Replies

1. 
   pzgren | Jul 06, 2006 06:06am | #1

   PJW,

   As long as it stays flat after you mill it, and you're happy with the color, etc., why not?

   As an aside, I've made a couple of end tables, a coffee table and a sofa table out of doug fir construction lumber in SW style....worked quite nicely, and the "roughness" of the construction lumber fits the style perfectly.

   So...if you have a use for it, go for it!!

   Cheers!

   James

1. 
   philjohnwilliams | Jul 06, 2006 04:40pm | #2

   I thinki was of the mindset that if it seems too good to be true then it probably is. just wanted another opinion

   -pjw

2. 
   JohnWW | Jul 06, 2006 05:19pm | #3

   It is very unlikely that it is pine, most likely it is Douglas fir, or southern yellow pine, but other species are also possible.  Either can be used for furniture making, but neither works well with hand tools and both are generally too coarse grained for fine joinery like dovetails. 

   Even if they have been kiln dried, it will only be to the level needed for construction lumber, they will be too moist to work with as they are.  The boards will need to be stickered for a month or two in a drier environment, with the end grained sealed to prevent checking.  If they are green, which is fairly common for wood carried in discount home centers, they will need several months of drying to be usable. 

   They will also leak drops of pine pitch, even years later, especially if they haven't been kiln dried, but the kiln drying for construction lumber is no guarantee that the pitch has been hardened.  This makes the wood a poor choice for drawers or shelving since the pitch will damage whatever it touches.

   Douglas fir, properly kiln dried for furniture making, is an excellent primary cabinet wood and is used for high end furniture especially in northern Europe.

   John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine 

   
   

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   Edited 7/6/2006 11:45 am ET by JohnWW

1. 
   Napie | Jul 06, 2006 09:39pm | #4

   My guess is that it is generic 'whitewood" framing stock, we see it as S-P-F (spruce, pine, fir) here in the midwest.  And that fir is not douglas fir, but some type of balsam or tammarack.  I'd pass, you can get nice poplar, or even #2 common maple, cherry, etc. for drawer sides for a pretty good price, it will be dry and look good also.