Stocke Prep

[Dennis McDonaugh]

How do you prep your stock?

Do you buy all your stock before starting, or do you buy it a little at a time as you go?

When cutting multiple pieces out of a 14' long X 8" wide board. Do you cut it into a couple of long pieces, joint and plane, then cut to final size. Or, do you cut it into smaller pieces closer to the finished size, joint and plane, then cut to final size?

Do you cut out all the pieces at once or do you do it in stages like say cut all the pieces for a table base, then cut out the pieces for the top after the base is assembled?

Just curious.

[Byron Trantham]

How do you prep your stock?

Do you buy all your stock before starting, or do you buy it a little at a time as you go?

When cutting multiple pieces out of a 14' long X 8" wide board. Do you cut it into a couple of long pieces, joint and plane, then cut to final size. Or, do you cut it into smaller pieces closer to the finished size, joint and plane, then cut to final size?

Do you cut out all the pieces at once or do you do it in stages like say cut all the pieces for a table base, then cut out the pieces for the top after the base is assembled?

Just curious.
Dennis, I use CAD software to do my designs and use Cut List Plus to calculate how much of everything I need. Cut List Plus also does the layout work for me. Once all this is figured, buy everything at once and I divide and conquer. My shop is small so I can't have too much material sitting around. As an example, let's say I want to build a cabinet of some kind. I cut up all the sheet goods, create all the rabbits and datoes I might need and then glue it up. Now I can move it out of the shop giving me more room to continue. The next thing I would do is make the face frame or doors. Having the carcass done, I know my face frames/doors will be right.

Frankly, I don't think there is a "right way" do process materials it just depends on how much room you have to keep sub-assemblies or maybe how money you have when you start a project. :rolleyes:

[Jim Becker]

Dennis, I prefer to cut components oversize and then process through the "big three" (jointer, planer, table saw) to final dimensions. In this manner, I can increase the ease of getting things flat and square. I do sometimes skim plane rough stock to better ascertain grain and color for better matching before chalking out the components and making sawdust.

Like Byron, I try to at least sketch things out; often with CAD on big projects and if sheet goods are involved, CutList Plus is just the ticket to use those materials efficiently. Lately, I've been playing with SketchUp as a possible alternative to CAD for project planning...I don't usually feel the need for exact dimensions on a plan and this application, although capable of that, is really great for visualizing things, such as the bench design shown below that I'm considering to hold our new flat screen TV.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Dennis
First - I don't know what philosophy you have toward woodworking.
In that, do you want to make museum pieces or pieces for the family or are you constructing pieces for sale or making pieces as rough "country" "loosly termed" reproductions.

You do what you have to in order to get started.

I don't want to go back to the store to buy additional wood, so figure everything that I possibly can and purchase everything at once.

But I don't cut until that part is needed, although everything is marked with chalk for identification. So I know what pieces are what pieces - huh!

Then, since I don't own a jointer and have to glue boards together for panels etc., I cut on the table saw 3 to 5 times (not 2 to 4 - but 3 times to 5 times) to get good "glue up" edges.
Yes!, of course, you cut rough lengths on the crosscut miter saw before cutting on the table saw.

Oh, yes, did I say that the longest vehicle that I have is an Ford Expedition and the longest board that I can get into it is a 10 footer.

Want me to continue - or as "the boss" says it - breath Daniel, breath.
:D

[Donnie Raines]

Like those above, it really depends on your plan of attack. I buy bulk amounts of lumber all the time...all in the rough. Please click on the URL below for a more detailed step by step process of prepping rough stock.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00009.asp

DonnieR

[Alan Turner]

Dennis,
I buy all wood in at once as it is a long trip for me to the mill. 3 hrs, round trip. I don't want to ahve to go twice.
I lay out all of the wood (don't use plywood much), on the bench, TS, horses, etc. I mark each pice with chalk so that I can see that the best wood is used for the showiest/most appropriate parts. Really straight grain for door frames, pretty wood for panels, wide for the top, etc.
Then I cut to length and width, rough, joint and plane, and sticker it, remarked for its intended usage. I plane only to uniform thickness, not to final dimension. At this time I also do my resawing for bookmatched panels, drawer parts, etc.
Roughing stuff out, and then stickering it, will let it move before you need it, and at that time you can reflatten and thickness to final dimension, with some confidence that there will be no more (or at least little) movement.
Wood selection is very important, and this must be done before you start cutting stuff up and find that you could have done better.
BTW, this is one of my favorite tasks in building furniture.
Alan