[CocoLoco]

Hi All,

I'm a long time weekend woodworker and I need some ideas. I've inherited 200 bdft of what I would call #2 common cherry 4/4 6in wide by 8ft. The wood has some twist, lots of sapwood and knots. I could cut it down to just the good parts but that seems like a shame since I'd waste so much (60% or more). I have plenty of projects I want to build out of good cherry for my own home such as bookcases and cabinets but, what else could I do with this wood? Should I build some rough looking bookcases? Just looking for ideas ...

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Welcome Aboard!!

 

[coffeetime]

My dad use to buy his hardwood looking just like that, of course that was because it was cheap. He would then spend hours figuring just what he could get out of each board. He figured where to cut it, how he wanted to plain it or how he was going to true it up. After he got what he needed then the scraps where used for jewlery boxes and other small projects. I really think the old man could read more in one board then I could in a whole book.
Now for me when I run into a bunch of wood like that I just set it back. Sooner or later an idea will hit me.
Okay so I'm not much help, just letting you know your not the only one that has delt with this delimma. And by the way, Welcome to the forum.

Mike

 

[Boardman]

On another forum I saw someone making a butcher block counter top with #2 walnut....

 

[PK.]

We assume about a fifty percent "waste" when making furniture. I buy a good bit of old and reclaimed wood myself and just go through cutting out parts, saving the scraps for little things or giving to woodworkers.

Just know that when you cut out pieces from this sort of wood, you need to make them well oversized and allow them to settle for a couple weeks after each machining process.

 

[CocoLoco]

Thanks for the comments. I guess I just have to get used to the large amount of waste! :icon_cry: