|
Discover the Health Benefits of Aromatherapy and Aromatherapy Essential oils in the Comfort of your own Home!
Aromatherapy Essential Oils and Information for Better Health
Preparing rough stock into 4 square boardsMost wood stores only sell finished lumber, lumber that has been planned to remove the rough finish left from sawing at the mill. This lumber is sold in finished sizes so a 2x4 is actually 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches. This can be a huge time saver for anyone using this stock but it also comes at a price. Finished boards is more expensive then rough stock and can make a larger project very expensive. Your wood working plans will show sizes as rough or finished so be sure to check before buying stock. Like all things you have to pay more for finished lumber as opposed to rough lumber. In same cases this can be significant. So it only makes sense to try and get boards that is rough. This is lumber that is fresh off the mill. It has not been planed to a finished size and the surface isn't smooth like finished lumber. Step 1: Rough cut your boardsFirst thing to do is rough cut your boards. There is no point in milling rough boards until you are ready to use it. It will remain more stable also. I generally cut the stock to length and make sure the ends are square. This is easiest to do with a miter saw and you will get the most accurate cut. Be sure to cut out any loose knot or check from your lumber. They can break loose while planning and cause an injury. Step 2: Truing one faceAnalyze the lumber to determine the direction of the grain and whether there is cupping. It is best to place the cupped face down since it will sit better on the jointer table. Set your jointer to remove only 1/32" at a time. This will make it easier to pass the lumber through the cutter and your jointer will not have to work as hard. Keep making passes until the rough surface has been removed and the face is perfectly flat. Step 3: Square one edgeThe next step is to square one of the edges and make it 90° to the face I just planed flat. Once again I will use the jointer for this. I set the jointer fence so it is exactly 90° to the table. Once again I determine which way the grain runs so I can pass the board through the jointer the right way. Just continue to pass the board through until the edge is clean with no rough wood or other defects. Keep feeding the boards through checking after each pass with a speed square to make sure the edge is square to the first face you planed flat. Step 4: Rip the stock to the rough width shown on your plansNow that I have a flat face and one finished edge I can run the stock through my table saw to rip it to the rough width. You want to make this width 1/16"wider then the finished dimension shown on your plans. Set the fence so it is square to the blade and the blade height should be 1/8" higher then the thickness of your stock. Rip the board to width. Now I go back to the jointer and clean up that edge, removing all the saw marks from the table saw and making it 90° to the finished face. At this point your stock will have two edges parallel to each other and square to one face. Step 5: Planning the other faceThe next step is to true the last face and make it parallel to the first and square with the two edges. This is done at the thickness planer. First you have to measure the thickness of the stock and determine the thickest dimension. Don't assume that the board is a set dimension like 2". Set your thickness planer to cut a little less then 1/16". As before determine the direction of the grain and feed the stock in accordingly. Continue this until your desired thickness is achieved. Conclusion:By following the 5 steps above you will get beautiful square finished lumber at a lower price. This does take some time but the freedom to have dimensions of lumber that aren't available at the lumber store is a nice. Most woodworking plans that you purchase will also have advice on how to complete the plans and what tools work best for making certain cuts. Always remember to read and follow the directions that come with your power tools. This will provide safety information as well as tips and techniques on how to use the tools more effectively.
Home-Aromatherapy Aromatherapy Benefits Aromatherapy Recipes Aromatherapy Oils Aromatherapy Massage Aromatherapy Information |
