Anyone else a compulsive scrap collector?

[Jack Wood]

I just spent the last two days going through and cleaning out my scrap piles and I wonder what I was thinking when I saved some of these little bitty pieces! I can't help myself, I just know that as soon as I throw it out I'm going to need it, though I rarely do. I just wanted to know if anyone else has this problem? I'm going to have to come up with some minimum standards and stick to them, if I can.

[Frank Pellow]

I have the problem, but I think that I might have the solution. Since I installed a wood stove in my shop, I find that I can often think of a leftover piece of wood as a great for kindling or even for firewood.

[Chris Barton]

Hi Jack,

I posted the same sort of thing about a year ago. I still do the same thing. I save all kinds of scraps but, I also use them. I think that should really be the question. If you are saving scraps and they just accumulate then, either it's time to get a wood stove like Frank or start making trips to the dump.

[Pete Harbin]

I keep tons of scraps and off cuts...hopefully the new Jet mini Lathe will be helpful in putting them to good use.

Pete

[Dave Fifield]

Yep, I collect all the itty bitty bits from every project too - in a huge plastic storage bin - bigger bits on shelves. You know that the day after you throw them out, you're gonna need just that exact bit.....

Dave F.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Jack, I did a scap purge a few weekends ago. Like you, I was wondering "what was I thinking?" with a lot of them. It still felt bad throwing them in the trash -- I would have rather used them in a woodstove, but I don't have one. So far, I've not missed having any of the scraps, and I've enjoyed the newfound shop space. Time to fill it with more scraps!

- Vaughn

[David Rose]

What are "compulsive scraps"? Nope! Far as I know, I've never saved any of those. Now, the good smallish (teeny?) pieces are a whole 'nother matter! Normally, I don't save anything, even long stuff, that is less than 1/2". That is 1/2" by 1/2" or less. I keep a box of what I am currently doing handy. As I was trying to hang the last jig I built, I kept tripping over the box of cherry scraps today. I came close to throwing some out, but reason won out.

I will *not* save spf pieces less than 4" long... even if they are wide. Most hard woods I might need again for something. In fact, I do first hit the massive pile of scraps when building a jig or fixture. And I usually look there before I cut a small piece. Sometimes there is something there. I use scraps all the time to test various cut depths and such. I would say a good portion of my scrap has various test cuts on it. "If you don't practice on scrap, you are practicing on the project." I really hate cutting a good board for other than a project.

I have most of a two car garage for a shop, so it isn't spacious, even without a table saw. I use boxes that we get in our business that are very heavy cardboard as scrap boxes. They measure about 1' x 2'. I have one for walnut, no, that one has overflowed. Another is for hard maple. One for cherry and one (a little bigger) for sheet good pieces. The spf box stays under the drill press where it is used for test cuts on the bandsaw and router table. Jeez! I need to go through that junk! Last black widow I kill was in one of those boxes too!

Thanks for the reminder.

David

[Andy Hoyt]

I originally got into turning while on a quest for finding something to do with scraps. Glue up a bunch into a massive fur ball and see what happens.

[Ned Bulken]

scrap? we don't have any scrap here...


seriously, just moved my tools out of my former shop and into a storage unit while I wait to build my new shop... including about 6 boxes of cutoffs that I 'might need someday'

[Mark Pruitt]

I think I'm going to buy one of those finger joint router bits and start gluing scraps end to end. Wood's gotten so darned expensive I hate to waste it by throwing scraps out. I've also learned to harvest scraps for lathe practice as others have mentioned.
Mark

[Charles Bruno]

I save most of my scraps/cutoffs. I've used a few, some just for glue ups. It time for some "spring" cleaning of my own. I just hate throwing away wood.

[Tyler Howell]

Hi !My Name is Tyler and I save all my scraps !!

I have about 200 ft of 3/8 x 3/4" pine and oak scrap left over from the kitchen project. Hate to dump it. I kow I' need it some day .

Can I trade it and some saw dust in for new boards .
I know the minute its dumped I'll be looking for it.

[Garry Smith]

Yep, I think it's in every woodworker's blood.

[Lee DeRaud]

Well, this guy is making a career out of using his scraps, to the point where he has to deliberately cut new ones:
http://www.maxkrimmel.com/WoodTurnin...quarePlan.html

[Dave Richards]

If it weren't for scrap, I'd have no wood at all.