Wood Shopping

[Chuck Reeves]

Made my first visit to a lumber supplier (other than a Borg) today. I went with a list of materials to make Norm's Adirondack Chair. I know all vendors will not be the same but I was caught off guard by the way the lumber was offered for sale (S3S in random lengths and widths). I brought home ten pieces, 92 bf.

Looking at the newly purchased stack in the basement I'm thinking I might have brought home too much Cypress for two chairs. If a laugh is appropriate please feel free.

Is their a rule of thumb or conversion formula for converting dimensional pieces to board feet figuring in for knots and random loss (ie 4" width bought for a 3" piece)?

[Roy McQuay]

Picking out your own wood, you can try for clear lumber. You shouldn't need a lot of extra. When you order from a vender to be delivered I add 25%. I don't know if there is a rule of thumb. For me, too much is good so I can accumulate to satisfy my hunter gatherer nature.:) I make an adirondak settee with an oversize table with 48 bd ft, so I think you will have enough.

[Gary Keedwell]

Picking out your own wood, you can try for clear lumber. You shouldn't need a lot of extra. When you order from a vender to be delivered I add 25%. I don't know if there is a rule of thumb. For me, too much is good so I can accumulate to satisfy my hunter gatherer nature.:) I make an adirondak settee with an oversize table with 48 bd ft, so I think you will have enough.
" Hunter gatherer nature".....I like that!!! I always get too much for every project. Like to see stock rack fill up. Very satisfying.;)
Gary K.

[thomas prevost]

If you want to do some sorting, you can be a lot closer with lumber at the mill. You may have to buy a 6"(5 1/2) to get a piece you need 4" at the borg. At the mill you can USUALLY sort to the widths and lengths you need. Also at the mill you will also most likely get wood that color matched as they are a grown in the same area. AT a borg one piece amy be from New England and the other from Georgia. Maple is the worst. New York and Vermont sapwood is creamy white almost like holly. Pa it is cream to light yellow and further south it is almost orange similar to the heartwood. Local mills also generally cut wood that is slower growing than the "farmed' trees from the major lumber suppliers. tighter grain. Here most noteable with red oak and yellow pine.

[Daryl Brayman]

Is their a rule of thumb or conversion formula for converting dimensional pieces to board feet figuring in for knots and random loss (ie 4" width bought for a 3" piece)?

Yes, always buy twice as much as you think you need. It won't be twice as much by the end of the project. Plus you'll have some left over that some Sunday night will save your bacon. Wood has no best before date.

Regards, Daryl

[Chuck Reeves]

Thanks guys for your input!

[Jim Becker]

One other thing...for your Adirondacks, assuming they will be outdoors, choose to cut your chair components from Cypress that is rift and quarter-sawn for best results. (Less "flaking" over time and exposure) You want that vertical grain orientation especially on the chair arms and both the seat and back slats at the very least. This will result in more waste since you'll be cutting from the edge of many boards, but will give you better chairs.