the inspiration. Also I was amazed at how much more they have in their store than the website. Got several board from their $1.25 a pound rack, spent $15 and have turned some cutting boards for holiday gifts. Worth the visit if in Portland.

Goby, thank you so much for both your show and the interview with Erin. I am going to Alaskan sawmill an oak that has been on family property for over 70 years. I am going to "try" to make furniture and stuff from this so the interview has helped me with the drying process. Not sure my wife is too happy about me starting to do epoxy stuff in the garage though lol. Thank you anyway for all the good info. God bless

Hi, i used to be a waiter but i lost my job due to covid. I started woodworking to help with my anxiety and i discovered your chanel. I just sold my first epoxy table set (coffee and dining) and not planning to go back waiting table! Thanks a lot for all the help you provide!

Goby I’ve been waiting for a video like this by you. So thank you. I’ve bought 2 small pieces of walnut from goby for charcuterie board the grain is just unmatched. Would love to buy a big slab for a custom build. One day soon it will happen. Look forward to the new shop update.

Awesome video - really informative interview with Goby. Helps me see the how and why lumber yards price their materials. Been following the channel for a while now and I'm glad to see your clientele grow (and grow specifically into the high end market segment). For all the detail and effort you put into your pieces you deserve clients who acknowledge (with their money haha) and appreciate your work. Thanks for allowing us to join in on your woodworking journey

Your videos are very inspirational! I work general construction and do woodwork on my free time, I hope one day I can do woodwork full time! Keep making great content! These last 3 weeks have been boring without your videos!

Goby, wow I had no idea that so much went into the preparing slabs, from actually cutting the tree to getting a slab ready to sell to the public to then work with. Thank you soooo much for educating us, now I understand why slabs cost sooooo god dam much & now I respect it & don’t feel so bad paying so much now

First off. We all know what you get when you buy ikea. Second, I can understand how it might be hard to take down a tree, but better to save and preserve what’s left of the good wood and turn it into something amazing than to let it rot away and never get a chance to see its beauty.

"this tree was dying, yea" *holds in everything*

Goby, now that's a name to remember. Thanks for a great video with some really good information and now I can see the value in the timber. Thanks to all you Guys out there who are making some great furniture that truly shows off the beauty of this marvelous and unique natural material. Cheers.

Goby. Love your videos man. The high quality craftmanship along side the detailed explanation of just how much it takes to get something made to this standard is a pleasure to watch. Thanks for sharing your work.

Humble people are the BEST type of people to learn things from. It makes a big difference

Goby, thank you, very informative video, gorgeous slabs.

Goby, I have been thinking of milling my own wood. Thanks for that Q&A at the end. Please keep up the beautiful work

Cam hi . I am living in UK south Wales . I love watching videos on RU-vid . But your's was something else . And no problems following your commentating , very informative very skillful . Waw a absalut pleasure to watch. Thank you for providing these videos. Gerald 👍

Damn, that interview was awesome! So much helpful information I'm sure many have wanted to ask (I know the "why the F is that so expensive?!" is something I've considered from time to time haha)

Goby - Cam, have you made the tables out of these slabs yet? I really want to see the final result!!!

Goby - I enjoyed this one a TON just all the information you shared and Goby owner shared. Thank you!

I don’t do woodwork but your videos are incredibly enjoyable. I love how you bring the beauty forward. Thank you. Be well

Goby. Thank you for doing that interview. I learned a lot and it helped to understand what goes into getting to the finished piece.

Goby! Cam, I know you're busy setting up shop and life in general, but damn I need my blacktail studio fix on Thursday man! Looking forward to seeing the new set up when it's ready

Goby I really like how you had the vice president answering questions. I always learn something from your videos.

GOBY This was a very informative video for this amateur wood worker just starting out. I have one brother that is very capable with wood so I have a lot to learn. Thanks Cam!

" the most i have ever spent on wood " there is a Viagra joke here somewhere

GOBY! Beautiful slab; it looks like all those knots in the crotch gave it a lot of character. It almost looks like a burl. Please keep us updated on this table. I'd love to see how those slabs turn out. The interview with Aaron was my favorite part of the video. If you were making a desk or table out of pheasantwood, or desert ironwood would you use the same process and materials you use with walnut?

Goby, thanks Cam for the explanation on the videos, the slab, (that will be exciting to watch) and your shop build can’t wait! And Aaron’s chat was great as well, appreciate it all , stay safe.

Goby - nice to hear someone who is an expertise in their field.

13 slabs per tree at $7k each? It's amazing that walnuts cost less than truffles.

Goby walnut is awesome! I once met a man who bought a ranch over in Mason County, TX about 5 hours NE of me. We go there from time to time to hunt for topaz, fluorite, and feldspar as the ranch is situated in the Central Texas Uplift and has some pegmatite mineralization on it. One time we were out digging in an old prospect pit and the owner, Vernon, came by to meet us. He was an elderly gentleman and I took the time to talk with him. I missed out on some rock hounding as our field trips were time limited but I learned a lot about him and the ranch. One thing he told me was that shortly after he bought the ranch some years ago there was a drought and he wound up selling all of his cattle because he couldn't afford to feed them when the grass stopped growing. To make ends meet he contracted with a lumber company who came out and harvested all the black walnut trees on his property. I think he said they harvested something like 350 trees. Don't know how big they were but he said he made enough money off of that deal to pay off the ranch and be setup for a good long while. If Gobi Walnut is marketing big walnut trees for like $90K of lumber per tree sounds like he made quite a lot!

Goby!! It is nice having educated consumers to buy your amazing work!! Keep up the amazing work!

I am actually in the process of writing a novel about a lumberjack (kind of, it's never just that simple XD) and the info you got from Aaron is SO useful. Doing research on something you know next to nothing about is SO difficult because you don't know what questions to ask. So a HUGE thank you for your guided interview there, it gave me a LOT of information, and now I know a LOT more about what I need to look for with my research 8D

Goby: Hi, what a great project, it’s difficult to imagine the scale of it. I was wondering about atmospheric differences between your workshop and the clients home. Do you anticipate any issues with expansion/contraction?

You are a true Artist, your creations are beautiful.

Goby: I’m in Deep South Texas, Mesquite anything rules here. I started milling my own Mesquite slabs, drying everything in the back yard. I’ve learned to dry everything out doors one year per inch like the walnut. That was great information about drying and pricing. That confirms what I have been told by the “old timers” down here. Keep the vids coming soon!

Goby - One question: Is it intimidating to work with this value wood, or really exciting? I'd be scared witless (or something else) that I'd mess the workpiece up.

Can't help wondering what these slabs would have cost 40 years ago. I often reflect back on the woodshop classes I took when I was a kid (do they still have wood shop?) We used mahogany for everything. My mother still has a cutting board that I made with mahogany in junior high. Probably not going to find too many mahogany cutting boards these days LOL

Goby, jonesing for new videos from you, but understand the process of moving and setting up a new space. I hope you get the shop just like you want it. Can't wait to see the videos for the table you are making with these two slabs!

Goby. Excellent. Thanks so much for this. This really helps when speaking with any prospective clients. 👍🏾

Does anyone know a compareable shop in Germany where you can buy such awsome wood?

Watched with subtitles and it starts with “This is Cam with black death studio” 😂

You have a great eye for wood. I feel in love with what you do. It is absolutely beautiful.

Goby ! You guys in Oregon have an incredible Business! Thanks for this video and all the others that I have been watching. I just cannot get enough.

3:28 how are you going to make all that water stains go away? BTW: very nice content on your channel, very interesting thanks! :)

we have massive black walnut trees on are farm

Goby... Great having Aaron on to explain some of the behind the scenes processes that most folks don’t have a clue about. Can’t wait to see this project come to fruition here in a couple of years. As always, appreciate your content my friend.

Your videos are the best when you feel like making one. It’s always a treat for us to watch them. And you come before us any day of the week. Stay safe. Have a good one eh.

7:43 what happened there O nevermind

7:41 o.O

GOBY No question, you are helping create great work. Bravo!

Goby - and great to see you back. Well worth the wait and looking forward to more when you can. Really enjoyed this one - beautiful slabs and he of Goby Walnut seems to know his stuff.

Large dead and dying trees are beautiful to look at and they provide habitat for all kinds of wildlife as they decay. It's a shame that the slab business has become so popular because everyone is jumping at the chance to remove these giant old trees from the landscape, just so some rich guy can have a fancy table in his mansion.

I don't do woodwork but I know what looks great. You are amazing. Love watching you. Wish I had the space to do something with wood.

I just wanted to say thank YOU. I am here to learn and adapt to other medium. Auto and my wood. I don"t think in linear lines. More of a splatt when I add all the ways what I see can be used. Cheers

goby-thanks for having them discuss wood pricing- I really enjoy watching you channel!

Goby desert. My favorite projects have always been with Walnut. Glad to see it valued.

Goby had a really great interview explaining the process. There's a lot to consider and you really need a pro to get the most out of it.

Goby Good informative video. I agree with everything said re drying, I've always explained it as drying time, plus seasoning time. Kiln drying does the drying but can't do the seasoning. Yes they were spectacular pieces of timber, but wow that price is up there. Looking forward to seeing what you end up making from them as I'm sure your design will change over time.

Goby, looking forward to seeing this build. Enjoy just looking at that figured wood! Thanks for your videos

Goby, Cam thank you for the great interview with Aaron of Goby Walnut. I think his explanation of the time it takes to actually make money on a tree is very instructive. Not many places can wait almost 3 years to sell a product, and hope to stay in business. Goby is such a great place to walk through and see all of the amazing wood that they have. No need to apologize about not posting videos, it is clear that you have a lot going on. Can't wait to see what you have in store for us. If you ever get out to the East Coast, there are a couple of very good lumber suppliers in southeast PA. Both Hearne Hardwoods, and Groff and Groff Lumber, have great inventories of lumber, some of which rivals Goby. I visit Groff and Groff often, and Hearne Hardwoods is less than 20 miles away in Oxford PA. They used to be in business together (Groff and Groff used to be called Groff and Hearne) but they parted ways about 20 years ago. Talarico Hardwoods, about midway between Lancaster and Reading PA has a great website as well Would love to see you make something with some of Goby's beautiful quilted maple. Keep up the great work and stay safe.

Always enjoy your videos, and your honesty is so refreshing! Keep up the great work, and look forward to some new videos real soon!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

GR8 2 C UR back. Thanks 4 all of the detailed info & wood slab class. I learned a lot. Can’t wait 2 C the new shop setup & the 30k table build.

Goby - Thank you! Great stuff, learning a ton!

That 140 year old tree came from my grandmas neighbors property. Always loved seeing the massive walnut trees on their property growing up!

Thumbs up for the troll of the week alone hahaha those crack me up every time! Thank you for the great video and information!

Goby. Thanks! This was such great info. I look forward to your next video. Good luck with the new shop.

Goby - Another great video. By far my favorite channel to watch. I cant wait to see the making of videos.

Thanks for the interview. Very informative.!!

Very informative. Thank you for taking the time.

Cam this video I found fascinating and very informative. Thanks for posting it!

Thank you Aaron. That was really helpful. And thank you for the video

Nice video, Goby has some really nice lumber and they are nice people, I bought walnut from them for a bed I made and they shipped it to me in the bay area, good people to work for.

Very well done and extremely informative...thank you for making this and sharing your experiences and the interview.

GOBY! Such awesome videos. So informative! Thanks.

Goby. Those slabs are super nice. I'm in the process of my first real live edge slab coffee table, your vids are invaluable to novices like me.