Shopsmith Forums

mickyd wrote:I like that system farmer!!! Bet you don't run short too ofter.

I know that the logic is faulty for a lot of folks but it helps me rationalize how I do things...

robinson46176 wrote:I know that the logic is faulty for a lot of folks but it helps me rationalize how I do things...

I don't know if I would call it 'faultily' unless you have enough left over stock from all you projects to start your own lumberyard. It's kind of like buying canned goods when you go grocery shopping......it will get used eventually, most of the time. Using your method, I know for sure your not stressing whether or not you have enough to complete your project and your not spending an hour estimating how much you need.

mickyd wrote:OK show off....Quick...how many board feet of stock do you need to go buy to make 132 strips of 1-5/8"W x 3/8"T x 6-7/8"L from 6/4 hardwood and how much will that cost you at $11.32 per B.F.? If you want to spend the time doing that in you head, have at it. I'll use the calculator anytime.

The simple calculation refered to was the one that calculates the # of fbm in a given board.
I think I can summarize most of the advice here by saying : Make your best ROUGH guess at the required fbm and then add a flat % for all the INCALCULABLE variables. Call this % "THE Mickyd Factor" because everyone's is different. It is affected by things like storage space, distance to supplier, budget, experience etc. Farmer's is quite high. I like that, but if you don't have a spare barn to fill up you may consider a somewhat smaller number.

Paul M

Mike,

From one geek to another... you are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be. If you are measuring saw kerf and working with spreadsheets then you are trying to cut it too close. There is no prize for working to a zero margin. Farmer's approach isn't that different from my own and is necessary to offset the difficulties created by Mr. Murphy.

It is important to go shopping with your cut list and especially important to make sure you buy boards that will be sufficient for the larger pieces of your project. Variations in grain, knots, cracks, or even taking advantage of a nicely figured portion of the board will all create waste. This is why you have a scrap box.

Feel free to ignore this if you live next door to your lumberyard. My favorite sources are all quite distant so I would rather have extra wood to use on another project than not quite enough.

Troy

OK guys.....I am not trying to complicate things. In order to make an estimate, you need experience. I would have NEVER guessed that this project would take ~1.5 B.F. Asking for a B.F. estimate from a rookie is like asking someone who's never been in a car to estimate how fast they are going. This is the first project I've worked on. First time I've bought wood. First time I have had to estimate how much stock I needed. First time I've been exposed to the price of wood. First time I made an error using a raw stock size that wasn't even close to divisible my the lengths I was cutting out of it. First time I had to consider resaw vs. alternate methods. My point clear??

The calculator that I found is a nice tool and I see myself using it, especially on a project with so many cuts. Most people wouldn't tackle a first project with the number of cuts this one had. It was assuring to know that there is some technical resources out there that helped make the picture clearer.

Onward.

Most first projects are either something to prove to the wife that those tools are not worthless things that are using up money that she could be spending... or something for the shop.

mickyd wrote:No you didn't misunderstand. While you were snoozing, the goal was modified. Cutting layout optimization is now phase II. I fell across the calculator, which sure made a nice phase I.

Doesn't Sketch Up have an app for that?

robinson46176 wrote:Most first projects are either something to prove to the wife that those tools are not worthless things that are using up money that she could be spending... or something for the shop.

Your right farmer. Wife said 'Oh, I love those candle lanterns!'. I said "I can do that!!"

If it were up to me, I would be building my workbench and a nice comfy shop stool.

beeg wrote:Doesn't Sketch Up have an app for that?

tom_k/mo.....where are you?

Mike!!!!!!!!!!!! aka MICKYD Flush the tripe out of yer pm mail box. IT'S FULL!!!!!! pm message pending!