Don't Make These Lumber Mistakes! | Tips for New Woodworkers

[@woodwhisperer]

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[@JGV_IX]

Every single new woodworker needs to see this video! As an amateur woodworker myself I’ve seen this happen first hand. Even today on my table saw I saw the off-cut wood bow out as I was cutting it. If only I had left enough margin on the stock to joint it again 🙄 But I’ve learned very early that a project is very fluid - the design has to change with the wood sometimes. Love your channel and thanks for teaching an amateur all the way down in South Africa 🇿🇦 all these great lessons!

[@tiagofino]

Wow! Nine tips AND a high school picture! My week is complete!😆

[@VladDonkov]

I am just starting out with my first trips to the lumber yards and living in a small country like Bulgaria where there are not exactly the type of businesses that cater to high end woodworking - your videos are a life saver for someone who bets almost all his cards on woodworking since my other field of work nearly vanished during the pandemic. Many, many thanks!

[@jnix112]

I just came here to say how much I appreciate your sense of humor, Marc! I imagine your thought process (or maybe you even said it somewhere) “ugh I hate clickbait-y videos, but they work, so fine, I guess I’ll try it. But darn it I’m going to poke fun at the whole concept at the same time”. Your thumbnails are awesome.

[@mattydominic4219]

Glad to hear you say it, bc choosing just the right pieces of lumber for a particular component is always among the most time-consuming & laborious chores I face when doing a project. I just thought I was nuts. 🤪

[@David-hm9ic]

Your discussion of plywood was spot on. I bought a lot of birch veneered plywood that was apparently from Vietnam. The veneers were paper thin and came off easily, the cored were irregular with voids/overlaps and poorly glued causing lots of issues. I have never had so many splinters from any one material in my life! Fortunately, most of it was used to cover the walls in my shop rather than building something from it. I got a bunch of Baltic birch from the same source and it was very nice to work with. Recently I bit the bullet and bought some Purebond maple veneered plywood from a local home center. It is almost as nice as the Baltic birch. The core is all poplar. My good sawblades are out for sharpening so I'm using an inexpensive Diablo at the moment and still had no chipout from the Purebond ply. The veneer is much thicker that the cheap birch veneered import ply and it handles beautifully. My wife was even impressed with how nice the French cleats looked in maple veneer.

[@kristilbilyeu7682]

And your experience with the plywood is the reason why my biggest pet peeve is suppliers, and even woodworkers, calling ply Baltic Birch when it isn’t TRUE Baltic Birch 😂

[@TimberBiscuitWoodworks]

Great point on buying boards for specific parts of the project. I do this every time I go to the lumber yard and yes it takes a little longer but man is it with it! Awesome tips Marc!

[@patrickbink4617]

All your points are important but I quite appreciated your last section on "painting with the grain". I need to pay more attention to that.

[@woodandwheelz]

Agreed. I literally thought, "Wow! What a difference that makes." I'm still very new at furniture making, but I never would have thought of that.

[@Wordsnwood]

Dude. That high school photo. You are a brave man.

[@cyurchwoodworks]

I love the maturity, self awareness and self deprecation that you include in your videos these days! That picture from high school is my favorite thing I've seen all day!

[@jZamora87]

Get a room

[@Thesaltymaker]

I really appreciate the “what I’ve learned” series of videos. Thanks Marc

[@TheOldJarhead]

Another option for woodworkers is to find a local sawyer! :D We can mill up logs you find (or might have logs in stock, or lumber in stock) to whatever dimension you want them to be. Of course, they have to be dried before use and this can take time but meeting a local sawyer to secure a steady supply of material can be a great option!

[@annee.6910]

9 minutes of pure gold... so much information. Thank you.

[@swiwswiw]

Packed with good stuff! Thank you.

[@al1843]

It’s been a while since I’ve heard you say “stack the cards in our favor”. Good to have you back!

[@inthewoodworksco.9041]

These tip videos are great. Thanks for posting it. Please keep them coming.

[@ilive4livemusic]

Some good tips I hadn’t focused on before. Thanks.

[@richbmass]

Good tips. Luved the bloopers!

[@egbok07]

Great tips Marc..........you sure did open my eyes to some very important info.......I am now, not questioning my choice of purchasing Baltic Birch plywood for shop cabinets/carts rather that the other options............Thank you!!

[@sunalwaysshinesonTVs]

Loved the Kyrsten Sinema curtsy when ya said, "work".

[@MCsCreations]

Really priceless tips, dude! Thanks a bunch! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@Woodworking-Pastor]

My dad owned a small sawmill when I was in high school. I remember trying to tail behind the head rig when someone logs had so much tension they would either bind the saw blade and cause it to want to lay over or they would curl so far away from the cut it was almost impossible to keep the board on the roll cages. Having been in woodworking for almost 30 years I can attest the same is true to the wood we use. Another thing to pay attention to when purchasing wood is grain direction. Is it quarter sawn or plain sawn and understanding how the wood moves accordingly. Great advice on getting wood that is sized to the project instead of reading it.

[@Woodworking-Pastor]

@@Robo.1776 if you're trying to purchase wood to resaw for projects instead of the right size you will waste more than you try to save from tension in the wood and in some cases due to case hardening from the kiln process. And understand the way wood moves (expands and contracts from moisture variances) will make a difference on whether you get quarter sawn or flat sawn wood

[@varsitynoodle]

So appreciative you explained the 8/4 v 4/4 resaw "myth." I was under the impression that 8/4 was the best way to go to maximize yield, and its just not practical based upon cost, let alone the time, effort, and toolage cost to be able to resaw wide boards.

[@ryand7242]

Most of the time thicker wood has to be a higher grade to make the same size boards. You can start with 5/4 and mill the imperfections out of it for a 4/4 board, but it is alot harder to do the thicker you get. We had to explain this to a customer once that wouldn't understand that 8/4 juniper is impossible to get without bark/wane/knots.

[@joshjacobs2306]

Yup unless you need smaller boards

[@starfishsystems]

Yep. If you put yourself in the mind of the mill operator, it makes total sense. Delivering a lovely big timber is quite an achievement. Resawing flitches to get some residual value out of the smaller material is a good way to produce inexpensive lumber IN SMALL DIMENSIONS.

[@darkmagna9004]

Liked, subb'ed. That was some next level advice. Never thought about grain so much. Thanks

[@johnsanchez1619]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience. I picked up a lot from this video!

[@stinker9028]

Great tips, thanks for sharing. When you were in Arizona where did you purchase your hardwoods?

[@slowburnwoodworks7626]

Been studying up on wood movement and this was a great bit of info to add to the knowledge bank. As always, thanks for sharing 🙏

[@jaswoodwork]

Awesome tips Marc! As always very informative and bloopers are funny too!!

[@jamesgallagher3317]

I'm a joiner of around 23 years and even now I still like to be reminded about this stuff. Great advice as usual

[@milesharlan1]

Thank You..Love your videos & the bloopers at the end.. Watched video while connecting flights at Denvers Airport. Keep up the good work!!

[@moredataforya.7548]

Excellent explanation

[@davidchristianbuilds]

This exact topic was on my mind as I clicked on my subscription tab today...then bam! Thanks Marc!

[@glencrandall7051]

All good points Marc. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.

[@julianalcorso5703]

Great Vid!! Well done.

[@davecurda2350]

Great advice Marc

[@gbjones54]

Marc. Another great educational video. I’ve really understood just how much wood moves since I started turning, leave a project on the lathe overnight and it’s out of round the next day.

[@kristilbilyeu7682]

One thing you can do to help minimize that overnight movement is to cover your piece. Some folks will put a grocery store bag over it and tape it. Personally, I think it helps more to tightly wrap it with Saran Wrap.

Can you give more information on the Arizona place?

[@carldavis6902]

You always have great advice. I’ve been watching your videos for awhile. Thank you

[@bentswoodworking]

Great tips Marc!

[@woodwhisperer]

Thanks buddy!

[@Zav]

8:08 Great nips Marc!

[@ThorAgtarap]

@@Zav hahaha 🤣

[@slowgynman1234.]

U ARE A GENUINE TRUE CARPENTER ! 👍🏿👍🏼

[@hebierob]

Thank you!

[@saksmlz]

It was really informative and helpful 👌 Thank you so much!

[@Nordrir]

I did not see the nipple twister coming, and nearly choked from spontaneous laughter. Thanks man, after a workday like this, I needed that X-D On a more on-subject note, I'm still fighting heavily to find any lumber around me - I'm in the Swedish south, and nearly all the places that sell lumber to private people are associated with DIY shops, which are... Not great. Both price and quality wise. Heck, finding anything that isn't pine or oak is like winning the lottery. It seems often that the greatest challenge I find, is just getting the basic materials to work on WELL before applying what meager skills I have to a project.

[@Onix64]

Good tips!

[@HansHoffmeister]

Great information! Thanks again for a useful video

[@elpaisaexplorador9981]

Love watching ur videos 😬👌🏽

[@lindewoodworking]

Really great information. Thank you!

[@mattmorrisson9607]

Great tips, Marc! I hadn't thought of painting with the grain before!

[@micahk606]

Can any Colorado folks or Marc, recommend a store that has a good selection of walnut at fair price? thanks!

[@squaredancetexas]

Very enjoyable Marc, the presentation was very well done.

[@draintheputt9517]

You mentioned that in AZ you found a store that sold lumber at a better price vs your original source. What is the name of that store/business?

[@YancySmith]

This video speaks a lot to me. I ride that struggle bus every day! 😆

[@ibrahimaldossri2646]

Hi….. what about the teak oil use it before you safe the cut wood do you think 🤔 will save the wood please give us your suggestion. Thanks 🙏

[@snake530]

These were wonderful tips...thank you! Out of curiosity, where do you tend to get your hardwoods and plywoods in the Denver area?

[@vincentvanhorn9804]

Always nervous when I go to buy wood. Thanks for the tips.

[@2Jeremys]

Very helpful.

[@robertelias3431]

Thank you for the suggestions. Make a lot of sense.

[@bambuminatto]

Hi...i am from Brasil and begining with woodworking. Do layer of any finishing can avoid wood movement?

[@joehanes8923]

Hello Mr. Whisperer....What was the expensive Arizona store? And what is the store you found to be cheaper. I am here in AZ

[@mimibecks7049]

Hello, WW Thank you for this excellent video and I greatly appreciate what you have described as i have encountered most if not all of these conditions. Worst part is when you start with perfect pieces and after machining you end up with nothing but warped and twisted pieces. There are a lot of things that we still don't understand about wood like: 1- How long does it take for lumber to acclimate? 2- Why same wood pieces expand and contract differently? 3- Not sure I agree with calculation of how much oak piece of certain width should expand and contract. A good example is wood flooring. In my mother old house, the humidity various from 19% in winter to 85% in summer. The floor violates every rule with heavy coat of polyurethane on one side and nothing on the bottom side. If I follow calculation of expansion and contraction, that floor should bust and smash into the walls in the summer yet every year I measure less than 1/4" movement. Again, thank you for excellent video and for recommendations. They help but not always effective. Regarding plywood, plywood warp over time and changes in thickness in contrary to common belief that plywood is a stable material. Anything made out of wood is never stable if humidity is not under control. I follow all the rules and sometimes still end up with warping, twist, and anything but flat and square.

[@retiredwithwood6586]

Conditioned lumber is also big help.

[@uncleronny6748]

Well done. Can you name the place in AZ where you purchased wood since Im moving there? Thanks

[@krisbeatty547]

I'm in az. What is the place you went to that was cheaper?

[@Garrett_Brown]

I liked the video when I saw your high school “ hair” picture! Great stuff Marc

[@sixpotshot]

Excellent advice. Your vids are awsome! Looks easy to post like you do but there is art in that and not just in your woodworking skills. Thank you

[@A6Legit]

Holy cow your jointer is HUMONGOUS

[@abdulwoodudlike2know3]

Marc, good wood working tips. Plywood is something you really have to look at . Like how many layers does it have? Thanks for posting and sharing.

[@bobstx]

The bit about ripping long lumber. I first learn of that while splitting 2x10s for my bench top. Wow! Some of them looked like pretzels after that. A few of them had so much tension they could not be safely cut all of the way.

[@ASousaMakesIt]

Great info as always!! There is always something to learn from you! Thank you!

[@woodwhisperer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nattyg078]

Can you share the store in AZ you ended up going with?

[@andrewbrown8148]

Great stuff, Marc~!! Thanks for sharing~!

[@johnlp3376]

Great tips thanks! also learned a few of these the hard way especially milling and letting it sit made that mistake.

[@michaelcarlin1063]

AZ resident here - any chance you could share that store you mentioned you eventually started using?

[@woodwhisperer]

Spellman Hardwoods

[@woodwhisperer]

Spellman Hardwoods

[@grbroussard]

Love your videos!

[@barge351]

Great Video thank you. I have a question about a piece that shows for only a second or so at minute 8:05 it looks vary Green and Green I really like it. do you have a video with some detail about it? I did look but unsuccessfully so far. I was at the Gamble house a month ago and so this one really jumped out at me when I saw it. Anything you have would be great. Thanks again Mark for all the great videos . J.C.

[@woodwhisperer]

That's a Darrell Peart piece from our Guild: thewoodwhispererguild.com/product/fremont-chest-of-drawers/

[@barge351]

Thanks so much. Im heading overseas for awhile but plan on this as my project next summer. J.C.

[@davidstuart4489]

Good post

[@richthomas5013]

Great video. Thanks!!

[@lorenschnabel6187]

Good info. Very helpful.

[@jacques8762]

Great advice.

[@jerryk5084]

I would love to know your source in Phoenix!!

[@misterwhite3903]

Good video! Also, know the difference between long grow lumber and short.

[@hillbilly59apache59]

Thank you 👍👍

[@wesleymitchell3486]

Hi! I’m currently working out of Phoenix. Would you mind sharing the name of the business you got your wood from?

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@lnhiv]

Great video as always! What is the name of the store where you ended up buying your lumber in AZ?

[@mfcosi]

Thanks for sharing. Sorry to say but that WWII patch is hidden below the Powermatic plate. If think it deserves to be in a better place - maybe framed.

[@zachsheets3213]

Hey would you mention that lower price store in AZ as I have been looking for some different suppliers in PHX area.

[@830jps]

I've been using pallets to make furniture for the garden.

[@jonassandelin256]

As always, great tips. All things i've been frustrated with before...you'd think i would learn, but i'll revisit most of these from time to time. Also not seeing anyone giving you grief of any kink here, so i might just for fun. Love your Colorado shirt, worn like a true import to the state...something only us hoity toity natives would ramble on about! Thanks for the great video and tips.

[@Monuments_to_Good_Intentions]

I just bought a bunch of lumber from a auction, about $1000 worth for $60, had a lot of exotic pieces, and one split just on the way home and sitting over night in my tuck. Its crazy how wood does react.

[@ryantownsend2720]

I live in AZ, can you drop any info about the stores you mentioned? Wood prices are nuts!

[@skimark8275]

Great advice my friend !! BUT @8:08 it got a little disturbing

[@chrisroberts7900]

On that media cradenza, what kind of wood is the body made from?

[@woodwhisperer]

Walnut.

[@g.fortin3228]

There certainly is a LOT to this craft.. I have learned quite a bit from you Marc, and thank you ! My projects are better from it, for sure.

[@Madmoody21]

Good video. Many woodworkers know wood moves. High quality laminated plywood's dry or not do have "board memory". The edge has a different moisture and stress levels than the center. On a long rip you will see the space where the saw blade passed through close up or spread out. To combat things like this on panels cut out over sized. Rest time to acclimate. Trim all edges as close to same amount as possible to finished size. There is another place carpenters can misunderstand properties of wood and moisture. Rough framing lumber and fasteners relationship. Attaching something like dry wall use the shortest screw or nail within reason possible on install to avoid pop. Longer nails or fasteners that go deeper into the lumber will pop more than shorter due to the ratio of shrinkage changing from low at center to more at surface on all sides. Pop happens cause the tip stays put and the surface to tip area shrinks. the longer the fastener the more this happens.

[@Suicaedere666]

Awesome man, thank you for sharing🤘🙌✌

[@shieldwolf8093]

I'm in Phoenix Arizona I would love to know your suppliers out here

[@kevinwhiteaz]

Great video Marc! I’m in Arizona and pretty sure I know what store you’re referring to with high hardwood prices. Where did you go to get your wood cheaper?!

[@zyzzx8262]

I would also like to know that. I go to several hardwood stores around the valley and prices are fairly close to each other.

[@woodwhisperer]

Spellman Hardwoods

[@zyzzx8262]

@@woodwhisperer thx for the info.

[@tbuckets2522]

Which shop is the too high?

[@CowlickCCM]

Hey, if your comfortable sharing, what was the reasonable shop in AZ? Would love to check them out.

[@woodwhisperer]

Spellman Hardwoods.