Wood Sizes Information

When visiting your local home center or woodworking supplier, you’ll notice that stock comes in varying sizes. Additionally, softwood sizes differ from hardwood sizes. While the numbers may seem logical, they can be a bit deceiving, as you’ll soon discover.

Why one-inch isn’t really one-inch:

Everybody has heard of a 2×4 (pronounced “two by four”), but few people realize that the actual height and width of a 2×4 is really somewhere close to 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ depending on dryness of the material and milling methods. Similarly, a 1x (pronounced “one-by”) is only about 3/4″ in thickness. Wood shrinks when it is dried, so lumber mills adjust their tools accordingly. Length of a piece of stock is not affected, so an 8′ 2×4 is usually very close or even slightly longer than 96-inches.

Softwood sizing:

Most softwoods, used in home construction and for general purpose woodworking, come in 1x and 2x sizes. In the top half of the chart shown, the Name columns display the “advertised sizes” and can be compared to the typical actual sizes in the corresponding column to the right. For instance, a 2×6 typically measures out at 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ in actual size.

Hardwood sizing:

Hardwood sizing can be a bit more confusing, because it often depends on whether the stock is surfaced on one side (S1S) or on two sides (S2S). Notice in the Hardwood Sizing section of the chart that a one-inch piece of stock will typically measure 7/8″ if it is surfaced on one side, but 13/16″ if surfaced on two (opposite) sides.Hardwoods rarely come in standard dimensions like softwoods. Instead of finding a 2×6 in hardwood vareties, you’ll find that suppliers sell hardwoods in random varieties measured by the board-foot.

Additionally, hardwood may be sold in quarters. Each quarter refers to a 1/4-inch in thickness, meaning, a 5/4 board is roughly 1-1/4″. If your project calls for a piece that is exactly one-inch thick, you’ll want to purchase a 5/4 board and mill it down to the proper size using a surface planer.

Plywood:

Plywood us available in 4′x8′ sheets, but once again, thickness sizes can be deceiving. The most common sizes of plywood are 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch, but in actuality, this corresponds to 15/32-inch and 23/32-inch in thickness respectively.

Plywood is graded in A, B, C and D grades, depending on the sanded finish of the two sides of the sheet, A being the smoothest. A sheet is graded on both sides: for instance, a sheet of BC plywood is grade B on one side and C on the other.

Get another information about : Band Saw Additional Feature

Type Of Bandsaw

When looking to cut precise curves in wood, in most cases there is no better tool to choose than the band saw. That being said, a quality band saw will do a lot more than just cut curves. They are great for cutting tenons and some smaller rabbets, for ripping small pieces of stock and for resawing thin strips from larger pieces of wood.
With all the different band saw types, sizes and options available, how do you know which band saw is right for you?

Types of Band Saws:

There are two main types of band saws, floor-standing cabinet models, and units that are shorter, for mounting either on a dedicated stand or on a bench top. Cabinet models are typically built for professional use, whereas the smaller units are better suited for the home-based woodworker. The cabinet models have have more features and larger motors, and usually feature a stronger frame which leads to more consistent cutting. That isn’t to say, however, that one cannot get professional results from a bench-mounted band saw.

Band Saw Main Features :

Bandsaw Motors Size :

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