Building sets of tables and did not buy enough wood for the legs. I am using 8/4 wood and need enough for the following quantity of legs:
12″ – 13each
30″ – 10each
36″ – 10each
42″ – 13each
Like I said, I bought some but not near enough so that is why the amounts do not add up to equal sets of four per table. Also, in ordering the wood I would want it in widths divisible by 2, i.e. 4″ or 6″ or 8″, etc.
My question is: How many board feet of 8/4 wood should I buy to have enough to make the above quantity of legs.
Is there any “freeware” available that would help me in the future accurately estimate the amount of wood needed for a project so I can be more accurate in quoting a price if I need to.
Thanks for your help in this matter. TT
Replies
As you may have figured by the length of time it took us to reply to your questions, calculating board feet is not a fun exercise. However, it is an essential one if you want to be economic in the wood you order.
First off, a board foot is a unit of measure that equals 1 in. thick by 12 in. wide by 12 in. long. However, it can be manipulated to measure any size board. A board foot can also measure 2 in. thick by 6 in. wide by 12 in. long, or 3 in. thick by 4 in. wide by 12 in. long. You get the idea.
Because you didn't indicate how wide these table legs need to be it's hard to figure the total amount required. But let's assume your legs are 2 in. wide by 2 in. thick. If you are purchasing 8/4 stock (which by the way probably won't leave you with 2 in. thick stock once you've planed and jointed the lumber) that means you need 113 linear ft. at 2 in. wide. That equals roughly 38 bd./ft.
However, you should always purchase about 20 percent more material than you expect to use to account for checking, knots, warp, etc....
Also, most rough lumber is hard to find in easy dimensions, so you want to buy your material a little wider than you figure you need to account for the material lost when squaring up the edge or ripping on the tablesaw (1/8 in. for every saw kerf).
I don't know of any software that will do the work for you but I hope this helps in the meantime.
Regards,
Matt Berger
Fine Woodworking
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