Thread: board feet
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Han Han is offline
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Default board feet

Han wrote in
:

DS wrote in news:05cMj.64291$TT4.9888@attbi_s22:

DJ Delorie wrote:
People often have problems understanding what a "board foot" is.
It's not a linear distance, despite the term "foot" in it. Yes, we
all know its 144 cubic inches, that doesn't always help people
understand it's a volume measure.

Today I went off on a tangent and came up with a new way of
describing "board feet" to newbies.

It's just over half a gallon of tree (~5/8 gal)

Next time you're trying to describe "board feet" to someone and
they're not getting it, try that and see if it helps.

DJ


Or you could tell them that it's about a fortieth of a cubic cubit.
Or a fourth of a peck.
Or a sixteenth of a bushel.

I had trouble with the concept of board feet too. Until I started
remembering that it is a measure of volume, 1x1 ft by whatever number
of linear feet, but I don't think it has to be a square foot in cross
section. Just like liters don't have to be 10x10 cm in cross section
by some number of decimeters high. (Yes, I grew up decimal).



Oops I was wrong again, board feet are 12 inch wide by 1 inch thick by
whatever number of feet long. Not 1x1 ft by whatever number of feet
long. Sorry!

--
Best regards
Han
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