Trying to figure out a use for leftover plain sawn stock

[Szymon Balasz]

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 :p

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 :p

[Frederick Skelly]

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

[Jim Becker]

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. :)

[Brian Tymchak]

End grain cutting boards can clean up quite a few odds and ends

[Ted Prinz]

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.

[Szymon Balasz]

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

[Jim Becker]

Well...chopped liver made correctly is absolutely delicious! :D

[Thomas L. Miller]

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

[Wes Ramsey]

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 :D