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Reducing wasted material

3K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Tony B 
#1 ·
What methods do you all employ to help purchase materials in the sizes necessary to reduce the amount of scrap? Do you figure out the total board feet and then group the parts into size categories based on the available lengths of lumber?

David
 
#2 ·
Good planning reduces waste. List all the pieces by
size, plan each cut. Measure twice.

I pre mark the raw lumber and take a break, then
recheck everything.

Most of my stock is scrap to start with so I need to
make sure the pieces I need with fit what I have on
hand.

On my clocks I some times adjust the size of the
clock to fit the stock I have. It also makes each
on a little different which is good in most cases.
 
#3 ·
As far as the lumber, I would figure out how many board feet then add a percentage to that depending on what type of lumber I was purchasing. As for sheet goods, I did up a layout sheet where I would draw in all the pieces that needed to be cut. This would tell me how many sheets to purchase and how to go about cutting them for the best yield. Red
 
#4 ·
What methods do you all employ to help purchase materials in the sizes necessary to reduce the amount of scrap?
I usually draw a complete cut sheet and materials list on graph paper. This definately eliminates waste in sheet stock, and sometimes helps with hardwood stock (this assumes that you can find hardwood in the dimension you have chosen to draw on a cut sheet.)

smitty
 
#5 ·
If I go in persion, I figure out the total board feet and then group the parts into size categories based on the available lengths of lumber I measure on the rack and add 20%.

If I order the lumber to be delivered, sight unseen, I request the longest and wides boards for a given Bd. Footage required and add 20% more.

I am more concerned about having plenty of extra so as not to have to worry about a defect that wasn't noticed earlier, than I am about waste. Just about all of my waste gets used. Any woodturner can tell you that.
 

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#6 ·
Tony,
What the heck are you making there? Smitty, great minds think alike. I do the same thing with graph paper, especially for sheet goods. I also draw up a cut list for the solid wood and take that to the store when I go to buy my lumber. That way I can try and get close to the widths and lengths I need, allowing for ripping, planing, jointing, etc. The extra scraps go in a box that usually end up getting glued together for lathe turnings.;)
 
#7 · (Edited)
I had some small pieces of oak and they will be the bases of the padouk platters.
Now for the 'pinstripe'. I had some padouk boards about 8 inches wide and I wanted 12 inch platters. Rather than glue up the padouk pieces to each other, which would look bad with the grain mismatch, I put a 1/8" pinstripe of oak inbetween.
Where does the 1/8" pinstripe come from? Say for instance I have a 3" board and I need a 2" board. If I make the cut at 2", after you take away the 1/8" saw kerf, I will have a 3/4" wide scrap which is useless to me. So what I would do is cut the board at 2 3/4 " wide. That would give me a 1/8" strip and a 1/8" saw kerf. Then set for a 3 1/2 cut and have another 1/8" strip and lose another 1/8" saw kerf and so on. So that is how I get my pin stripes. Only takes a few minutes to build up a supply of pin stripes and zero waste.
The short stubby pieces will be lidded bowls.
I do this whenever my leftovers are not enough for another complete project. I hate having piles of scraps waiting for something to use then for someday.
 
#10 ·
Thanks

I couldn't put a finish on today, it was raining and too humid.
I recently found a potter that can use my shavings for Raku (low temp. firing).
The last of the tiny pieces are used for kindling when camping.
 
#11 ·
Very nice scrap. I have a lathe that a father of a friend gave me. He was moving and didnt have room for it. He gave me all the carving tools too but I have yet to turn it on. I have been wanting to play with it but I'm not ready to start learning something else yet.

It sounds like you all do pretty much the same as me. If I am buying lumber, I will write down all my cuts and then go through and figure out the most efficient way to cut all my peices. For example if I have 8 peices 11 inches in length I'll lump that into a 8 foot board. Pretty simple but I wanted to see what everyone else did.
 
#12 ·
Djonesax...WARNING !!!!!!!

Woodturning could be addicting.
When I had my commercial custom woodworking business, I would turn a bowl every night before going home even if I just threw it away. Watching concentric circles is very mesmerizing and relaxing.
It would take a full chapter to explain how neat it is turning fresh cut wild cherry.
You will be hooked. LOL
 
#14 · (Edited)
The faster you can get at sharpening, the faster you will learn turning.
With a good edge on your tools you can make unbelievably fine cuts and hog out a bowl in minutes.
When I used to reach turning, I would encourage the turners to push themselves to the edge and blow up a bowl or two. Get that fear out of the way early on. I dont wear a face shield when I spindle turn, but DEFINiTELY when bowl turning. A bowl can go poof in a heartbeat and large chunks go flying everywhere. 'Everywhere' usually meaning in line with the rotation which is directly in line with your face.

Also note that in turning, speed is not about rushing. Speed is about sharp tools and technique. What took me 1 hour plus per bowl the other day, took me about 20 minutes per bowl yesterday with only one piece meeting it's destiny as creative firewood.

Like I said earlier, I am re-learning after a very long absence.
 
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