Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA area).

Thank you!

- Daniel

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA area).

IMO, this is an excellent question, well put - even though, as you know,
there is no definitive answer. As someone who does not own either of these
two pieces of equipment, I look forward to reading the reply comments of
people here. -- Igor

Hi,

I own a very old Delta jointer, 48-600, it does the job, and I recently
bought a Dewalt DW735, and the planer was paid for on the very first job.

Here the price for planed wood (Red Oak) is around 10.00$CA, and rough is
around 3.00, the planer price was 800.00 so, save 7$ each boardfeet!

the planer was paid at the first 115'

But I

Hope this helps.

"Daniel" a écrit dans le message de
rs.com...
Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA
area).

Thank you!

- Daniel

"Daniel" wrote in message
Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:


Don't know, don't care.

There is more to this that cost factors. What do you want to make? do you
need 1/2" thick boards? You'll have quite a time finding them in any
species, let alone some of the lesser used varieties. The first time I made
a small drawer with 3/4" stock and it looked like crap because it should
have been much thinner, I decided I wanted a planer.

I pay the same for surfaced or rough wood at a couple of the dealers I use.
While that greatly decreases the need for owning the two tools, it limits my
projects.

I've also run across free wood that would be unusable if I did not have a
planer. Even cheap wood is $3 so it does not take all that much to pay for
the planer. Just last week I took home a couple of 3" x 3" x 92" pieces
that will end up as some project. Each of those saves me about $18 at the
wood store. I don't know what you are paying for you surfaced wood so I
can't guess what your potential savings would be.

While saving money is important, other factors were a higher priority in my
case.
Ed

igor wrote:
On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:


Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA area).


IMO, this is an excellent question, well put - even though, as you know,
there is no definitive answer. As someone who does not own either of these
two pieces of equipment, I look forward to reading the reply comments of
people here. -- Igor

Very difficult to answer quantitatively but one can look into the
effects a bit.
A lumber yard/mill can sell you planed/jointed lumber for a $ premium
over rough sawn. To stay in business, they need to factor in the cost of
the machinery, cost of consumables (blades), cost of operation (labor)
and cost of waste (wood chips). There are a number of smaller cost as
well, but the idea is to pass the net sum of these costs on to the
consumer as a price differential between rough sawn and surfaced lumber.
Of course the lumber yard might absorb some of these costs by profits
earned on other sales to give the appearance of a bargain, but in the
end the consumer does pay for all the expenses. Usually a large planer
is cheaper to operate and maintain than a typical home shop portable
unit over their lifetimes, but then again the home shop essentially gets
"free" labor. My guess is you definitely are "saving" money with your
own equipment but the payback time probably is close to the lifespan of
a portable planer. That is, you'll have to use enough wood to basically
burn out a planer at home to justify the lower cost of rough sawn wood
on a strictly dollar basis. For some people this may take many years,
for others it may take only a year, but then those "high use" people
generally should be buying the heavier equipment in the first place,
putting them on par with the lumber yards. The cost difference then
boils down to the "free" labor.

In my case the "payoff" comes much quicker since I can do "custom"
thicknesses and have the convenience of a toll that is ready when I am.

Sorry for the ramblings!

-Bruce



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"Daniel" wrote in message

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

The difference in price between S2S1E and rough hardwood lumber in this area
(Houston) generally averages less than $1/bf. IOW, the savings of say about
..75/bf, times the amount of material you expect to use in a year, should
give you an idea of how long it will take to pay for a jointer and planer
around these parts. Factor in a bigger difference if you are currently
buying dimensioned lumber.

That said, it doesn't always have to be rough lumber that can pay you back.
I basically paid for a new PowerMatic 6" jointer about a year ago with a
load of black walnut "scraps" from a sign shop. Here's the pertinent part of
a post about that time:

"I recently picked up 43 rough walnut "blanks" a local sign company gave me
for the asking. They were half-moon shaped pieces about 48" long X 3" thick,
likely S2S1E at one point, and I got the rough edge and the curve only. The
only way to make these things useful was to begin by jointing the rough edge
and going from there.

Each of these 43 blanks, after being jointed and planed, resulted in S4S
walnut stock with dimensions of 3" X 3" X 36" ... perfect table leg blanks.

At local hardwood lumber dealers prices of $11.75 b/f for S4S walnut blanks
of this size and grade, the new jointer basically paid for itself, and made
another $380, in less than a day."

I sold most of them to one cabinet maker for cash, and still have some left
for my own use, plus the jointer of course.

YMMV ...

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 7/10/04

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA area).

Thank you!

- Daniel



there's more than surfaced lumber costs to consider.

the jointer/planer team will allow you to quickly make precisely
dimensioned parts the size *you* need them.

and that surfaced lumber at the store is rarely going to be straight,
especially after you bring it home and let it acclimate to your shop.

buying hardwoods at home depot is a losing proposition.

I agree with Bridger. although there are certainly cost saving to buying
rough sawn, the more important factor to me is the ability to insure flat
surfaces, which I rarely find in surfaced wood around me. also the ability
to to pull something out of the wood pile or the scrap pile and surface and
thickness to size saves a lot of time instead of running to a supplier.

Just my opinion

Ken


wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA
area).

Thank you!

- Daniel



there's more than surfaced lumber costs to consider.

the jointer/planer team will allow you to quickly make precisely
dimensioned parts the size *you* need them.

and that surfaced lumber at the store is rarely going to be straight,
especially after you bring it home and let it acclimate to your shop.

buying hardwoods at home depot is a losing proposition.

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

Zero.

Even if you buy s4s, you'll still need to flatten some of it,
straighten others, and change the thickness of still others.

Barry

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 20:31:39 GMT, B a r r y
wrote:


Even if you buy s4s, you'll still need to flatten some of it,
straighten others, and change the thickness of still others.

Barry

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post is that buying rough
does a lot more than save money. In fact, I save just a little
money, unless I compare to BORG hardwood prices. That would be
stupid. G

Buying rough lets you, the craftsman, select which side you like the
best while there is still plenty of thickness left. Quite often,
knots or other defects don't go all the way though, and removing more
wood from one side enables you to use a pretty section of wood, with
the defect on the back. If you arbitrarily removed wood equally from
both sides, the defect may show on both sides. You should leave the
very last passes for later, as removing more wood from one side or the
other may encourage movement.

Also, wood tends to get dinged in transport and storage. It will also
move a bit, even after it's deemed s4s. Extra wood makes this really
easy to correct at the right time.

Owning a jointer and planer can also allow help when resawing wood.
For instance, an 8/4 piece of stock can become (3) 1/2" thick parts,
matched at that! Joint one face, resaw, lightly joint again, resaw,
lightly joint, and plane the boards to final thickness.

Some of the magazines seem to dwell on jointing / planing as a money
saving operation too much. Think of it more from creative and
mechanical viewpoints.

Barry

It's not a case of saving money by buying rough-sawn wood, it's being able
to machine to wood to the size "I" require. (also flat and square)

I design my project, then machine the wood to size. I don't design around
standard wood sizes....

I'm currently using, 3mm, 4mm, 14mm & 16mm thick oak for some jewellery
boxes I'm making, They would look bloody awful made out of 3/4" stock....

Graham


"Daniel" wrote in message
rs.com...
Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA
area).

Thank you!

- Daniel

"B a r r y" wrote in message

much good stuff snipped for brevity
Some of the magazines seem to dwell on jointing / planing as a money
saving operation too much. Think of it more from creative and
mechanical viewpoints.


Well put ...but I still like to be able to pay for a tool in a few days
usage if I can.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 7/10/04

Simple answer is find out the difference per board ft for the wood in
question, and then it is very simple to figure out how many board ft
will give you a savings of the cost of the 2 machines. Forget labor,
but figure in the cost for new blades or resharpening, and that is
going to be hard to guess at precisely, but for simplicity, figure on
replacing the blades at least once

If you can save 50cents a board ft buying the rough sawn lumber, and
you spent $800 for the jointer and planer, then you need to run
something like 1700-1800 board ft thru to break even

Plug in your numbers (cost of the tools you buy, cost of blades, and
the cost difference of the rought versus the finished lumber

John

"Swingman" wrote in
:

"B a r r y" wrote in message

much good stuff snipped for brevity
Some of the magazines seem to dwell on jointing / planing as a money
saving operation too much. Think of it more from creative and
mechanical viewpoints.


Well put ...but I still like to be able to pay for a tool in a few days
usage if I can.


And get a double Drive By Gloat out of it to boot! )

Going for a Trifecta?

LD

"Lobby Dosser" wrote in message ...
"Swingman" wrote in

"B a r r y" wrote in message

much good stuff snipped for brevity
Some of the magazines seem to dwell on jointing / planing as a money
saving operation too much. Think of it more from creative and
mechanical viewpoints.


Well put ...but I still like to be able to pay for a tool in a few days
usage if I can.


And get a double Drive By Gloat out of it to boot! )

Going for a Trifecta?

This is Houston ... home of the U of H Cougars ... where they call that a
"3peat". ;)

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 7/10/04

Daniel wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

It's not that simple. If, before I got a jointer and planer, someone had
told me how much I would use them, I would not have believed him.

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)

Should do fine.

- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)

Ditto.

- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

FWIW, I've got the JT160--if I had it to do over again I'd go with the 360
but for now the 160 does well enough--and the 22-580 and both digest lignum
vitae just fine as long as I don't try to cut too deep at one pass. If
they'd handle that stuff they'll handle anything.

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA
area).

Thank you!

- Daniel

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

I've got to be honest and say that I think it is an invalid concern. I've
never found S4S lumber that is as precisely square and straight as I usually
require. The boards at my hardwood suppliers are not sticker stacked but
rather just layed one on top of the other, so they really have no hope of
retain trueness. Therefore I have never considered a tradeoff between
buying rough vs. buying surfaced. I buy with best price in mind. Usually
this means rough, but sometimes it is S2S.

Also... You'll find that the temperature of your own storage facility
(garage, shed, whatever) is never going to match that of your hardwood
retailer. So you might bring back some nice square lumber only to find it
crooked, twisted, bowed, etc. weeks or even days later regardless of your
storage technique. Therefore, you'll eventually wish you had the means to
squaring lumber yourself.

FWIW.

Brian.


"Daniel" wrote in message
rs.com...
Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA
area).

Thank you!

- Daniel

Thank you all for your excellent replies. You've given me much more to
think about than just saving money over buying S4S at a retailer.

(I'll probably have to settle for something like the Delta JT160 as the
JT360 is certainly too heavy to carry up and down stairs by myself!)

Daniel wrote:
Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?
[snip]

Greetings and Salutations....

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA area).

Thank you!

- Daniel

Let me add my voice to chorus on this subject. I lusted
after a thickness planer for years, and, finally picked up the nice,
15" Delta model that all the chiwanese companies used as their models.
Of course, I got it at a fair discount, but, in a real sense, the
likelyhood of my even WANTING to run enough wood through it to
justify the $785 price I paid for it is nearly zero.
As with many other posters in this thread, I bought it as
a control issue. I really prefer to buy rough sawn wood, and do
the final surfacing and thicknessing when I know what I am going
to build with it. That flexibility has been a life-saver and has
made the hobby much more pleasant for me.
The jointer is, though, a vital part of woodworking. It
is the only, painless, way to get the edge of a board straight
enough that the joints disappear when you lay two of them side
by side. The quality of my woodworking went up several notches
when I finally picked up my small, 4" Rockwell/Delta unit. I
would LOVE to have a big, 12" one, to do faces too, but, I can
get around that problem.
Speaking of which, that is one thing that the planer
can do too...I have had good luck with flattening slightly
cupped boards by putting the cup down on the planer bed, and
taking a number of light cuts until I have a nice, flat surface.
Then, I can flip it over, and, run it through and take off the
"horns" on the concave side of the cup. Of course, this does
not help with twisted boards, but, I have shooting sticks and
hand planes to deal with that. The trick is to take a light
enough cut that the feed rollers do NOT flatten out the cup,
but, simply pull the wood through the blades. It goes
surprisingly quickly and works well.
Regards
Dave Mundt

Dave Mundt wrote:
Greetings and Salutations....

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:10:10 GMT, Daniel wrote:


Hello,

Does anyone have a *rough* estimate on how much rough-sawn wood one has
to put through these two pieces of machinery to get to the point where
you just break even on your machinery purchase, compared to purchasing
surfaced lumber at higher costs?

I realize there are many variables to this question, and that wood and
machinery costs vary, so let's assume:
- hobbyist jointer (maybe a Delta JT360?)
- (not too) low-end planer (Delta TP400 or something like that)
- North America native hardwoods like oak, maple, poplar; nothing exotic

I have no specific preference for Delta, other than that I seem to be
able to find them advertised online at local stores (Toronto, ON, CA area).

Thank you!

- Daniel


Let me add my voice to chorus on this subject. I lusted
after a thickness planer for years, and, finally picked up the nice,
15" Delta model that all the chiwanese companies used as their models.
Of course, I got it at a fair discount, but, in a real sense, the
likelyhood of my even WANTING to run enough wood through it to
justify the $785 price I paid for it is nearly zero.
As with many other posters in this thread, I bought it as
a control issue. I really prefer to buy rough sawn wood, and do
the final surfacing and thicknessing when I know what I am going
to build with it. That flexibility has been a life-saver and has
made the hobby much more pleasant for me.
The jointer is, though, a vital part of woodworking. It
is the only, painless, way to get the edge of a board straight
enough that the joints disappear when you lay two of them side
by side. The quality of my woodworking went up several notches
when I finally picked up my small, 4" Rockwell/Delta unit. I
would LOVE to have a big, 12" one, to do faces too, but, I can
get around that problem.
Speaking of which, that is one thing that the planer
can do too...I have had good luck with flattening slightly
cupped boards by putting the cup down on the planer bed, and
taking a number of light cuts until I have a nice, flat surface.
Then, I can flip it over, and, run it through and take off the
"horns" on the concave side of the cup. Of course, this does
not help with twisted boards, but, I have shooting sticks and
hand planes to deal with that. The trick is to take a light
enough cut that the feed rollers do NOT flatten out the cup,
but, simply pull the wood through the blades. It goes
surprisingly quickly and works well.
Regards
Dave Mundt

I flatten cupped boards similarly, but I put the board on a piece of MDF
with stop blocks attached fore and aft (very small nails well below the
board height) and wood wedges (held with 2-sided tape, if necessary) at
any off the table high points.

Glen

Note, this is really tough with plastic feed rollers and no bed rollers.


"Dave Mundt" wrote in message
...
SNIP
Speaking of which, that is one thing that the planer
can do too...I have had good luck with flattening slightly
cupped boards by putting the cup down on the planer bed, and
taking a number of light cuts until I have a nice, flat surface.
Then, I can flip it over, and, run it through and take off the
"horns" on the concave side of the cup. Of course, this does
not help with twisted boards, but, I have shooting sticks and
hand planes to deal with that. The trick is to take a light
enough cut that the feed rollers do NOT flatten out the cup,
but, simply pull the wood through the blades. It goes
surprisingly quickly and works well.

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 09:31:41 GMT, Glen wrote:

*snip*

I flatten cupped boards similarly, but I put the board on a piece of MDF
with stop blocks attached fore and aft (very small nails well below the
board height) and wood wedges (held with 2-sided tape, if necessary) at
any off the table high points.

Glen
Hum...that is a really good idea. Usually, the boards I am
working with, though, are 5' to 6' long, and, have found that they go
through the planer ok as is.
ON the other hand, I HAVE used such a carrier when planing
smaller pieces to scarily thin thickness (1/8" or so).
Regards
Dave Mundt

Greetings and Salutations...

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 06:56:22 -0400, "George" george@least wrote:

Note, this is really tough with plastic feed rollers and no bed rollers.


Hum..I see your point. I suspect, though that it would work
with a good dusting of TopCote on the bed, and some light pressure on
the end of the board to "help" it through. My thickness planer IS
kind of "low level industrial", so pulling the wood is not a problem.
FWIW, I suspect the rollers are actually steel rods with
a plastic coating...so not ALL is lost *smile*.
Regards
Dave Mundt