Rough Cut Lumber

[gov]

I'm new to this group so please be patient if this has been covered. I'm looking into purchasing a molder/planer. The biggest project is for casing/base molding. I see rough cut lumber that is all 4/4 or thicker. Where do I go to find 1/2 to 5/8" lumber or is most of this cut from 4/4. Seems like a lot of waste both lumber and money.

Thanks in advance.

TIM

[Josh]

If you have a bandsaw, you can resaw 5/4 lumber down to 1/2" or so. If it's fairly narrow (< 6"), you can do it on a table saw with several passes and a good rip blade, but it's a huge pain. Bigger kerf, too.

[Josh]

If you have a bandsaw, you can resaw 5/4 lumber down to 1/2" or so. If it's fairly narrow (< 6"), you can do it on a table saw with several passes and a good rip blade, but it's a huge pain. Bigger kerf, too.

[Toller]

I've cut a lot of 1/2" from 5/4 on my tablesaw. It is not all that much trouble.

[George]

You're right, it is a waste of wood, but when someone else does it, it's your money anyway, so they just include the cost in with the value added.

Others have covered the alternatives. You can resaw or use the extra thickness as an attached shoe molding by choosing your shaper profile carefully. It may not conform as well to irregularities in the wall, but nobody looks there anyway.

[tim.kuntz]

Thanks to those who have responded. Does anyone know if they cut boards in 1/2 or 5/8 or even 3/4? Otherwise the alternative is to rip these boards down or waste the lumber.

Thanks

[George]

Rarely, if ever. Cutting below 3/4" - planes to ~1/2" - starts to get expensive when you figure the extra waste from saw kerfs so close together. Not as bad now as the IC circular saws that took a quarter inch, but bad enough. You start to get squirm problems and possible splitting of the board from its own weight if you go below that.

[no(SPAM)vasys]

It depends on the mill.

My supplier sells thin stock at 1/32", 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" but it's expensive. For example 1/2" red oak figures out to $4.20 per board foot. 1/32 red oak figures out to just under $54 per board foot.

Gag! 1/32" ebony figures out to about $730 bd/ft.

You're paying for the lumber plus the mills time, wear & tear on the machinery, and loses due to checking, cupping, etc.

Personally, I'll plane 4/4 down as needed before I'd pay the price for thinner stock.

[jack]

[<tdevery>]

Rough cut lumber is sold as 4/4 minimun. which is 1 1/16" to 1 1/8" So even if you bought 2/4, you are charged for 4/4 plus machining. This is why resawing is so popular for the hobbiest IMO

[tim.kuntz]

Thanks again to all who have replied.

I guess resawing is it.

Thanks

tdevery wrote: