On Mar 11, 8:32 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
Is there any type of wood that is sold as per its dimension anymore?

I tried to buy some cedar that was as advertised, nope even something as
simple as a 1x2 cedar strip is actually 5/8x 1 1/2. It sucks because I have
to buy a 1x4 board to fill a 2" gap or actually I have to buy a 2x4 board
and rip it 2 ways with a tablesaw to fit a 1x2 gap. This has to be a ploy
to sell more lumber, can't this be attacked as a "truth in advertising" or
false claims angle?

Naw, they have to measure it that way. It is not possible to measure
it any other way. I have a small saw-mill and have found that wood
shrinks a lot after it is cut. The dimensions quoted are alway called
nominal since it is assumed that a woodworker knows that no exact
dimension can be given.

Here's an example: I cut 2/4 stock on my mill. That is the nominal
size. It just gives us a name to call it even though we know the
dimension will be changing from the moment the board is cut and starts
to dry. I cut my "two inch" stock to 2 1/8" knowing that after it
shrinks I will have a board that may only be 1 15/16".

Only when the stock is totally dry can the dimensions become stable
enough to be able to plane and joint it and an relatively accurate
measurment be given. This is a moisture level less that 10%, hopefully
7 or 8% Then it is the final user who finds out that his "two-by"
stock is 1 3/4". It is still called a two-by.

Even after the wood has been dried and is in it's final use it still
gain and loses a bit of size due to fluctuations in temp and
humidity. So, 2x4 is just a name to call it. It tells you enough to
know what size board to expect. No exact measurement can ever be
given.