Why You Should NEVER Use 2x4s for Furniture Woodworking!

Рет қаралды 245,035

Жыл бұрын

Working with softwood lumber in terms of furniture making items can be a challenge and using wet softwood even more so, wet wood shrinks sometimes warps and bends, frequently cracks and which makes wood joinery a challenge, especially for things like pocket holes or other mechanical fasteners, better solutions are mortise and tenon or larger dowels and sometimes even large loose tenon joinery might work. The way lumber prices are, furniture makers are selecting softwoods more and more, but it may not be the best choice!
****** More Videos of Lumber ******
Woodworking with Softwoods: • Woodworking with Softw...
- Woodworking with Plywood - What You Need to Know! • Woodworking with Plywo...
- How to Save on Lumber / Buying Wood • How to Save on Lumber ...
- Tree Felling & Milling My Own Lumber • Tree Felling & Milling...
****************************************
Read Full Article Why Should NEVER Use 2x4s for Furniture Woodworking - bit.ly/3cNtFvZ
*** Taylor Tools Affiliate Store - lddy.no/18zkg
*** Amazon Affiliate Store - www.amazon.com/shop/woodworkweb
*** Magswitch Affiliate Store - mag-tools.com/discount/COLIN_...
*** Canadian Amazon Affiliate Store - bit.ly/38h1uib
*** T-SHIRTS and Fun Stuff - teespring.com/stores/woodwork...
**** Subscribe here - / knecht105
** Like me at Facebook: goo.gl/DLgvoa
** Visit the website: www.woodworkweb.com
** Follow on Instagram - / colinknecht
** Follow on Twitter: / woodworkweb

Пікірлер: 197

@barryirby8609 Жыл бұрын

Finally something I know something about. The 2 x 4's you showed all had the pith in them, the very center of the tree. The wood surrounding the pith is called Juvenile Wood. It's the wood the tree grew in the first ten or fifteen years when it was young and growling like a weed. Very different from more mature wood. It may shrink and swell as much as thirty times as much as mature wood. It is the bane of the truss industry because it can also shrink lengthwise. Old school lumber yards would not accept boards that were mostly juvenile wood but the big box stores needed wood they could sell cheaply and they accept it. Mills used to saw in a way called "boxing the heart". They would cut around the juvenile wood leaving something like a 4 x 4 behind and basically throw it away or use it for pallets. Look closely at the end of a stack in a big box store and you may notice they took the heart wood and resawed it into two 2 x 4's. You can see the pairs. The best bet is to buy something larger, like 2 x 12's and rip a 2 x 4 off each edge, and then let them dry for a few months. Here's an odd factoid, MC equilibrates at about 20% of RH.

@weldabar Жыл бұрын

I noticed here locally that 2x4s especially short 8' boards were the cheapest lumber. Buy a 12' 2x6 and it's different lumber, or even a 12'-16' 2x4 is different lumber. Yes it costs more but might be worth it for furniture. Or like you said buying a 2x12 - worth it for furniture type projects, not worth it for "lumber" projects.

@artv4nd3l4y Жыл бұрын

Thank you for all of the information, clearly someone is in the industry. I happened to start buying 2x10's because they are cheaper than 2x12's, but that makes a whole lot of sense now why I like them so much. I find Menards has the best lumber where I am, Home Depot was definitely selling juvenile wood and has very poor quality on construction lumber. It's nice to just grab big boards then cut them down however you need. If you want to get rid of the box store look using 2x4's you're losing a lot more wood. The funny thing is the wider a board is, the more it is supposed to have wood movement over time, but obviously there's a lot of factors at play. From everything I've used the 2x4's are always the worst, and Home Depot has the very worst of them lol.

@sdriza Жыл бұрын

my dad always ripped 2x4's from larger boards, but never explained why....

@robertmiler6652 Жыл бұрын

I noticed that as well, I didn't know the technical terms for what I was seeing, I call them cores, which have awesome grain, when you rip them into 1 by 2s, but they always turn into either "propellers", or "skis" (those are also technical terms).

@FormerlyKnownAsAndrew Жыл бұрын

Your comment was a gem. Thank you. Learned something new.👍🏾

@davek6854 Жыл бұрын

There's a whole community of plywood boat builders building out of construction grade wood. I am currently working on one from a designer Jeff Spira. He has recently passed away and had a great following. His insistence that construction adhesives used in assembling frames and securing plywood panels with screws would not be needed if one was inclined to remove them once the adhesive was cured during the later parts of construction. Jeff was very conservative and designed with the first time builder in mind using many more frames than typically needed accounting for poor joinery and gaps later to be filled with adhesives or epoxy resin. Choosing lumber carefully is important as well has understanding how to use construction adhesive effectively. I use spruce because it is the lightest and often the clearest of the three typical 2x4s found in places like Home Depot in my area. I have sorted through lots of lumber sometimes going home with nothing. Sometimes waiting on other guys who are hobby furniture makers too. You make a good point understanding where one might not want to use construction grade lumber.

@5stardave Жыл бұрын

I made my outdoor Adirondack patio set out of redwood 2x4s ten years ago. Still going strong.

@jerry4249 Жыл бұрын

It's all great to say not to use 2x4s for builds but man not all of us have the cash to buy better wood. I make some absolutely great looking stuff by just cutting down 2x4s and 2x6s. None of it looks like a bunch of 2x4s screwed and glued together, they look great. On top of that, wet, dry or otherwise none of them have twisted or warped or cracked or anything after it's been built. I love this guy's channel for sure. But there's some reasons I enjoy the lady woodworkers more, they don't have the expectations these hardened woodworkers have. Fact is I do this because I really enjoy doing it. I enjoy building things that are going to live in my home, and the homes of others, for years to come. I build quality pieces out of 2x4s and I reject anyone who says otherwise.

@graceineverything9064 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this comment! I’m new to woodworking and this guy is putting me right off!

@jerry4249 Жыл бұрын

@@graceineverything9064 Stumpy Nubs is a great channel too... He's a bit of a perfectionist but you'll get some fantastic tips, especially great tips to keep yourself safe. One thing I wouldn't use my tablesaw without is a FeatherPro feather board from BOW. Sorry I'm going on haha just wanted to give you a few things to maybe make up for this video. I remember when I started and watched every video I could and would see videos like this and end up really getting discouraged and getting into my own head. There's plenty of content that is great to watch (and this guy makes a good amount too).

@graceineverything9064 Жыл бұрын

@@jerry4249 thanks. I’ll take a look!

@14jessek Жыл бұрын

It's funny you mention that about woodworking videos by women, because I noticed that as well. These extremely high standards, multiple several thousand dollar machines and tools all to make a box, yet you go to a video by a woman and it's using off the shelf equipment and just as great. I was about ready to give up, thinking that I just can't ever make anything out of wood that isn't bought at a store only open 9-5, 3x as expensive and can't make any mistakes with.

@jerry4249 Жыл бұрын

@@14jessek yeah ya know definitely. These guys are great, they give such great tips. But it's hard because they do make you think that anything you make out of anything affordable will fold up and turn into trash and it's not true. I always say it about the ladies, they look like they are having fun, making stuff they like in their house (which... Is what it's about... And if it's good enough for those ladies, it's always good enough for my lady so that's the main thing). That's what it's about just enjoying what you're doing, feeling good about what you're doing and getting better at it along the way. I believe the best way to do that is to buy cheap. My father is a well known artist and what he would say is that it doesn't matter what paint you use or how much you spend on the brushes. All that matters is that you're doing it and you love doing it. He's used expensive paints, and he's used dollar store paint, he said it don't matter. If you can do it, do it and feel good about it. Glad a couple of people have seen my message and taken a bit of the judgement out of some of the more polished wood workers lay down sometimes. I don't think they mean it but it sure is discouraging to hear sometimes.

@lukasochola576 Жыл бұрын

In my country,trees are chopped split into lumber of various sizes then taken straight to hardwares stores for sale, being put ln kiln to bring down the moisture content I have never heard of that.we have learnt to work with wet lumber some you can even see the water in them.Nitrocellulose paint is the best for such kind of lumber,you apply water based stain then you put nitrocellulose paint and you are good to go.

@downhomeonthefarm6464 Жыл бұрын

#2 Prime PTP or better. You must start with a good grade of wood. Allow to dry slowly inside the shop, stacked. Never allow sunshine to dry them. This will cause warping and can cause splits. I build outdoor furniture daily and use 2x4's for legs and frames. After years of trial and error, I perfected a system of drying PTP. Rule #1 ...be Patient! 13% moisture level or less if you want to plane it, route it and paint/stain it. I also use cypress which must be at 8% moisture content or less. 6% is the target.

@Jimc4007 Жыл бұрын

Nice video on the problems using construction grade lumber.

@allanhunt194 Жыл бұрын

Very informative video Colin, Thanks so much for sharing your valuable knowledge.

@winnipegdigitalpsychogeogr5958 Жыл бұрын

very nice episode , thanks for breaking it down the properties of moisture contents in wood and sharing your insight / knowledge!

@brentfowler2317 Жыл бұрын

Well done Colin, great job explaining everything as you always do my friend. Keep up the great work, and until next time. Take care!

@jdwht2455 Жыл бұрын

Great video that just confirmed what I had intuitively figured out. If I'm making furniture, will often use maple (my favorite) or poplar if just a general ho hum piece. Even using soft construction woods are fine as you noted for workshop items or some outside 'things' but even those chunks of wood are usually left in a dry corner to dry for a while first. I always enjoy your very informative videos👍

@pbjae8140 Жыл бұрын

I make fancy joinery with my shop furniture and SPF. That is how I practice for household furniture.

@Ashitaka1110 Жыл бұрын

I live in the south and we have nothing but Southern Yellow Pine for our construction lumber. Better than fir and much better than spruce. As you say, 2x12s and removing the pith to essentially get quartersawn lumber is a great trick. I can essentially get two 2x4s (and a full 4 instead of the 3.5 inch width of an actual 2x4) of quartersawn lumber out of a 2x12 for about $15. Lifesaver for someone on a budget.

@josephgiustiniani2834 Жыл бұрын

I got educated on this one. Thank you. Always wondered why 2x4 furniture gets weird.....

@K0h4ku42 Жыл бұрын

This video was so dense with amazing facts. Thanks so much.

@kirstym7453 Жыл бұрын

i love your videos. they are so calming to watch and everything is easily explained and understood.

@hassanal-mosawi4235 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing those tips and the make!

@imranh5395 Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Colin. I learnt something very useful from your video 👍🏻

@derekloudon8731 Жыл бұрын

Very useful video Colin, thank you!

@MakeTechCreate Жыл бұрын

Great tips, Colin!

@osmanvincent1975 Жыл бұрын

Urethane or polyurethane is the chemical name for the polymer. Varathane is Rust-oleum’s (formerly Flecto) trade name for their line of polyurethane. Moisture causes solvent based urethane to polymerize, or cure from the inside out. That it, it cures faster than adhering to the wood, hence it can come off in sheets. There are very tough and hard water based polyurethanes that are used for floor finishes that cure very quickly.

@ForestWoodworks Жыл бұрын

I have half a garage full of construction lumber I've gathered over 2 years, which has been sitting while I restore my 1946 Walker-Turner table saw. I've been stashing the construction lumber to use as practice wood while I learn and develop ww skills. I'm almost done with the saw, so hopefully I can put the wood to work very soon! ❤it. Thanks Colin!

@littlebrookreader949 Жыл бұрын

Thanks! This was great to hear. I had no idea of it! 👍👍

@elguapo1507 Жыл бұрын

Great video! Thanks Colin! 👍

@MCsCreations Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Colin! 😊 I stay the heck away from pine in general... It's really bad for my allergies! 😬 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

@imxploring Жыл бұрын

Great Video! Lots of wonderful information... and your presentation was well done!

@daneilers739 Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for all this GOOD information!!

@aaudain1 Жыл бұрын

Always a pleasure looking at your video 📸

@freewaybaby Жыл бұрын

I’ve been amazed at times how dimensional lumber can move. I’ve had 1X2s that bowed both ways like your showed in that first 2 x 4, as well as twist at the same time. How one piece of wood can almost wrap it self into a pretzel is fascinating as well as aggravating beyond belief. I swear some that word feels like it’s destiny is to be a bentwood rocker! Lol

@rtype4930 Жыл бұрын

Thank you, sir! Very useful info.

@christophermoody1448 Жыл бұрын

Interesting. But this is what I found. With 2x4 lumber, when fastened with pocket screws and glue, the joint held together without problems. Years ago I made a 12 x 12 x 15 seated stool with 2x4. Please correct me if I'm wrong, most furniture grade lumber (depending on the species) maxes out at around 350lbs (if only glue is used). The stool I made held up at over 400lbs without an issue. In terms of staining, I learned that when you sand the wood before staining or painting, it receives the stain or paint better than not sanding. I saw blotching. The reason for that was I did not clean the wood properly. I tried it again, this time remembering to clean the wood thoroughly, sand and stained it, no blotching. 2x4s do work. Just like with any type of wood, proper prep is key. The point about moisture content was good information.

@johnrice6793 Жыл бұрын

Well done. Quite informative.👍👍

@oxcart19 Жыл бұрын

Very helpful information!

@hansdegroot8549 Жыл бұрын

Very informative video. Thanks for sharing.

@oleran4569 Жыл бұрын

Very good class! Thank you!

@The_man_himself_67 Жыл бұрын

One of my first projects was a little side table made from pallet wood. Years later it still looks good. I think as long as the wood you are working with is suitably dried out it's fine.

@christopherpavlicas Жыл бұрын

Exactly! Pallet wood always seems to get a bad rap on KZfaq. I have a delivery business; and consequently, I have great access to a variety of pallet woods. Amazingly, I've re-purposed some very nice hardwood boards of oak, ash, walnut and even cherry from pallets. It's amazing how many times I've found these species used in pallet making. It's crazy! It's not a stretch to say that I've made entire entertainment consoles, custom closets and bedroom furniture exclusively from wood salvaged from pallets over the years.

@wlmounce Жыл бұрын

I have seen oak and ash pallets about 1/1000+ but walnut and cherry?! I had to look it up and sure enough. I even saw a walnut one with solid 14/4! Amazing the things you learn from KZfaq comments.

@stanmashek3085 Жыл бұрын

colin this was a EXCELLENT VIDEO ONE OF YOU BEST VIDEO THANK YOU VERY MUCH

@svsoleil3255 Жыл бұрын

Great video..valuable info! Thanks!

@danyodice1048 Жыл бұрын

Great info as always...🤘🤘🤘

@juhs Жыл бұрын

I learned a lot, thank you for the video sir 👍

@sbuzz5889 Жыл бұрын

very informative thank you for all you produce

@aroub1966 Жыл бұрын

Greetings from the Netherland Thank you for the lessons. You talk very understandable also for non English speakers.

@Imac0728 Жыл бұрын

I’ve had good luck buying 2x12s and ripping them down to 2x4s so i can capture the outermost wood like you point out. Great video as always!

@artv4nd3l4y Жыл бұрын

Yeah I actually grab 2x10's for the same reason, it's all about the operator. 2x12's I find are always low on stock and don't look very good, 2x10's are cheaper proportionately so they really work well. I have definitely bought terrible 2x4's but the solution is never buy 2x4's.

@danynolet9500 Жыл бұрын

Great information!

@Mickeyville2 Жыл бұрын

Very helpful video. Thx!

@dexterlichtenstein4935 Жыл бұрын

Excellent video.

@jerryjohnsonii4181 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the knowledge !!!!!

@JohnJones-oy3md Жыл бұрын

I've been doing it so, so wrong. Never too late to learn, though. Thanks!

@gertjegertje1157 Жыл бұрын

I learned a lot today.

@advocatus360 Жыл бұрын

Thanks as always!

@jeffreycanfora1091 Жыл бұрын

Any thoughts or opinions on the use of 45° “Lock Miter” router bits? I just pocket up a 3 piece set for 1/2”, 3/4”, and 1” lumber. I got them with the idea of aesthetics for visible joinery. I’m just not sure that dry lumber and glue would be enough to create a good lasting joint. Great explanations of everything by the way, as you always manage to do.

@michaelmounts1269 Жыл бұрын

great video. Big box lumber is horrible. BUT..I’ve had great luck using a planer and jointer to clean it up. Both expensive…but a necessity these days. great discussion about moisture…almost no one I know checks that anymore…

@shagbark5419 Жыл бұрын

Good information thanks

@ttfweb1 Жыл бұрын

Out here in Oregon you can get good quality KD Doug fir - and there’s a lot of furniture made from it (my dining room table for example).

@jonwic7869 Жыл бұрын

I like. Very informative video

@jaytheist Жыл бұрын

I purchased some Douglas fir from my lumber yard that is kiln dried. They cost more, but they're straight, knot-free, and dry. Maybe that's an option for some.

@charliecalzadilla6028 Жыл бұрын

Great video. What lumber or wood would you recommend using to build an outdoor bbq prep table. The top will be made out of used stainless steel elevator door. Thanks for your thoughts.

@bubba8 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for such an informative video. How about a water based (poly acrylic) as a protective finish?

@ronaldtreitner1460 Жыл бұрын

funny because i had some left over 2x6's i got from my brother-in-law that where left over like 18-24 inches. i cut them into thinner boards and some 1.5x2 strips and layed them on counter with spaces to dry a bit with weights on them and the grain i get is amazing, now i'm just trying to figure out what to do with them. wheneverever we brap 2x4's or something we get picky and look for the good straight stuff. also i don't have a place i can keep heated all the time so using moisture meaters and worrying about that is a waste of time, if i want to use something i just stack it with spacers, put a weight on top, and wait until it looks good enough. after that it just comes down to how straight it ends up, how good the table saw "which sucks" was at splitting a peice in half widthwise, etc., on what i'm going to do with it. recently made a nice shoe rack my wife is happy with.

@hassleoffa Жыл бұрын

I pick through KD premium 2x12 only. 2x14's aren't carried by my local anymore or I'd go for those. I average about 1 boards per visit, but some weeks is zero. I make a point of NO PITH. I stick and strap them in my basement, put a date on them and won't touch them for about a year ... then check the moisture content. About two years in you'll start to have some decent stock for simple projects.

@Bigdog1787 Жыл бұрын

When buying from big box stores and getting there wet straight wood as I don't think you find straight ones that's dry. The best thing to do is put bricks on top maybe a shop towel first so they don't mark the wood, but having weight on top of the wood is key at keeping them straight wile drying them for a week or 2. I puchased some wood from big box store and did what I mentioned and they came out very good and straight. Got 4x4s and 2x6 all was wet very little planning to smooth them out and make them s4s.

@martinoamello3017 Жыл бұрын

Better yet stay away from buying lumber in a box store period. Find a reputable lumber yard that stands behind their product..I go to an old yard family owned place where they always stand behind everything they sell.. Box stores stand behind zero when it comes to lumber.. I rip down 2x12s ,but I'll put them on the shop floor for a year and walk all over them for the year and cut what I need as I need it. Check the grain..avoid knots and weird grain patterns..

@veganpotterthevegan Жыл бұрын

@@martinoamello3017 Lowes takes back nearly everything...

@kalmanszeles8666 Жыл бұрын

hi,master you have in this video a lot of right,im an old restorer,from Europa ,Budapest ,Hungary Koloman old retaired furniture restorer.thank you so much,for this video,many people dont now about this advaices and ,wood caracters and thehnology . by,with respect.

@ajquestell Жыл бұрын

I've made many mortise and tenon joints on 2x lumber...but I have a Pantarouter!

@davidmcarthur1093 Жыл бұрын

As someone who makes furniture for a living, there are very little of wood from any species of wood soft or hard for this reason. Here in the UK almost all furniture is made from MRMDF which is very stable and no for the American audience it doesn't cause cancer breathing airploution does.

@b.powell3480 Жыл бұрын

Years ago, I built some quality cabinets using 2x4's !, had no problems !, my tip was I used the kiln-dried rack of 2x4's, don't use the regular stud grade used for framing !, those will definitely warp !!

@chrisgriffith1573 Жыл бұрын

The rapidity of the drying process causes the extreme warping of the wood. Slowing down this process helps reduce warping. If I think the wood is moist, I wrap all the pieces together using pallet wrap, and let it sit for at least 6 months. Again, this doesn't stop warping, but it will reduce it. When the wood is down to about 15% it is safe to unwrap.

@ehisey Жыл бұрын

IF you sticker and weight it properly you can just about eliminate the warping.

@juliehenderson1672 Жыл бұрын

Can weight help cut wood dry straight? An arborist I know layered his wood outdoors in a criss crossed fashion for a year prior to his making a kitchen table.

@michaelvandyke6658 Жыл бұрын

I get my wood from a sawmill and i get popular cheaper than pine. I get mine in spring and fall that way i always have some that is dry and some drying

@MikeTheSith200 Жыл бұрын

Select pine 2x4’s from menards are great. But expensive

@sebastienboisvert8561 Жыл бұрын

Shop furniture is a great way to practice some skills before tackling finner projects.

@EliteCycleWalkWindsorCanada Жыл бұрын

great video... love from Pakistan

@BobAmarant Жыл бұрын

Hi there. Would you be interested in doing a remote live demo for a woodturning club based in NJ?

@HenryLeslieGraham Жыл бұрын

so flat sawn planks can be a problem when you dry them. what about quarter sawn? or rift sawn? i assume quarter sawn is more stable or less prone to warping?

@stephendonathan6782 Жыл бұрын

I would think you could add a water base sanding sealer and that should help I would think?

@jayempress4203 Жыл бұрын

Not knowing the wood was wet, we used 2x4s to bud a ground level deck. We painted each board with water proofing befor adding it to the deck. 4 years later, that deck was rotted, had to be torn up and thrown away. The water proofing sealed the moisture in and so it rotted. What a dissapointment that was.

@georgevanvalkenburg2560 Жыл бұрын

THX

@juliehenderson1672 Жыл бұрын

Your thoughts on using SAR. Sun and Rain protection.

@michh8901 3 ай бұрын

Would it be bad to build a fish tank stand out of construction grade lumber? I’m worried that the wood will warp and stress the tank to fracture

@sappernz 9 ай бұрын

As an aussie we use 4x2 ..no problems

@lifeispowerful2841 Жыл бұрын

I make walking canes from 2x4 lumber the stain it. Never had any problem with fir

@tex24 Жыл бұрын

How do you manage lumber as a furniture maker? You need to keep lumber on hand that's ready for work right away, but you also need to get new lumber in that will have time to dry. Do you keep two stacks of lumber, one "green" where the lumber will need time to dry and one "ready for production" where the lumber has already dried? How do professional furniture makers manage this?

@michiganmoto7687 Жыл бұрын

I don’t know where you buy lumber but all the lumber I buy has stickers between every layer so therefore the lumber in the center of the bunk is just as dry as the top layer.

@sahabattukangwood22 Жыл бұрын

Good

@hohaia01 Жыл бұрын

thanks Oliver Reed

@frankvucolo6249 Жыл бұрын

It is an inevitable stop in the road, on the woodworking journey, that we decide we might use construction lumber or pallet wood. Usually happens around the time we get set up with the trio of table saw, jointer and planer. But we learn good lessons from it! Nice video.

@AArrakis Жыл бұрын

Nice as always! Thanks! Colin it seems that a troll has put inappropriate answers to each comment…

@johngardiner6800 Жыл бұрын

For your timber with the metric system you would say 50 x 100 but in the British imperial system you would say 4 x 2 not 2 x 4

@ared18t 8 ай бұрын

I've been lucky all the 2x4's I've bought have been warped and then straightened out after drying for 5 years haha.

@unclejim2048 Жыл бұрын

I picked up on your claim that half-lapped joints are stronger than most other joints. You are absolutely correct -- even stronger than mortise and tenon joints. I'm sure I ruffled some feathers with that statement. But you appear to know that it is true. Many University tests have shown it to be true. I guess wisdom often comes with white hair.

@faghihimohammad Жыл бұрын

I bought some lumber from a lumber yard to repair my door structure. It was left at my home and after about 1 month I took them and start building a new structure for door. Then, I found the wood had dried out and a small but annoying twist has happened in it. It took a lot of work with a hand plane to make that straight again.

@gnic76 Жыл бұрын

You missed the advantage of construction lumber, it's readily available in specific sizes, making it somewhat easier to calculate what you need. Like all lumber you need to buy ahead of time, keeping in mind how it's been stored at your local lumber yard. A week of rain and they store it outside or inside the heated store for 2 months. Even dry wood can twist after you cut it and should rest overnight before final milling.

@alessandrosuppini943 Жыл бұрын

Hi Colin, what moist percentage would you recommend for a safe hard wax application?

@gnic76 Жыл бұрын

I don't know about what a hard wax finish needs but for most finishes, wood should be around 8% -10% dry

@ehisey Жыл бұрын

Around 12 percent moisture. This or lower is equilibrum in most places. With a wax finish as it is vapor permeable (most finishes are) once below 20% you wont generally have issues with the finish, might still have issues with warping though.

@alessandrosuppini943 Жыл бұрын

@@ehisey thank you for the info 👍

@zachthenoob1304 Жыл бұрын

I use them all the time lol!

@AtotheZ7 Жыл бұрын

Now I just wonder what would be the cheapest and yet best wood to build furniture with. Since 2x4s or SPFs are out of the equation, what wood is most affordable for furniture?

@mattrinne Жыл бұрын

Most likely poplar with all other things considered. Also depends on the seller. Private vs store.

@ehisey Жыл бұрын

Nothing wrong with using SPF (just generic soft white wood) and despite the video, nothing really wrong with using construction lumber. You do have to be a lot picker about the wood, have to basically treat it like green wood. If you want to use 2x you need to buy it about 3-6 months before you plan to use it, sticker and weight it in your garage, then forget about it for a while. This will give it time to finish drying. White pine was a stable of Shaker furniture building. The other answer to your question is don't shop in big box or lumber yards that carter to the construction industry. Use facebook market place, Angies or Craigs list, and find a local mill you can get great deals. Local miller near to me right now has 920 board ft of White oak going for about 2.50 a board foot (fresh cut so needs to be dried but still well below market cost even for green oak, and way cheaper than 2x4s).

@corymoore9426 Жыл бұрын

Too late sir, Ive already been using them. good video

@cougar1861 Жыл бұрын

What is the maximum percent wood wetness for which one can effectively use oil base finish?

@downhomeonthefarm6464 Жыл бұрын

12%

@cougar1861 Жыл бұрын

@@downhomeonthefarm6464 Thanks

@darrinlindsey Жыл бұрын

Does a piece of lumber typically ever get to 0% moisture? What is the moisture level that is safe to assume no more wicking will take place, after applying a finish?

@secularnevrosis Жыл бұрын

You will want it to have a moisture content that is stable for its environment. If you are joining different materials you can have severe problems with too low moisture. A classic example would be guitars and other instruments. In the winter they can get extremely dry until you get onto the stage. Then you will probably have tuning problems for the rest of the gig. Or if you open a window for a longer period in any modern home.

@Ted_James Жыл бұрын

@@secularnevrosis I had that exact problem years ago while playing a gig in January. I took my guitars from my warm home to my car and to the club. Maybe 40 degrees outside. Got inside the warm club, tuned up, and started playing. Guitar went out of tune in the middle of the first song. Nothing I could do would keep it in tune throughout the night. Pretty embarrassing!

@secularnevrosis Жыл бұрын

@@Ted_James Yes. I usually try to stash my gear on or close to the stage. If I'm lucky we are not the first act :)

@danr1920 Жыл бұрын

But what am I supposed to use for chair backs? Ever notice 2x4's are the center of the tree.

@oneeyedphotographer Жыл бұрын

Time, for me, is more abundant than $$$$. The softwood we get here is almost universally Pinus Radiata, native to California. It's available treated and untreated. Untreated is useless for construction, termites love it too well. Treated pine I would not use anywhere it might be ingested, so not for cutting boards or for furniture small children might use to sharpen their chewing skills. It's not clear to me what you mean by "4x2," we only deal with actual sizes. Mostly DAR is what's available, almost never undressed. The major exception is sleepers and other timbers intended for casual external use, garden borders, al fresco areas etc. It's treated. I saw the inside of one of your wood shops in another video, there is no reason at all that I can see why you cannot tell us the actual size of your timbers. Farmer Dad used to buy 4x2 in jarrah, Eucalyptus Marginata IIRC, definitely a hardwood. To nail it, he bored holes and then greased the nails. But he was using it for rough work around the farm. Termites don't really like it.

@dwightl5863 Жыл бұрын

"2x4" is common nomenclature for an actual 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" dimensioned lumber. It WAS 2" x 4" when originally milled but the planning/machining reduces it to it's actual size. Yes one can get rough cut "2x4"'s from a mill. The terminology is common place here like tissue is Kleenex or coping a letter is to Xerox it.

@merc2dogs 10 ай бұрын

I tend to use treated 2x a lot for outdoor projects, but prefer using 5/4 deck boards for most projects . As an aside, I really like that rack you have for hand planes, I may copy that to store my planes.