Board feet Am I figureing this correct?

[Bryan S]

In the Sept issue of Wood magazine there are plans for a cradle, and being there's a mom to be and grandmaw to be I thought they would like it. So am I calculating the amount of bf correctly?

End panels 2pcs - 16" x 18" = 5 bf
side panels 2pcs - 11" x 32" = 6 bf
bottem panel 1pcs - 13" x 25" = 2.5bf
rockers 2pcs - 6" x 25" = 2.5bf

sub total = 16bf

plus 20% extra for waste = 4bf

plus 20% extra for my screwups = 4bf

Grand total = 24bf


Everthing will be made using 4/4 lumber so and any input to my cyphering (timeses & goesentas) would be welcome. I am considering cherry for the top with walnut rockers and will probably be asking lots more questions along the way. Thanks

 

[Bryan S]

Wood does'nt have a link to this but i scanned the cover. heres their version

 

[mshel]

In the Sept issue of Wood magazine there are plans for a cradle, and being there's a mom to be and grandmaw to be I thought they would like it. So am I calculating the amount of bf correctly?

End panels 2pcs - 16" x 18" = 5 bf
side panels 2pcs - 11" x 32" = 6 bf
bottem panel 1pcs - 13" x 25" = 2.5bf
rockers 2pcs - 6" x 25" = 2.5bf

sub total = 16bf

plus 20% extra for waste = 4bf

plus 20% extra for my screwups = 4bf

Grand total = 24bf


Everthing will be made using 4/4 lumber so and any input to my cyphering (timeses & goesentas) would be welcome. I am considering cherry for the top with walnut rockers and will probably be asking lots more questions along the way. Thanks

Bryan,

Your cyphering is off but you ended up with a total close to the actual bf needed.

Board footage is calculated by multiplying the length times the width and dividing by 144. Allowing extra is a good idea and the 24 bf should be a gracious plenty even if you have a booboo.

Mike

BTW, here is a link to a calculator http://www.buckwoodcraft.com/board_foot_calculator.htm

 

[cskipper]

If the stock is thicker than 4/4 - do you also add the thickness into the calculation?

 

[NCPete]

If the stock is thicker than 4/4 - do you also add the thickness into the calculation?

yup! so 12"x12" with 6/4 stock would be 1.5 bf

 

[jeff...]

Easiest way to calculate board foot of lumber is, thickness (rounded down in fractions of a 1/4 inch) x width (rounded down to the inches) x length (rounded down to the nearest feet) / 12

so for example 6/4" by 10" by 8' long would be

1.5 x 10 x 8 / 12 = 10 Board Feet

More examples:

4/4 x 6 - 8 (1 x 6 x 8 / 12 = 4 Board Feet)
5/4 x 6 - 8 (1.25 x 6 x 8 /12 = 5 Board Feet)
6/4 x 6 - 8 (1.5 x 6 x 8 /12 = 6 Board Feet)
8/4 x 6 - 8 (2 x 6 x8 /12 = 8 Board Feet)
ect....

Atleast this is the way I calculate BF when I'm sawing, I don't mess around with inches in length if it's over 8' but not at least 9' then it's 8'. Hope this helped?

 

[daclgr]

Bryan,
Here is how I figrue these out. It has worked well for me so far.

W*H*T*#pcs/144=BF

Ends 16 * 18 * 1 * 2 / 144 = 4BF
Sides 11 * 32 * 1 * 2 / 144 = 4.9BF
Bottom 13 * 25 * 1 * 1 / 144 = 2.3BF
Rockers 6 * 25 * 1 * 2 / 144 = 2.1BF

Total BF needed 13.3

13.3 * 1.4 for waste and bobos= 18.7 BF

With some lumber 5 BF would not be to costly $10-$12 then with something like Mahogany you could be looking at $35-$40 of lumber that you don't need.

One thing to keep in mind. Depending on where you buy your lumber, some places add for srinkage in the kiln. I know that Charlotte Hardwood did this to me. I believe it was 15%. I had gone there because their prices were best at the time. I had asked for 30bf. I did not take a tape with me when I went so I let the sales man figure it for me. When I got home and started laying it out I noticed that I was short. I added it up several times and still came out just over 25bf. When I called they said that I needed to adjust for the srinkage in the kiln. My question was why they did not just up the price to make up for the srinkage and sell me what I needed like every one else. I would then truly see what I was paying per BF. First there was silence and then a, I don't know. When I added for the srinkage their price was higher then most places around town. I have never found the need to go back so not sure if they took my question into consideration.

Hope this helps

 

[Makinsawdust]

My question was why they did not just up the price to make up for the srinkage and sell me what I needed like every one else. I would then truly see what I was paying per BF. First there was silence and then a, I don't know.

That's the question I'd like to have answered!
All the "wholesale" type places say they add 8% for shrinkage. More often than not it's more than 8%. I think they either can't use a calculator or they adjust pricing as needed by this method. I can't see where they can legally do it this way, esp when they sell at retail to walkin customers. As a small business my main concern with this practice is in my inventory accountabillity. In the case of an auit, this makes wood waste look like it is more than what would or should be expected. Somehow I don't think the IRS or DOR will understand that we are letting our suppliers cheat us out of 10-20% of what's on the invoice. I've complained and basically just get brushed off. What can we do?
Sorry to have hijacked the tread but this is one thing that really bugs me. :BangHead:
Rob

 

[jeff...]

I've not bought any hardwood lumber from a retail outfit before. I noticed the RO prices at BORG and wonder if I need to take out a bank loan to build that project I have in mind. Are you guys saying when you buy a stick of kiln dry rough cut from a retail outfit it's not calculated by actual dimensions or are you buying S2S or S4S?

Thanks

 

[Howard Acheson]

Keep in mind that board feet is the way you pay for lumber, not the way you order it.

When buying lumber you want to select the boards you need that can be cut into the sizes in your cut list. Once you have selected the boards, the yard will calculate the bdft and charge you for the wood.

 

[McRabbet]

Keep in mind that board feet is the way you pay for lumber, not the way you order it.

When buying lumber you want to select the boards you need that can be cut into the sizes in your cut list. Once you have selected the boards, the yard will calculate the bdft and charge you for the wood.

Howard makes a great point here -- I always create a cutlist to estimate the quantity of lumber I need and potential layouts (I use CutList Plus, but only use that as a guide for the lumber I select). As for verifying board footage, remember that if thickness and width are in inches and length are in feet, divide the W" x T" x L' by 12; if the length is in inches, divide by 144.

 

[Bryan S]

Thanks for everones input. The reason some said my figures were a little high was because I rounded all deminsions up to the nearest 1/2 ft. Howard and Rob made good points an I just haven't gotten that far yet.