# Dressing lumber



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

K guys I need some advice. It is very hard in central Arkansas to find quality lumber but I might have finally found some. A local outfit sells some really nice breeds; red oak, red cedar, maple, hickory, etc. but heres the deal, they are not dimensional lumber. My question is if I wanna use this stuff for joinery can it be done without a ton of waste and what is the best way to get nice square edges.

The wood is all dried and dressed on two sides usually


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

What do YOU mean by dimensional? Hardwoods are not sold in designations such as 2x4, 1x6, 2x10... It's in 1/4"s such as 4/4" or 6/4" in random widths.


----------



## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

My preference is to buy rough cut lumber when I can.

I then plane to get to a smooth board. I may get 15/16in out of 4/4 board, I may get 7/8in, but I normally get > 3/4in

Since I do not work from plans, I am able to use whatever thickness I have available.

If you can get stock planed on two sides, go for it.

You should find very little waste in cutting to your width.

Lot's of methods to achieve a good first edge, or you can buy/build a jig. I think there was a thread recently on a jig to straighten a board.

I have started to use my #5 jack plane to true up an edge. I am able to get straight enough for the table saw, but not yet getting orthogonal, but two cuts later it will be. :thumbsup:


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

I apologize for my ignorance...they are hardwood surfaced on two sides so they are 3/4" thickness and random widths. I wanna know how to square them up so I can use them for joinery.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Andrew120 said:


> I apologize for my ignorance...they are hardwood surfaced on two sides so they are 3/4" thickness and random widths. I wanna know how to square them up so I can use them for joinery.


No apologies needed! I misunderstood your question, I guess.

If you want perfect lumber you need to joint two edges, one face and one side. Those jointed sides are then your reference edge to square the opposite side. The other side with the table saw and the other face with a thickness planer.

That's the power tool version... I'm guessing you aren't going org hand tools, correct me I'd I'm wrong!


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

Okay I think we are slowly but surely communicated here fire medic lol! The boards I'm looking at are s2s with the two sides being the two "faces" or larger measurement. I'm sorry if my vocabulary is lacking here I am indeed a noob. 

I have an electric hand held planer and a hand block planer. But my question really was how to I take the two unsurfaced edges or "sides" and make then flat and parallel so they can be jointed. Btw when u say unsurfaced here I mean they have their bark edge not just rough sawn.

Thanks for all your help so far guys! I'm trying to understand I promise.


----------



## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

You might try clamping the boards face-to-face and going at their two edges now combined as one. With your planes, electric- and hand-, make that edge as straight as you can.
Unclamp the two boards and put the edges together. If they are truly straight, they should be ready for glue. 
The beauty of this method is that if the edges are not perfectly square with the faces, it does not matter; the error cancels when you open them and place them edge-to-edge.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*surfaces, edges and sides*

A board has 2 surfaces(the wide face), 2 edges (the narrow part) and 4 sides.

The surfaces get planed flat and parallel, and the edges get planed square to the surfaces. The side of a board could be any part of it, it's more of a descriptor than a technical term, not that we are all that technical here, but there are some preferred terms.  bill

BTW "dressing" lumber or timber is probably more a hand tool process than a power tool operation:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6904665_tools-used-dressing-timber.html

As far as I know "timber" is the initial stage of making lumber, as in a "stand of timber"....


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

Thank you both lol, especially you Bill I understand now, thank you


----------



## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

Most boards have 2 ends, too!

A buddy working in my shop with me kept misnaming dimensions of boards as we were milling them. Turns out he was picturing the finished piece of furniture, calling the length of the board the width, and so-on. 
Ya have to come to terms. I told him that 'this is my shop, and we talk about the dimensions of the individual boards in terms of length(long-grain dimension), width(larger cross-grain dimension), and thickness. Not until the piece is finished may you refer to the dimensions of its parts(the width of a chest-of-drawers' top, for example).'

Of course, at times the length is less than the width, then it is called, "short-the-long-way".


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Ok, so you want to "straight-line" one edge and cut the other edge parallel... right?

Do you have a table saw? A circ saw?

Do you want to go with hand tools instead? For hand tools, mark a straight line (straight edge and pencil or knife, or a chalk line) and work to that line with either a saw, a drawknife or an plane. Then run a jointing hand plane to finish it while checking with a square to the face of the board. Mark the opposite side with a marking gauge or panel gauge and repeat.


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

Perfect fire medic now we are communicating yes I have both those tools and ur description is perfect sir! Thank you


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Andrew120 said:


> Perfect fire medic now we are communicating yes I have both those tools and ur description is perfect sir! Thank you


Ok, if you have a table saw, a straight lining sled is easy to build and even easier to use. If you use a circ saw instead you can clamp a straight edge to the board to guide the saw straight.


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

firemedic said:


> Ok, if you have a table saw, a straight lining sled is easy to build and even easier to use. If you use a circ saw instead you can clamp a straight edge to the board to guide the saw straight.


Medic you rock, okay do you think i could search around on the forums and find something on making a straight lining sled or is it something that needs to be bought?


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

There are some threads here, give the search function a try and google too. You might want to look at a few before you decide on a design that works for you.

Good luck, post some pictures of the jig once you get it built and some pictures of your projects too!


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

firemedic said:


> What do YOU mean by dimensional? Hardwoods are not sold in designations such as 2x4, 1x6, 2x10... It's in 1/4"s such as 4/4" or 6/4" in random widths.


Oh yes hardwoods are sold as dimensional lumber. In fact that is the only way around this area that you can buy them unless you go to some small independent sawyer.

George


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

When you purchase dimension lumber it has already been straight line ripped and sized. They charge you for the entire board, then a milling fee and the pieces they rip off they consider free wood and make molding out of. It is much more cost effective to get the entire board. Crooked boards you can cut into short lengths so there is not so much to trim off the edge of the board to straight line rip it. Then to mill the edges you need a jointer. I would try to find one with as long a bed as you can afford.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The easiest way to straight edge would be to tack (you can use 4d finish nails) on a piece of plywood...can be ¼" to one side so that plywood edge (factory) is riding on the fence. It only has to clear the widest part of the barked edge. Set the fence to cut off the other edge. Then, remove the plywood and turn the board around and cut the bark off the first edge.

You can do this to whichever will be the backside if you are concerned by the little nail holes. You only need about 3-4 nails.


----------



## Icutone2 (Nov 4, 2011)

*Track Saw*

Hello all, DeWalt makes a great "Track Saw" this is what I use to true up board edges.
Lee


----------



## woodbutcher360 (Jul 1, 2012)

I have used double sided tape to hold the piece to cut, to a piece of hardboard and it worked for me and no nail holes to fill.


----------



## jeruss (Oct 28, 2009)

Hi, Andrew. I read your post and was wondering what place you are talking about as I live in Little Rock.


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

Well hi there Jeruss, it's a fairly small place is Russellville, they get some beautiful stuff tho. I was looking at some Birdseye maple they had, absolutely gorgeous. They are really good about getting ahold of specific woods if u ask too. 

Place is called Ozark Custom Lumber, Russellville, ar


----------



## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> The easiest way to straight edge would be to tack (you can use 4d finish nails) on a piece of plywood...can be ¼" to one side so that plywood edge (factory) is riding on the fence. It only has to clear the widest part of the barked edge. Set the fence to cut off the other edge. Then, remove the plywood and turn the board around and cut the bark off the first edge.
> 
> You can do this to whichever will be the backside if you are concerned by the little nail holes. You only need about 3-4 nails.
> 
> ...


----------



## jeruss (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks, Andrew. Russellville may be a bit far to drive for me, but I will remember the place.


----------



## jhagan321 (Aug 14, 2012)

with a jointer and a table saw


----------



## jhagan321 (Aug 14, 2012)

sorry


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

I like to dress my lumber in cute little outfits.


----------



## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

Lots of ribbon striped lacewood. And satin finish.


----------



## Sbrooks (Jan 15, 2012)

Andrew120 said:


> K guys I need some advice. It is very hard in central Arkansas to find quality lumber but I might have finally found some. A local outfit sells some really nice breeds; red oak, red cedar, maple, hickory, etc. but heres the deal, they are not dimensional lumber. My question is if I wanna use this stuff for joinery can it be done without a ton of waste and what is the best way to get nice square edges.
> 
> The wood is all dried and dressed on two sides usually


Have you tried the minanite farms . Being from central ark that where I get all my wood . I probably spell it wrong minanite ( there like the amish)


----------



## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

Mennonite


----------



## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Andrew120 said:


> Medic you rock, okay do you think i could search around on the forums and find something on making a straight lining sled or is it something that needs to be bought?


http://benchnotes.com/Taper and Straight Edge Jig/taper_and_straight_edge_ji.htm


----------



## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Not sure how above post ended up here, sorry.


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

Sbrooks said:


> Have you tried the minanite farms . Being from central ark that where I get all my wood . I probably spell it wrong minanite ( there like the amish)


Hey brooks where are these guys? I'm always on the hunt for quality lumber?!


----------



## Sbrooks (Jan 15, 2012)

Andrew120 said:


> Hey brooks where are these guys? I'm always on the hunt for quality lumber?!


There some outside of bald knob and some near Salem if you like I can provide you with there number leave message phone is outside in a shack he only check it once a day


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

I'm 2.5 hours from the closer of the two unfortunately :/. Thanks for the info tho


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

I'm 2.5 hours from the closer of the two unfortunately :/. Thanks for the info tho


----------



## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

Heck, I drive 4 hours to get top-notch material. 
Up to Irion Lumber
or over to Hearne Hardwoods.


----------



## Andrew120 (Jun 30, 2012)

JBSmall said:


> Heck, I drive 4 hours to get top-notch material.
> Up to Irion Lumber
> or over to Hearne Hardwoods.


Haha I'm a weekend warrior so it's hard to make trips like that. And I've got some reasonably good stuff here in town


----------



## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

Well, the time spent doing good work really calls for the best possible material. 
Though the material is always the smaller part of the cost of a piece, in relation to the labor, sometimes the lumber bill can be in the thousands, so I get a deposit up-front for that. 
Customers actually appreciate the extra effort!


----------

