General question about lumber

[Sam Yerardi]

Is it just me or are there others like me that get a charge out of just walking into your shop and looking at lumber? Rough or surfaced - either one. I'm a wood hoarder from way back and I am drawn to the wood, standing there and dreaming wonderful thoughts. It's like I can't quit looking at it sometimes. Like a project you've just finished and can't quit looking at. Any of you guys feel that way?

[mark page]

At some point in my life, I THINK that I have done that before. Right now with somewhat spring in the air, which means spring cleaning, (imagine cartoon character scratching head and private areas), I am looking at my whole shop like you are your wood, but wondering how the heck I am going to get it straightened and organized.

[Prashun Patel]

I agree. I even love the SMELL of it.

[mike holden]

Yes,
I have a piece of walnut that has been made into three different projects so far and still sits on my wood rack.
Nicest piece of walnut I have ever had! (grin)
If we didnt have dreams, we wouldnt have much.
Mike

[Greg Cole]

Sam,
You eyeballing my wood? Ya had to know that was coming sooner n later....
I too can look at wood porn and have my mind wander to wonderous places of the projects that I could do IF that wood was mine. Talarico Hardwoods comes to mind with the "wood porn" category on their website.
I have almost started a poll post asking how much wood is being horded in Creekers shops and or storage or outside etc. Kinda like a guy I bought some red elm from off craigs list... I guarantee he had AT LEAST 5,000 bf stacked in his garage & basement. I asked what his plans were for most of it and all he did was shrug his shoulders.
I might have 500bf all told in the shop as of this morning, yet I seem to keep looking every day for a deal, yet have little space to put it.
Mark,
Spring can't seem to find it's way to KC this year... been here for 9 years now and this is the firstyear I've had spring fever.

Greg

[Peter Quinn]

Your not alone Sam. I also enjoy going into my local hardwood supplier and gazing at their 200,000 BF of FAS KD hardwood, they keep asking "You need somthin?" and I say "No, just came for the ambience!"

Ditto Mark about the spring cleaning. I seem to hoard everything and save every scrap in hopes that it may get used someday. But as my shop has evolved things have periodically gotten crowded. About every six months I take every stick in the shop and pile them on my assembly table for evaluation. I revisit my small piece of birdseye I think is destined for veneered drawer fronts, a few bubinga boards with grain so wild it frightens me to cut them, a short stick of 12/4 blood wood which was part of a reclaimed pallet, a surprise piece of rough mahogany that turned out to be verging on plumb pudding (couldn't make window frames out of that!), some spalted air dried applewood I was given because it had 'gone bad'; and the list of oddities goes on.

I always find a decent pile of things for which I see no future use and wonder why at some point they seemed valuable enough to save. I make with them a nice fire and am consoled by the thought that they space I have reclaimed through their disposal will be filled with more useful lumber at the next available opportunity.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

It's dangerous getting some really, really nice lumber. I have a friend who got a super good piece of something (can't remember what it was now) and put it in his house somewhere so it wouldn't get used in the shop and just to have it around. (No, I don't think he sleeps with it )

The danger with getting the really good stuff is saving it back for that "special" project. Twenty years later that "special" project has never gotten here. Twenty years more and it gets given away by the heirs to get the shop/garage cleaned out.

[Jim Becker]

I have often found myself staring at a board or three, envisioning what it might become. I think this is natural for many of us to do.

I think there is also merit in Richard's comment about holding back something "too long", although I don't prefer to use something that isn't the "right" project. I'd rather store a great piece of lumber longer to use it to best effect just because I'm so anal about the value of material selection to maximize the end result of a project.

[Larry Fox]

I agree. I even love the SMELL of it.

I agree about seeing it and thinking about things I could turn it into. However, recently I banaished all stock not related to a current project from the shop and store it in another area so I don't get to see it every time I walk in. But, I agree with Shawn that I love the smell of it. My last project involved spanish cedar and before I started my shop upgrade where I knew it would be a few months before I got back to a project I removed the DC hose from the jointer and reduced a piece of scrap to just shavings. I then put those shavings in a plastic Ziplock bag and at least once a day I open that bag and just take a smack of the smell. Strange as it sounds, it immediately reduces my stress level.

One of my sons asked me one day why I had this bag of shavings on the bench. I didn't say a word but just opened the bag and let him smell it. He now asks whenever he seeis it - I think he is hooked.

[Craig D Peltier]

I agree about seeing it and thinking about things I could turn it into. However, recently I banaished all stock not related to a current project from the shop and store it in another area so I don't get to see it every time I walk in. But, I agree with Shawn that I love the smell of it. My last project involved spanish cedar and before I started my shop upgrade where I knew it would be a few months before I got back to a project I removed the DC hose from the jointer and reduced a piece of scrap to just shavings. I then put those shavings in a plastic Ziplock bag and at least once a day I open that bag and just take a smack of the smell. Strange as it sounds, it immediately reduces my stress level.

One of my sons asked me one day why I had this bag of shavings on the bench. I didn't say a word but just opened the bag and let him smell it. He now asks whenever he seeis it - I think he is hooked.

Thats funny, I was wondering if your serious but I think you are.
I get a kick out of it. I have a small burlap type bag bought in maine ( like 2x 3 inches).It says Pine on it. Its smells so good, it reminds me of back there. I used tot akak whiff every once in a while.

[Brent Ring]

I then put those shavings in a plastic Ziplock bag and at least once a day I open that bag and just take a smack of the smell. Strange as it sounds, it immediately reduces my stress level.

One of my sons asked me one day why I had this bag of shavings on the bench. I didn't say a word but just opened the bag and let him smell it. He now asks whenever he seeis it - I think he is hooked.

I understand that completely. Now if I could make the LOML understand... My kids say I am obsessed with woodworking... I have not wanted to admit it yet, but it is probably true..... My favorite smell though is cut red oak, so far....

[Joe Chritz]

Generally I can't hoard anything. Wood because chips and projects soon after I get it.

Ammunition goes down range in the same fashion.

Scrap pieces of wood and empty shell casings are another story. There I am a pack rat. Someday I will use it. I am almost disappointed when I can't find a scrap piece to use for that small project.

Joe

[Greg Heppeard]

I found a couple of pieces of curly maple in the stack that got delivered last week...that's just the start of my hoarding hehehehehe

[Larry Fox]

Thats funny, I was wondering if your serious but I think you are.

Definitely serious. Might sound wierd but the bag is right there on the bench and smell is a very powerful sense. They say that it is very closely tied to memory. My wife has some of the shavings in those little cloth bundles that they sell at various points in the house as well. Cedar is really quite a pleasent smell - very subtle and unobtrusive if you don't use too many shavings.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have often found myself staring at a board or three, envisioning what it might become. I think this is natural for many of us to do.

I think there is also merit in Richard's comment about holding back something "too long", although I don't prefer to use something that isn't the "right" project. I'd rather store a great piece of lumber longer to use it to best effect just because I'm so anal about the value of material selection to maximize the end result of a project.

Good comments Jim, I also keep that special piece, waiting for just the right project.

The danger in that is my kids. If it's still here when I'm dead, it'll go for fire wood, or worse. "Sure you can have that huge piece of wood for your garden tractor ramp, my dad won't miss it now."

My kids always tell me that when I'm gone they'll finally put the garden furniture out in the garden (Morris chairs).

Regards, Rod.