Advice The Home Improvement/Automation Thread

@Valve1138 , 2x10 is kind of a fraught size of wood, because it's almost always plainsawn from the tree, and includes heartwood. So you usually end up with something that's going to bow one way or the other. Ideally for stability you want quartersawn lumber, but good luck getting a 2x10 in quartersawn dress.

Also depends on type, how and how long ago it was treated, shipped, stored, etc.

Yeah, almost all of the HD or Lowes lumber is still wet as a swamp and air "dried" for less than a month. You want good lumber you have to go to the local yards that deal in kiln-dried cedar.
 
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Pay attention to what J is saying about ripping. The board is already gonna want to pull itself different directions in addition to the climate and drying stuff.


If I was the Valves I'd dish out for quality 2x4 from a real lumberyard in the first place and leave the home depot stuff and the ripping to the commoners.
 
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@Valve1138 , 2x10 is kind of a fraught size of wood, because it's almost always plainsawn from the tree, and includes heartwood. So you usually end up with something that's going to bow one way or the other. Ideally for stability you want quartersawn lumber, but good luck getting a 2x10 in quartersawn dress.



Yeah, almost all of the HD or Lowes lumber is still wet as a swamp and air "dried" for less than a month. You want good lumber you have to go to the local yards that deal in kiln-dried cedar.

Meh.
 
You did ask for feedback.

I'd also say that if you want a surface you can really beat on (it is a workshop after all), you probably want to direct mount the top to the legs and skip all the dumb cleat crap in favor of some stringers across the bottom.

Yeah, probably.

These are more worktables with room for storage tubs underneath.

Going to be about 20' long, just deep enough for the tubs to slide under, and then pegboard on the wall above it.
 
Going to make some frames for the new countertops on the shop.

Since the lumber here is all #2 and hot warped garbage for 2x4's, my plan is to buy 2x10's and rip them into what I need. I'll rip down to 2 - 1.5" x 3.5" and have the remainder as a cleat to put under the plywood tops. The tops will be flush with the framing umber and not just sitting on top.

To square the lumber up, my plan is o run my track saw down one side. Then I can use that one flat side up against the table saw fence rip down to the three pieces. Then I can cut to length on my miter saw.

Anyone see any issue with this?
Go to an 84 lumber or jf johnson or something. You're gonna release all kindsa stresses ripping down big lumber.
 
There are undoubtedly places around you where the local pros get their stuff, they're just not the common retail names everyone knows and probably don't even advertise outside the trade.

If you want the best, contact a couple local upmarket custom woodworkers, cabinet makers, etc. and find out where they shop.
 
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There are undoubtedly places around you where the local pros get their stuff, they're just not the common retail names everyone knows and probably don't even advertise outside the trade.

If you want the best, contact a couple local upmarket custom woodworkers, cabinet makers, etc. and find out where they shop.
thatd be me, and im in his region.
 
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thatd be me, and im in his region.


Idk about how things are where you are locally. Here, and in most cities of appreciable size, there are places that have really good quality stuff, they just don't do anything the retail places do.

No billboards, mass media marketing, or names on NASCAR's. No fancy storefronts or showrooms on main streets with all the other business. And no low quality product.

What they do have is high quality stuff that people who make high quality stuff buy from them at their location in some non-descript industrial/warehouse area half the population isn't even aware exists.

Here, I haven't found one yet that wouldn't sell me what I wanted. No need to be a licensed carpenter or business or whatever. They just cater to people like that. Don't know if that part of it would be different where you are.

Business license might get you a wholesale price, or they'll have price breaks for quantities only a business would be buying, but they'll sell me what I want. Price is obvs. something higher than a big box but the quality is so much higher it's nuts.
 
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Idk about how things are where you are locally. Here, and in most cities of appreciable size, there are places that have really good quality stuff, they just don't do anything the retail places do.

No billboards, mass media marketing, or names on NASCAR's. No fancy storefronts or showrooms on main streets with all the other business. And no low quality product.

What they do have is high quality stuff that people who make high quality stuff buy from them at their location in some non-descript industrial/warehouse area half the population isn't even aware exists.

Here, I haven't found one yet that wouldn't sell me what I wanted. No need to be a licensed carpenter or business or whatever. They just cater to people like that. Don't know if that part of it would be different where you are.

Business license might get you a wholesale price, or they'll have price breaks for quantities only a business would be buying, but they'll sell me what I want. Price is obvs. something higher than a big box but the quality is so much higher it's nuts.

i dont work much with construction grade stuff, but i have two commercial supplier chains when i do, and one sawmill for when i need something like an 8x8 20 foot beam.

For finish grade hardwoods, i have my own sawyer.
 
i dont work much with construction grade stuff, but i have two commercial supplier chains when i do, and one sawmill for when i need something like an 8x8 20 foot beam.

For finish grade hardwoods, i have my own sawyer.

Well that's way finer craftsmanship than anything I'm doing...or could do.

I found these places simply by trying to find real actual Baltic or Russian birch plywood as I got into making my own bass guitar and PA system speaker cabinets and things and needed it for its structural qualities as anything in a big box store has voids all through the middle that's made out of who-knows-what and then they put a paper thin veneer on it and call it "birch". Aesthetics didn't matter as they get coverings anyway although with hiding edge grain and seams they could be pretty up until the first round of loading them in and out of trucks and bars full of stumbly people.

Come to find out everything they have is such a step up from common stuff it was a bit of an "aha!" moment.

Fine furnishings or cabinetries or having your own sawyer is out of my league, man. Know just enough to be dangerous...and to be able to appreciate those who can.


Anyways, main point was there have to be places around there somewhere Valve can source something quality instead of ripping big boards into little ones or pile picking to find something good. It just might not be a well advertised place.


Also when he first said "countertops" I was thinking kitchen, not garage workbench. Although a good workbench wouldn't use that soft, thin veneer stuff from HD either.
 
Well that's way finer craftsmanship than anything I'm doing...or could do.

I found these places simply by trying to find real actual Baltic or Russian birch plywood as I got into making my own bass guitar and PA system speaker cabinets and things and needed it for its structural qualities as anything in a big box store has voids all through the middle that's made out of who-knows-what and then they put a paper thin veneer on it and call it "birch". Aesthetics didn't matter as they get coverings anyway although with hiding edge grain and seams they could be pretty up until the first round of loading them in and out of trucks and bars full of stumbly people.

Come to find out everything they have is such a step up from common stuff it was a bit of an "aha!" moment.

Fine furnishings or cabinetries or having your own sawyer is out of my league, man. Know just enough to be dangerous...and to be able to appreciate those who can.


Anyways, main point was there have to be places around there somewhere Valve can source something quality instead of ripping big boards into little ones or pile picking to find something good. It just might not be a well advertised place.


Also when he first said "countertops" I was thinking kitchen, not garage workbench. Although a good workbench wouldn't use that soft, thin veneer stuff from HD either.

i only have a sawyer cause i buy thousands of board feed. its a volume thing