Poll: How to Cut When Scrap Expected?

[Brody Goodwine]

I'm sure you have all been here, but I couldn't find a thread.

I'm getting ready to make a Cherry frame from a (1x8x8) board that will only be about 40% used. I can rip its full length or chop it in half and then just rip the half I'll use.

My Question: Which is a better scrap, a 1x4x8 or a 1x8x4? I'm leaning toward the long thin scrap since I could always edge glue but can't end glue. Thoughts/Experience?

[Victor Robinson]

Depends on what you tend to use your scraps for...but don't worry, whichever way you go, you'll be sure to wish you chose the other option when it comes time to use the scrap. *DAMHIKT.

[Alan Schaffter]

The Top Tip in the latest issue of Wood Magazine has a good way to mill scraps that are too short to face joint or run through a planer.

[Steve Griffin]

Here's some random thoughts:

I'd probably favor keeping an 8" wide cherry piece, as that is a fairly wide piece of cherry.

Also, consider your storage--what is easier to store in your shop right now, as chances are this scrap will be kicking around for a while.

I assume your frame doesn't have mitered corners, or you would want the long rip to wrap the grain.

Maybe two frames while you are at it?

Finally, don't spend too much time thinking about it and get back to work.....

[Matt Day]

I agree with what Steve said, especially the part about not wasting your time and getting back to work.

I'm also guessing one of those that the length is 8', not 8", right? Assuming that, I would think about if you would want to just go ahead and make 2 while you're making the one and use all the wood. It's much more efficient to make 2 now, than to set everything up and do it again later.

[Mike Cruz]

Brody, this is the million dollar question...it really is. The question to ask yourself is what do you do most of?

If you tend to run molding, or need long thin pieces to edge glue plywood, then long and thin.
If you tend to make projects like boxes and such, short and wide.
If you tend to mess up a lot, you'll end up using both pieces anyway for the frame...

[Roger Bullock]

When making a picture frame, I personally like to cut it all out of one length of board and wrap the corners to keep the grain in the wood flowing around the frame. If you do decide to do this be sure to mark your cuts so that when you make the fame they are in order. Scrap is scrap unless you have a use for it, then it becomes milled lumber.

[Mike Cruz]

Roger, you just nailed it! I didn't pay enough attention to the OP's intent for the wood he was going to use... Of course, if you are building a picture frame, you want the pieces to be as sequential as possible, or at least Roger and I do... Just do what you can to make sure that your start and stop grains match up as well as possible, too.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Of course, if you are building a picture frame, you want the pieces to be as sequential as possible, or at least Roger and I do... Just do what you can to make sure that your start and stop grains match up as well as possible, too.

But wouldn't that give you one mismatch instead of four?
I'd think that one mismatch would stand out, but, if there were four of them it would add symetry to the frame.
I'm just thnking out loud here as I don't know.

[rob durfos]

I finger-joint my short stuff and save it all as 16 foot uniform staves . This in turn gets run into other products and saves material .

[glenn bradley]

I agree with Victor, if I try to plan my scrap, my piece suffers. I select my parts for the best appearance. They may be taken diagonally out of the board to get the figure I want. My concern is the piece I am making, scrap is scrap until I use it for whatever else comes along.

[Larry Edgerton]

I agree with Glen.

Its kind of like when I play pool. If I worry too much about the leave, I miss the shot.

Larry

[Gary McKown]

Well, I have a whole shop full of both scrap options, so take your pick - do I save the long, narrow piece this time, or the next?

Agree with the grain match concept for a picture frame - if you look across the 8" you might find a selected slice where the grain on the odd fourth corner is a pretty close match.