Shopsmith Forums

Last year I was out of town and happened to stop a saw mill/lumber sales place and proceeded to buy some white oak for a garden bench I want to make. I didn't have the plans with me, actually I temporarily misplaced them..... Anyway I got what I thought would be enough wood.

Now this is where the "I hate when this happens." come in. For some reason it was sticking in my head the top was 30" long. It is two side by side pieces so the pieces so I was thinking something over 62" would be good accounting for squaring and kerfs etc. I found the plans, the top is 36"!!!! So I should of been looking for a longer board.

Now comes decision time, do I drive the 60 miles (there and back) to look for a piece of the correct length or do I redesign the bench to be only 30"???? If I had another reason to go out that way it would be an easy decision but since I don't.......

I'm not really looking or input from anyone, just saying this is one of those things that woodworkers sometimes do and like it or not it just happens.

I'm thinking some others can relate? Got a story to share?

This is the bench btw:
I do like the proportions so I think I will do a sketchup drawing of it to see what changes I can make to have it still look like this but just smaller.

Ed

Nice looking bench. Do you want it to seat two people? If so, I'd personally make it even longer than 36".

And yes, my brain is spinning tonight because I have a lumber shortfall of my own. I thought I had a 400 bf stack of vintage rough cherry lumber, for paneling my secret-room project. But upon close inspection, and after hand-planing through heavy patina on some of the boards, it turned out to not all be cherry. The good news is that most of the stuff that isn't cherry is walnut! Including several beautiful 8" wide boards.

But nevertheless, I'm short upwards of 100 bf of cherry, which is about the amount I need for the ceiling. I finally remembered that the sawmill where I'm taking the cherry to be milled also keeps a nice stock of hardwood lumber at good prices. So in the interest of time, I think I'll pay retail for lumber for the ceiling. Maybe soft maple for contrast, and it's quite a bit cheaper than cherry. The logistics work out great, as I can bring it home on the same trip that I drop off the cherry for milling.

Why not simply build it the length that works for the wood you already bought? There is no law that you have to follow a pattern exactly when you build something. Make it work for your situation. That is called custom made.

I feel like this post needs a..

That's what she said!!

Be a Man, there always will be a need for MORE.

Build your first bench using available wood to the size that will work.

Then when the next Project jumps out at you, shouting that you need MORE wood, simply GO to the wood source. Buy wood for the next project and buy MORE wood for building your second bench bigger.

MORE is always better than LESS.

Better yet buy EXTRA to have around for a project not yet on the drawing board.

Having a clean neat shop is Un American...

If it were me I would make do with what I had.

Being basically cheap I have a long history of failing to buy enough wood. I usually have to go after another board or two. Problem is I seldom find a match ( color, grain, etc). Frustration!

To combat this trait I have been forcing myself to buy more than my first estimate. I'm ending up with more scraps but a lot less frustration.

However I do have a lot of waste. Example I must have five cans of PVC glue, because I forced myself to buy a can just in case the can at home is old. I now have at least five scrap bins of wood, ( up from one small one years ago) which keeps growing since I usually buy more than I need at first.

Which is worst going after that extra piece or storing an extra piece probably indefinitely?

@ Ed>Which is worst going after that extra piece or storing an extra piece probably indefinitely?
I know, but I am anal retentive and and there is no scrap in my shop, sorted by species, and may spend some time looking and measuring for the right piece and not find one, which seems to be the case most time. More cutting boards

I have done every one of the above situations and more Next to being the worst is reible's story of not getting enough wood. Worse than that is buying too much, selecting the best pieces, cutting pieces to extra length to allow for trimming and finding these pieces are too short. Not enough lumber to make new pieces. And a lot of left over cutoffs.

I recently made a dining room bench and the min seat boards were too short. So made surrounding wood with contrasting pieces, like wide breadboard ends and narrower side pieces. Had to narrow the main seat boards to compensate for the new side pieces.

It's called a frustrating work around.

NICE Charlese!!! There are no mistakes, just redesigning, unless you fess up to it.