Hello r/woodworking
I am planning to build a set of side tables and am wondering what kind of waste I should factor in if i am buying rough sawn walnut?
I have read that it should be about 10% but am wondering if I should up it since i am working with hand tools only?
and whether the type of project changes how much waste to assume?
cheers
Posted Oct 18, 2017, 3:37 AM UTC
I've never considered planing stock to thickness as waste, but I agree with u/AlliedMasterComp that it depends on the project. In general, larger projects tend to have more waste than smaller ones. If you're building a table that's 6' long, with an 8' board you'll loose 2' just to get rough length. In a small project with smaller pieces, you can use up a lot of those end cuts. 25-30% usually is a good ballpark for me.
And even that 2' isn't necessarily waste as it could be used in another project later.
True, but you still have to take it into account when you go to the lumberyard.
I am looking at doing 2 table tops approximately 60 cm by 60 cm each Plus drawer fronts (20 cm by 50cm)
Legs out of different wood I already have from a previous project
I am going to assume 35% ( I can always do some smaller projects as gifts with left overs)
Depends. If i'm making a 6' table top and my lumber can be had at 12' (usually an inch or two longer), then the waste is far less. If I can only get 8' for 6' table top....yup, more "waste" (cutting boards). So it really depends on the project and the dimensions your lumber will come in. Usually 15-20% isn't unusual
For me in a millwork shop, the biggest contributor to waste when ordering is lengths that don't work. I'm making stairs right now, and was sent 12' stock. My stairs are all 34" wide, and some are 46" wide. It works out perfect with no waste in length. My next thing is some handrailing and they sent me 10' lengths, but my rails are all 7' long so I'm screwed. With smaller projects, you get better, more efficient use of material. With longer parts, you get lucky or you get hosed.
10% would be a minimum factor, 15% is more comfortable.
What you said makes a lot of sense, I have made that mistake a few times actually, but it never occurred to me before
It completely depends on the boards and the project, but 10% is very conservative.
To get 4/4 S4S, you're ending up at either 7/8" (if you're lucky) or more likely 3/4". 7/8" is already 12.5% wastage right away, and 3/4" is 25%.
Then after milling you have to take into account wastage from cuts.
And this doesn't even take into account defects in the wood that you have to avoid.
You'd be closer with a 30% wastage estimate.
Thanks, this makes sense ... 10% seemed way too tight even if completely mistake and defect free
I don't think I could ever work without at least a few mistakes
Opposite of conservative.
I think you mean optimistic, not conservative. Conservative means "on the safe side" in this context. Optimistic is the opposite.
4/4 is 4/4 whether you handplaned it from the rough, or milled it down to 1/2". There is no option for limiting waste between 1" and 1/2", much less 3/4 and 7/8. Waste refers to end cuts and narrow strips left over that don't work for the particular piece, not sawdust up the chute.