Thoughts on buying timber
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- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 9 months ago by Dave Kingsley.
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14 July 2017 at 1:49 pm #313727
So I’m a newbie to woodworking and I recently read a post by Kevin James – question about workbench build – where he had an issue with planing machined / rounded finish of 4×2 timber and the time it takes.
This reminded me that my local merchant (not big box store) will joint/thickness no charge which would save a fair bit of time planing for a bench top. They will also prep byo timber for $1/minute. I don’t think all merchants would do this but it’s worth asking.
My local (Bunnings) Big box will only cut for a charge (but often don’t)Also, someone I subscribe to on YouTube said that when inspecting timber to purchase, if it feels cold to the touch it’s too wet and better to pass it up. You can get a pin moisture meter on eBay for about AUD $15 upwards reportedly with an accuracy f +/- 1%.
Do any/many participants use moisture meters?
Do any get prep work done ‘in store’ or is that ‘cheating’.
Anyone got any labour or $ saving tips?Just curious
DaveYes to moisture meters, but cheap ones have some issues, so if you get a cheap one, know its limitations
If you want to hire someone to do stuff for you, that’s your choice. Unless you grow & fell the tree yourself, then dry and process the lumber, make all your own tools and smelt your own metals from ores, we’re all using someone else’s services somewhere in the chain. So no one should be claiming any moral high ground BS.
The point is not cheating, the point is woodworking. So by hiring someone else to do your woodworking, you’re missing out on (you guessed it) woodworking! There’s a reason why building a workbench was among the first projects Paul put out — if gives us newbies a chance to build critical skills on an error-tolerant project. So if you hire out, you’ll miss out on quite a bit of skill development, and then you’ll be onto a less error-tolerant project but without the skills to deal with the requirements, thus putting your results at risk. Paul has put a good deal of thought into his teaching, and imo it is well worth taking advantage of that fact.
Having said all that, missing out on some planing won’t cause the world to end. Maybe you dislike that part of woodworking (and that’s fine), maybe you are in a hurry, etc, etc. In the end, it’s your hobby — do what suits you, and have fun.
$ saving tips? Sure, don’t hire out your woodworking 😉 just kidding
Labor-saving tips? Sure, watch Paul’s videos until you understand each one. His advice is the result of decades of professional experience, there are invaluable tips to be had.I did my work bench with rounded lumber as well. I used Paul’s tip of gluing them together first and the plane it down flat after. It took a while but I don’t regret it. Great exercise. 🙂 too bad I didn’t have a scrub plane then as I do now. Really speeds up the stock removal.
I personally think if you have a resource like the store that will thickness it then why not use it. It wouldn’t be something I want because I also enjoy the process of prep. I think it’s only cheating if you think it is.
I think the moisture meter is a great idea. Maybe a board is not ready to use yet but a little time and patience and it would be. Takes the guessing out.15 July 2017 at 2:11 pm #313737It has nothing to do with cheating, its a hobby for you and i think you’re probably more interessted in learning joinery and building projects than preparing stock.
If you can get lumber to the dimensions you need and the price is reasonable why not use the service? Nothing wrong with that
Moisture Meter is a good idea though depending on who you buy from.
Though as with anything you get what you pay for, i wouldnt get the cheapest one, just get the best you can afford.Biggest time saves come from using the right tools for the job.
For example get yourself a dedicated worden scrubplane instead of trying to hog off Material with a No 4.16 July 2017 at 12:16 pm #313755Thanks guys for your interest and comments.
I’ve only really done two projects so far. First, a 2.1m Nicholson style bench from 2, 300x45mm pine for the top, 240x45mm Oregon (I think) for the aprons and pallet wood for the legs/rails. Secondly, a king bed from about 25m of 70 and 90×35 framing pine which had to be planed 4 sides to remove ridging and round corners. For the mattress supports I got some rough sawn 200×25 pine which the merchant machined to 100×20, that’s when I learned about the service he provided.
The reason I mentioned it initially, was to put it out there, that some merchants offer the service and forum members may not be aware, as I wasn’t. The more he knows of your requirements and budget, the better he is able to help.
Faced with the choice of square stock or rounded I’d take the square and with the option of having rounded prepped n/c, I’d take it. Of course there will always be more sawing and planing etc to get it to final dimension.
I’ve just ripped 30m of 90×35 demolition yard hardwood to 65×16 for fence slats. Not fine woodworking but got in a bit of planing practice.Dave
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