notation for plank

[Emanuel Berg]

What's the notation for a piece of wood, say pine? Is this fine 3.5x9.5x120cm or is there some different convention?

[Bill]

Is that actual or nominal size? If you are not sure, do an Internet search.

[Puckdropper]

Emanuel Berg wrote in news: [e-mail]:

The convention I use is to not put any units on "nominal" dimensions. You can think of the size as being named after the measurement, not actually measuring it. A 2x4 is actually 1.5" by 3.5".

It's ok to specify just one unit at the end of the string, but if there's any doubt (it's perfectly alright to cut a 2x4 to 120cm) specify every unit.

Puckdropper

[Keith Nuttle]

I believe the original poster on should tell where he found the piece of wood. Different country may have different conventions for identifying their wood.

[Emanuel Berg]

Well, I'm in Sweden but here I ask for the notation/convention used in the Anglo-American world, e.g. in the UK and North America.

But if anyone comes from yet another country feel unrestricted to tell how it is put there :)

[Emanuel Berg]

It is the actual size, or as actual it gets with measuring tape.

[dpb]

TxWxL (thickness/width/length) is pretty-much the way measurements are given in US/NA although as another noted construction lumber is referred to by its nominal dimensions rather than exact measurements (despite the silly/frivolous lawsuits slapped on by the tort-chasing lawyers).

If one is providing dimensions for a piece that is a part of a piece of furniture or other fitted use then exact dimensions are, of course, mandatory.

It would be assumed that a single dimension would apply to all; don't believe that would ever be a source of confusion although it never hurts to be explicit. In US, as so much is still in English units in the construction field, having the decimal points would make it essentially universal to be metric. In Canada, "not so much"...

[Emanuel Berg]

Great, this was the answer I was looking for.

[krw]

It's not just construction lumber that's specified by it's nominal size. Finished lumber is also specified by it's nominal thickness (1" is really 3/4", 5/4 is really 1-1/8", etc.). However, boards are normally specified in board-feet, rather than W/H/L.

[Emanuel Berg]

How would that look in this case, i.e.

3.5x9.5x120cm? (Or 3.5/9.5/120cm following your template.)

[krw]

Hardwoods aren't normally sold as finished boards and may not even be square (depending of grade[*]) and almost certainly not standard width and length (thickness is more standardized - listed by multiples of

1/4" but that, too, is nominal thickness). When buying hardwoods, one measures. ;-) A board-foot is 1" thick, by 12"x12", so one has to calculate from there to get pricing. [*] e.g. F2S (finished 2-sides = sides parallel but edges not necessarily square)

[Emanuel Berg]

Really?

So what should you bring to the sawmill/hardware store as not to expose yourself as a rank amateur?

A measuring tape box and a folding rule with inches as well as centimeters?

[krw]

Hardware stores rarely sell hardwoods. Some lumber yards/home centers sell a little but it's *hugely* overpriced, often shrink-wrapped (if that tells you anything). Woodworking stores sell hardwoods but, yes, you bring a tape measure. Usually they have the number of board-feet marked on the boards to get an idea of pricing. For better deals, one goes to a specialty lumber yard. Yes, it's a good idea to know what you're doing.

Tape measure, absolutely. What would you do with centimeters? ;-)

BTW, sometimes the boards aren't even rectangular. Yes, it can get to be a mess. One must choose well.

[J. Clarke]

You don't generally buy hardwoods from a hardware store. If you're buying from a sawmill directly you'll generally be going for a large lot sawn to order, so you tell them what the width and thickness are and will generally get random lengths depending on what they can get out of the available logs.

Usually you'll be buying hardwoods from a hardwood lumber yard, which will have rough-sawn boards in various thicknesses and with widths that are somewhat random--very wide boards may be segregated and come at a higher price.

So you take a tape measure and you use it to find boards that are wide enough and long enough to allow you to cut the pieces you need.

[Emanuel Berg]

Wait - don't tell me you have to have your own

*saw* as well?!?

Ha ha ha! :)

[DerbyDad03]

I wouldn't worry about being exposed as an amatuer. It's better than being exposed as an A-hole who thinks they know everything but in reality knows squat.

There a place near me where I can buy all sorts of wood in all sorts of sizes. One guy will spend a hour with you answering your questions (he likes to teach). The other guy grudgingly answers your questions with a minimum of words. (I'll be gracious and say that he's not much of a talker. I won't say that he doesn't really want to help.)

If you can find a teacher, you're golden. Even the experts were rank amaturers once. Those that remember that are the good guys, like most of the folks in this group.

[DerbyDad03]

Perhaps this will help...

[Eli the Bearded]

Well, the real professionals don't buy the wood. They carefully nuture the sapling to grow into the tree with the wood they want. In this way they can ensure the angle of the grain is just right for the arch, or the knots will be placed for best aesthetics. Sure, it takes real patience, but that's part of being *professional*, taking the time to do it right.

Elijah

------ and don't forget the benefits of that shade while waiting

[krw]

I used to but I haven't seen it for a while.

[John Grossbohlin]

You are not far off... When I was a child an elderly neighbor made a lot of things using that approach. He was been born in Poland, I'm guessing around

1880-1890, and was apprenticed as a blacksmith when he was a child. At some point he came to the U.S. and applied his blacksmithing skills as an auto-body repairman. He owned an old dairy farm, grew most of his food in large gardens, made his own wine, and made many things for around the property.

He'd walk the woods until he found the perfect tree for a task. For example, I recall a large bird house he made that sat on a pole made from a cedar tree. That tree had a branch structure that let him cut a number of branches off "flat" and they became the supports for the bird house. He made hay rakes, Adirondack chairs, and myriad other things from trees that lent themselves to the particular job. I have his large "firewood" cross-cut saw. One of his hay rakes and his anvil are still at my parents' home. I plan to "inherit" them -- my brother would simply throw them away or sell them. I, on the other hand, have memories of my neighbor smithing at his garage and I recall raking hay with the rake. I used that big crosscut saw to buck a large fallen tree that we eventually split into firewood (he heated with a wood furnace in the basement). I played checkers and canasta with he and his wife and enjoyed having lunch with them. I never did, however, adopt his habit of drinking sauerkraut juice for breakfast... It was a good experience for a kid to know someone like him.