So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

On Mar 9, 9:40 am, "damian penney" wrote:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

Heirarchy when culling. Top of list is most likely to survive the
slaughter.

most valuable wood ("luckily" usually the smallest pieces)
nicest figured wood
wider and shorter pieces
longer and narrower pieces

The last two might change position depending on what type of projects
you do.

R

"damian penney" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

Never in the trash. Hardwoods (with no finish) are good for smoking or
grilling food. They make good kindling for the wood stove. If you don't
have one, chances are a neighbor does and will be grateful for the scraps.

I do keep a box of small stuff for the odd little piece you need once in a
while. I don't let it get too big though.

On Mar 9, 6:47 am, "RicodJour" wrote:
On Mar 9, 9:40 am, "damian penney" wrote:

So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

Heirarchy when culling. Top of list is most likely to survive the
slaughter.

most valuable wood ("luckily" usually the smallest pieces)
nicest figured wood
wider and shorter pieces
longer and narrower pieces

The last two might change position depending on what type of projects
you do.

R

I have a cutoff barrel. When it starts to overflow and blocks my
access to my beer (I keep the beer on the shelf behind the barrel), I
clean it out, starting with the smallest bits first. Sometimes this
entails pulling lots of larger, longer scraps out to get to the bottom
of the barrel where the tiny scraps sift to, but so far the process is
working out OK.

damian penney wrote:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?


I throw all my cutoffs into one of a couple large boxes I keep for that
purpose. When the boxes get full (every few months or so)I go through
and cull out most of the smaller pieces until I've reduce the two full
boxes down to two half boxes.

Think of the typical smallest project that you likely will make (I toss
almost anything that is less than a foot long). Now ask yourself if that
cut-off could be used to make a part of it. If so, keep it. If not, toss it.
I also clean out my cut-off pile whenever it starts to consume too much shop
space (ie. gets in my way). The larger or uncommon woods stay and everything
else becomes kindling. Kindling gets stored in 4 large plastic garbage cans
behind the shop for the wood stove season.. If the cans get full before wood
stove time, then 50% of it either gets trashed or given to friends with
fireplaces or wood stoves.

--
Charley


"damian penney" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

I agree with some of the other posts- rare (exotics, expensive) I keep
small pieces for dowel pins, splines, drawer pulls, etc., these go in
a box under my bench. Larger, more common woods I keep larger pieces
in the rafters overhead and smaller pieces go in another box under the
bench. If I'm not using the cut offs faster then they are accumulating
then when the boxes begin to overflow I do an inventory/sorting. What
I keep gets put back in the box, what doesn't make the cut (pun
intended) goes out to be burned or put in the yardwaste recycling can
for pickup (solid wood only, no sheet products). I've already got a
bag of cherry limbs and apple limbs for BBQ smoking when the mood hits
for some ribs, etc. Bottom line is I've got to have room to move
around in the shop and mine is a small shop. If I can't move and find
the tools that I need then I can't be as creative or productive when
working on a project. The shop has to be a comfortable and enjoyable
place to be for you, everbody has their own clutter tolerance level-
for some it's spic and span, for others it's pig sty.

Dale

On Mar 9, 6:40 am, "damian penney" wrote:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

Trash - 2.5 inches (largest dimension)

Kindling - 1/4" rips or 8" rough-cut crosscuts (too short to (power)
plane into something useful)

small misc .... some of which occasionally gets culled into the kindling
pile. If it's small, say 2x6x3/4, but jointed and planed, I'll keep it for a
test cut, (e.g., setting the depth of a dado).

Particularly thick wood (5/4) I'll tend to hang onto for lathe work. It
could become a knob.

-Steve

Speaking of scrap....

I've started cutting the joinery for my modest timber-framed barn and have
have in my posession the mother of all cutoffs 7x7x13... it will likely be
forced into duty holding precut parts off the ground until assembly time.


"damian penney" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On 9 Mar 2007 06:40:28 -0800, "damian penney"
wrote:

So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?


15" long by at least 1.25" goes into the "future cutting board pile"
the more varied the species (color) the better. like to make them for
Christmas gifts.

Smaller than that either become fireplace kindling or get chopped up
and put in the smoker wood bucket.

Long sticks become clamping pads for panel glue ups

I save way too much

Frank

On 9 Mar 2007 06:40:28 -0800, "damian penney"
wrote:

So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

No such thing as scrap wood. Only small odd bits that you don't have
a use for. Most of mine get used as test pieces before making a cut
in the 'good' stuff or I begin making small things with my grandson.
With him, it's all about participation and his ideas and perfection is
not required. Some wood is never scrap no matter how small like apple
wood.

Pete

Living in a 2-bedroom flat with only a leaky garage for extra storage
means I have limits imposed how much I can keep. If I didn't have that
problem I'd be terrible I think . That said I have more sticks for
'stirring paint' than I really need!!!

"damian penney" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?


If you have a U-Haul "Book" box full of scrap hardwood of about 1 by (X
wide) 6 or 8 inches long up to 10 to 12 inches long, without knots, or
planner 'snip', and I do mean clear good quality hardwood --

go to EBay, Power Tools --Saws, Blades & Accessories -- and sell the box
as Scroll Saw -HardWood Grab Box. Write it up as minimum of 6 inch long to
max of (whatever your box has) of various hardwoods. Try to get a good
weight estimate for the before you try to sell so buyer can know what you
will be charging for shipping. State clearly it is hardwood, and great for
scroll saw work for desktop clocks, trivets, fretwork, scrolled wooden
jewelry and broaches, plus many other uses.

You won't get a lot of money, but maybe the price for a can of finish.

Phil

On 9 Mar 2007 06:40:28 -0800, "damian penney"
wrote:

So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

This comes up every now and again, and there's always people saying
how they toss anything less than a foot. I'd be happy to take that
stuff off their hands. Look at what Rockler does with their cutoffs:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?O...Select=Details

They're getting $1/lb for the stuff.

At least throw the stuff in a separate box and try offering it for
free on craigslist or something. Or offer it on the wreck.


-Leuf

That said I have more sticks for
'stirring paint' than I really need!!!

Let's see a show of hands. Who all wants to laugh out loud at the paint
store guy who tries to hand them the complementary stirring stick at the
checout?

condescending snicker... my stirrinig sticks are made of QS white oak
hurumpf!



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Stephen M wrote:
That said I have more sticks for
'stirring paint' than I really need!!!

Let's see a show of hands. Who all wants to laugh out loud at the paint
store guy who tries to hand them the complementary stirring stick at the
checout?

condescending snicker... my stirrinig sticks are made of QS white oak
hurumpf!



Paint?!!?? (condescending snicker)

condescending snicker... my stirrinig sticks are made of QS white oak
hurumpf!
Paint?!!?? (condescending snicker)

What? like you don't have walls?



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

when i push a peice into the lumber rack and one falls off the back,
that one go's into the furnace.
ross

Stephen M wrote:


What? like you don't have walls?

Shhh! Don't tell my wife. Maybe she'll forget.

Fri, Mar 9, 2007, 6:40am (EST-3) (damian*penney)
doth queryeth:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes into
the trash?\

No, you're not a cheap *******, you're just frugel. Keep it all,
until you run out of space to keep it, then get rid of just the smallest
pieces. Repeat.



JOAT
It was too early in the morning for it to be early in the morning. That
was the only thing that he currently knew for sure.
- Clodpool

"damian penney" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?



What is this trash thing?

--

-Mike-

damian penney wrote:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?


Never in the trash.

Three boxes:

scrap: firebox
hard wood: I will find some use for it
interesting shapes: the kids box that ends up as some impromptu project

- S

I'm probably like you, especially when it comes to hardwood. I keep a lot
of smaller pieces around and even use them occasionally. The little pieces
of oak and walnut (1" - 4") go in a bucket that eventually ends up in the
smoker. I have been known to dig around in the smoker bucket for a small
piece to use to make a plug or to turn a small part.

RonB


"damian penney" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

On 9 Mar 2007 06:40:28 -0800, "damian penney" wrote:

Do you guys have any kind of rule of thumb for what gets
put in the cutoff bin and what goes into the trash?

It's all stock timber and it's all firewood.

Use whatever works, burn the smallest stuff first, starting with the
sawdust.

damian penney wrote:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?


I turn a lot of pens. Most of the time, the pen blank yields a cut-off
of slightly more than an inch.

Did I mention that I also turn refrigerator magnets? ;-)

Most of my junk wood is either 1/4" in at least one dimension or
showing water damage. Some smaller pieces of 'shop panel only' plywood
might be somewhat larger.

Sawdust ends up in the garden, either via the compost pile or directly
on the paths.

I don't own a fireplace or wood stove, but I do have a fire pit in the
backyard for summer evenings.

Bill

--
I am disillusioned enough to know that no man's opinion on any subject
is worth a **** unless backed up with enough genuine information to make
him really know what he's talking about.

H. P. Lovecraft


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Fri, Mar 9, 2007, 11:51pm (EST+5)
(Andy*Dingley) doth sayeth:
snip Use whatever works, burn the smallest stuff first, starting with
the sawdust.

Nope. You save the sawdust, and spread it out in the winter for
traction.



JOAT
It was too early in the morning for it to be early in the morning. That
was the only thing that he currently knew for sure.
- Clodpool

On Mar 9, 10:40 am, "damian penney" wrote:
So I'm a real pack rat when it comes to cutoffs. Workshop is a mess; I
can never seem to part with the smallest bit of wood thinking 'ooo
that'll be useful' but it rarely if ever is. Do you guys have any kind
of rule of thumb for what gets put in the cutoff bin and what goes
into the trash?

I was just thinking about this last night as I was cleaning up the
shop. More specifically about plywood scraps. Any thoughts on what
is the smallest size to keep. I am thinking that small than 4" by 12"
goes in the trash.

Dave

On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:36:19 -0500, (J T)
wrote:

Nope. You save the sawdust, and spread it out in the winter for
traction.

I certainly do, but I burn it first.

Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 4:03am (EDT-3) (DLB) doth
ponder:
I was just thinking about this last night as I was cleaning up the shop.
More specifically about plywood scraps. Any thoughts on what is the
smallest size to keep. I am thinking that small than 4" by 12" goes in
the trash.

Ya heathen. I make all my patterns out of plywood. If I con't
have a piece large enough on hand for what I want to make, I glue two,
or more, pieces together, and smaller pieces on top to strengthen them.
Sometime with up with gaps, especially if the pieces weren't sqsuare to
begin with. Cut up some small pieces to fit in and glue in place.
Works just fine. Sometime I modify existing patterns, do the same way,
glue in a piece(s) to fit in, maybe pieces on top. I use plywood for
small, one-time, saw sleds and such too. Plus, you can cut out
wheels/circles from it before you toss it, all sorts of things. I'm
making a shillouete (") chess set from plywood, cutout and mounted on a
plywood circle. If you're gonna toss plywood pieces that big, do your
soul good, box 'em up, and send 'em along as a sacrifice to the
Woodworking Gods. Ya heathen.



JOAT
It was too early in the morning for it to be early in the morning. That
was the only thing that he currently knew for sure.
- Clodpool