wood waste

[Mike Steinhilper]

I realize this is impossible to answer with any certainty, but can some of you guys give me an estimate of how much wood you waste per project? I just finished my second table and with each one I only used about 50% of my lumber. I am buying s2s cherry... somewhere between FAS and Select. I'm new at this, so I expect it to improve, but I really need to try and cut down on waste.

[Phillip Pattee]

It really depends on your skill level. If you've seen any of my projects, you would say all of the wood was wasted. My pile of cut offs, etc. is pretty big. And I would have to admit that I haven't taken much consideration of how the grain matches up with specific part of my cabinet doors, etc. in an effort to maximize the wood I have used. At that, I would put my waste at about 20%.

I imagine that when I start to try to creat a waterfall effect with the grain in a table leg or something like that, my waste will go up. This would be the case because you have to choose which parts of which boards you use -- the rest goes in the cut off box. It will still be used on something else some time. So... it is technically not wasted, it is just saved forever.

[Jim Becker]

I "waste" more solid stock now than I used to simply because I am a lot more picky about each piece of wood that is used in a project relative to grain matching and color. I work generally with cherry and prefer the rift/QS stock for rails and stiles, for example. You "waste" a lot more wood that way. One thing I'm experimenting with on a current project is with surface veneering unbacked rift/QS figure onto "average" cherry stock (and plywood). So far, it's been touchy at the edges, but I'm learning as I go.

But the bottom line is that I really don't worry as much about waste anymore because the bottom line is the actual project results. As I stated, I'm very anal about trying to make things "work together" and that results in less complete use of a given board. But I don't throw that extra material out, either...it becomes secondary wood for a variety of uses.

[harry strasil]

I don't get into exotics much, my wood is mostly salvaged scrap to start with. I am kind of old fashioned so about the only thing that doesn't get used is the sawdust and I used to use it for floordry in my blacksmith shop, the shavings are collected and used to start the coal forge and what small pieces are of absoulutly no use are used as kindling to start the wood heating stove.

Even my oak and walnut are salvaged along with some ash and maple.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mike, my opinion, is that if you plan well, and be choosey when buying stock, nothing should get wasted. You may have left over stock to start another project though...

Seriously, completely depends on the project. If you want matching panels on the four sets of doors on that sideboard, you will go through some stock getting there. Painted kitchen cabinets on the other hand, should be close to zero.

[Mike Steinhilper]

okay, the underlying theme of the responses is 'waste'.... i guess i mean left over. i'm not ruining wood, just have a lot remaining.

[Jim Becker]

okay, the underlying theme of the responses is 'waste'.... i guess i mean left over. i'm not ruining wood, just have a lot remaining.

What's "left over" is material for future projects!


But seriously, to do your best work, you'll always need to "buy" quite a bit more stock. Even that "great board" in the stack may not be appropriate for "this" project, but is just the ticket for another one that comes along. I have a few wide 5/4 cherry boards in my rack from about 2000 when I caught a sale at a local supplier. I have a project in mind for them, but the priority on my "list" isn't quite there yet. So they wait for me to catch up.!

And in the worst case, wood is a good investment. It rarely loses value, so even if you are forced to "reduce inventory" at some point, you'll get your money back.

[Wilbur Pan]

My last project was turning a bowl, where I estimate I wasted more than 95% of the wood.

[Don C Peterson]

I agree with Jim, the nicer the end project, the pickier I'll be and the more "waste" there will be when I'm done. I have yet to find the perfect piece of wood that fits exactly what I need with no cut-off... No offense, but anyone who says they don't have ANY waste is exaggerating. Do you really mean to tell me that the saw mill cut your wood to shape for you? Come on...

Back to the original question though, I have found that for a kind of run of the mill project, I can usually get by planning for about 15% excess. For a nicer project where I'm really picky about how each piece complements the others and works together, I might "waste" as much as 30%. I put waste in quotes because I'm pretty obsessive about keeping the scraps around and they get used for other things like jigs, smaller projects etc...