"NOSPAM" wrote in
:

Can anyone point me to a website that would have a list of common
lumber sizes? I'm thinking about making a basic woodworking bench and
I'd like to compare common lumber sizes to various plans.

Being a newbie, whenever I get to my local lumber yard I get
overwhelmed by all the choices so tough to figure out what I want in
advance. And when I try to figure in the size difference between
nominal and actual sizes my head spins!

thanks in advance




Most things go in increments of 2. 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10, 2x12 are your
common construction sizes, with lengths of 8', 10', 12', 14', and 16'
being common at most yards. Note the lack of dimensional note on the 2x
sizes. It may just be laziness, but it also reminds us that the 2x4
isn't 2"x4". (Use of the x instead of the multiplication "cross", well,
that's just laziness.)

For 2x lumber, figure on losing 1/2" from the 2" side, and 3/4" from the
other side. For 1x lumber, figure on losing 1/4" from the 1" side, and
3/4" from the other side. (A 1x4 is like a 2x4 cut in half. In fact, if
you've only got a HD nearby, buy their 2x4s and cut them in half... their
1x4s are expensive!)

If you're doing something where the proper fit of pieces is important
(dados and rabbets), never go by what the wood "should" be. Always
MEASURE it. I cut 1/2" dados for 9mm plywood a few projects ago...

Puckdropper
--
You can only do so much with caulk, cardboard, and duct tape.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm