Comments on: Buying Hardwood Lumber – Two Approaches http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/buying-hardwood-lumber-%e2%80%93-two-approaches Woodworking advice, woodworking plans, woodworking projects and woodworking blogs Sat, 25 May 2013 22:56:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Chris Friesenhttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/buying-hardwood-lumber-%e2%80%93-two-approaches/comment-page-1#comment-3992 Chris Friesen Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:06:26 +0000 http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/Buying+Hardwood+Lumber+Two+Approaches.aspx#comment-3992 If most of the boards weren’t wide enough to get two pieces, why not make the benchtop thicker? It sounds like you’d end up with less not-very-useful waste.

]]> By: Chris C.http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/buying-hardwood-lumber-%e2%80%93-two-approaches/comment-page-1#comment-3991 Chris C. Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:15:54 +0000 http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/Buying+Hardwood+Lumber+Two+Approaches.aspx#comment-3991 Yeah, and there is also my personal favorite issue: Having
enough thickness available to be able to flatten the parts
and still make 3/4".

This is why I usually opt for what you are calling
method #1. Unless I eyeball the boards, I might
end up with too much cup or warp to be able to make
3/4"(or whatever the final dimension is). This is why
I never go to the home center for S4S boards, since
they are almost always a little cupped/warped and have
no extra material to flatten them with.

I have never bought lumber via mail order or without
looking at it first. However, if I did, I agree that if it were a
cheap species, I would probably buy a ton of extra
as well and not worry about it.

But your observation about having to stop what
you are doing to go out and get one more board(pack
of screws, bottle of glue, etc) is priceless: nothing
will suck the energy from you more than this mistake.

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