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Thread: Trying to figure out a use for leftover plain sawn stock

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Pretoria, South Africa
    Posts
    12

    Trying to figure out a use for leftover plain sawn stock

    Hey everyone,

    First time poster, long time lurker.

    I'm a relatively new woodworker from South Africa. What we in SA lack in snazzy woodworking products and tools (importing woes) we make up for in cheap tropical hardwoods

    Anyway, I just got my first commission for a large dining table, and it'll be the second table I ever built. Going to use Rhodesian Teak and I've already selected and milled up my stock.

    We're quite limited in SA with timber suppliers and I've never ever seen rift sawn wood for sale. I want to make 100% sure my table remains stable so I'm going to drop my margins and rip my boards to use the "better" part of the board and basically make my own quarter/rift sawn boards. As I was planning this I realized I don't quite know what to do with the leftover wood.

    Basically, what's the best application for the wood from the centre of the tree? Turning? Structural stuff? Supports in larger furniture? I realize I can just turn the wood 90 degrees and I'll have the nice vertical rings, but something about that just doesn't seem right

  2. #2
    Szymon,
    I don't have an answer for your question, but I wanted to say a quick "Welcome to the Creek". Since you're a long time lurker, you already know what a great resource this place can be.

    Best regards,
    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,675
    Szymon, welcome to the 'Creek!

    Leftover wood like that has many uses, including as secondary wood in projects, primary wood in projects where grain/figure doesn't matter, jig building, etc. And as you note, you can turn it the other way and make narrow strips that have more interesting grain for smaller projects, too. The biggest challenge is to organize it and keep it organized so you can access "just the right piece" when you need it.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    End grain cutting boards can clean up quite a few odds and ends

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Mid - Michigan - 25 miles east of Lansing
    Posts
    33
    Welcome.
    Another answer - should you have leftovers that are wide enough, they could be an excellent "secondary wood". Support pieces and other parts that don't show or drawer sides or backs is what I'm thinking.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Pretoria, South Africa
    Posts
    12
    Thanks for the great comments everyone! I guess that somewhere along the way I began to see non-quarter sawn lumber as chopped liver :P

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,675
    Well...chopped liver made correctly is absolutely delicious!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
    Szymon,
    Man, being able to use teak for "secondary wood". We sure don't see any of that here in Texas!
    Welcome,
    Tom

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Mountain Home, AR
    Posts
    547
    I've had to learn to be judicious with what scraps I keep or I will quickly fill my shop with scraps and not have room left for lumber! I burn a lot of it, use it for testing finishes or dyes, pencil holders, pipe clamp risers, wedges for wedged tenons, jigs, turning blanks, new push stick/block, etc. Some become tools. Just like all the other tools in your shop, a chunk of wood can pass for a hammer when the latter is not within reach. Small chunks with nice figure can sometimes be glued up into larger pieces to turn or made into a cutting board. My personal favorite destination for scraps of fruit and nut tree woods is for smoking meats.

    And when you've tackled all those ideas and just can't think of any other use, package them up and send them to a friend in the states

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