Where to find Scrap wood.

[knave]

With the addition of a router to my toolbelt I decided I need practice.  So I want to find a good place to grab some free scrap wood. 

I went to some construction sites around my work and it seemed that in order to get any wood from them would be a pain. (A requirement is that I get permission.) 

I thought someone mentioned a cutoff bin at Home depot? Do they have a bucket of free scaps? 

Should I locate a local cabinet maker and stard dumpster diving? 

Any ideas would be helpful...(I'm about to start gazing wistfully at the firewood pile...) 

[ChadTower]

There is a construction site next door to my house, in the interior finish phase, that has an open dumpster.  I'm going to raid that dumpster for scraps.

[NiteWalker]

The scraps at home depot aren't free, but next to it. Instead of scraps why not try building simple projects like boxes? Maybe a router bit storage box? That way if you mess it up, it won't matter much because it's a shop project.

[ChadTower]

I've been looking for a simple project for that... just have to figure out what I could make that we actually need at the moment.

[NiteWalker]

A spice rack! 

[ChadTower]

Nyeh, we already have cabinets for food.  A good project is the router table but I'm thinking why build a platform to optimally use a tool that you don't fully understand how to use yet.  Seems counterintuitive.

Maybe the bartops would be a good initial use.  You can eff up and adjust on the fly if you're going to paint and the materials aren't expensive.

[NiteWalker]

I vote a router table. Once built you'll wonder how you did without it.

[ChadTower]

I'll build a router table, I'm just not sure it's best to build it first.

[leapinlew]

build a 6' x 5' x 5' bush replacement box. I'm sure you could find a place to put that.

[ChadTower]

It took me a second to get that, but when it did, it hit the mark. 

 

[Crax]

With the addition of a router to my toolbelt I decided I need practice. 

Make sure to unplug it before putting it on your toolbelt. 

You could always try asking some relatives if they have some extra scrap wood, otherwise dumpster diving at a construction site may be an o.k. idea, but I think asking permission first would be wise as you could be charged with some crimes if someone decides to get pissed about it.

[fixedpigs]

yeah...

it's not illegal to steal trash...

but i have heard of construction firms charging with trespassing in order to curtail dumpster diving...

[ChadTower]

yeah...

it's not illegal to steal trash...

but i have heard of construction firms charging with trespassing in order to curtail dumpster diving...

It is illegal to go into someone's dumpster.  It's not "trash" if it is in a container on private property.

[ChadTower]

Window boxes.  The wife has been bugging me to build window boxes to put flowers into.  Not a router project but hey, maybe I can route off the edges and make 'em purty.  Or I can overdo it on the joinery.

[NiteWalker]

If it'll be painted I'd do simple screws and glue, fill the screw holes with putty or plugs and rout a nice profile on the top edges. Your wife will love you for it. And want matching boxes for everything...

[ChadTower]

If it'll be painted I'd do simple screws and glue, fill the screw holes with putty or plugs and rout a nice profile on the top edges. Your wife will love you for it. And want matching boxes for everything...

If I do that I won't get as much practice and I won't get to play with the router nearly as long...

The boxes themselves, sure, simple long rectangles... the bigger issue is the best way to attach them to the house.  The house is vinyl sided with an unknown amount of asbestos shingles under it.

[fatfingers]

Window boxes.  The wife has been bugging me to build window boxes to put flowers into.  Not a router project but hey, maybe I can route off the edges and make 'em purty.  Or I can overdo it on the joinery.

Hee hee...this is exactly the project my wife wants me to do as well! And I plan to overdo them for practice too.  Of course, I don't have that fancy siding you have, so attaching them shouldn't be an issue for me.

[ChadTower]

Where do you live?  Vinyl siding isn't considered fancy here... just practical.  A lot of people refuse to use it because it's so "common" and "generic".

[fatfingers]

Where do you live?  Vinyl siding isn't considered fancy here... just practical.  A lot of people refuse to use it because it's so "common" and "generic".

I was just being funny...that's all.  I live in MN and it is quite preferred here -- I'm just too cheap to reside my house!   

[DrewKaree]

With the addition of a router to my toolbelt I decided I need practice.  So I want to find a good place to grab some free scrap wood. 

I went to some construction sites around my work and it seemed that in order to get any wood from them would be a pain. (A requirement is that I get permission.) 

I thought someone mentioned a cutoff bin at Home depot? Do they have a bucket of free scaps? 

Should I locate a local cabinet maker and stard dumpster diving? 

Any ideas would be helpful...(I'm about to start gazing wistfully at the firewood pile...) 

Home Depot has cheap cutoffs.

Other places might be to look for places that have pallets stacked up somewhere.  Look to see if they've got some busted ones, then ask 'em if you can take those.  Problem is, you MIGHT end up with a nail in 'em (got a metal detector?).

[NiteWalker]

Build something! You'll have plenty of scraps.

I second the metal detector. Cheap and useful.

[ChadTower]

I have a $10 metal detector my son got for Xmas.   

[knave]

Well, I found some wood. 

There's a new subdevision being built in my area, y'know the one where half of the new houses are for sale or already lived in and the other half are under construction...

...on the street there was a big yellow dumpster with a sign on it that said "Wood Only".

I took a look and it was full of cutoffs...so I grabbed a few peices.

Is it still wrong if I didn't have to trespass? Oh the guilt... 'LOL

I also walked to the construction site near my work and asked one of the contractors...he pointed me to a small pile of 2x4 and 2x6 scrap. 

Now I can practice away.  I wonder if I can use OSB to make router jigs.

[NiteWalker]

You did good there.

As for OSB router jigs I wouldn't do it. OSB isn't as flat or stable as baltic birch plywood or MDF. Those are ideal jig making materials.

[ChadTower]

Yep, 9 times out of 10 they won't care if you take scraps if you ask and don't make a mess.

[knave]

You did good there.

As for OSB router jigs I wouldn't do it. OSB isn't as flat or stable as baltic birch plywood or MDF. Those are ideal jig making materials.

Y'know what It also gives me splinters like crazy!   

(oh...didn't you say that MDF jigs can compress under the bearing?)

I did find some 1" plywood... roughly round cutouts approx a foot and a half across...I've been trying to think what part of a house uses that...?  I snagged two but I don't know what I can do with them.

...Make a nice set of stools?

[NiteWalker]

I like baltic birch for templates, MDF for fixtures like a coping sled for the router table. I don't use MDF for templates anymore.

Stools or a small table would be good for your found plywood. In fact, why not use one for a router table?

 

[Crax]

a lot of plans for jigs in Shopnotes etc call for plywood and then some type of hardwood but they usually just say hardwood and nothing specific.  Is baltic birch what you would use generally nitewalker?

[knave]

Stools or a small table would be good for your found plywood. In fact, why not use one for a router table?

I'm not sure the Rounds are big enough for a router table.  Guess I could try.  But the grizzley router I bought does not seem too table friendly.   I do plan on building a table.  There was a set of plans I downloded a few days ago that is nice.  Its the one that clamps to a existing table or bench.  I figured I'd modify the legs to work as a stand alone table.  Nice and wide.  But collapsable. 

All in all I'm going to practice build a cab or two and then find a good router for a table if I need one.  Unless Amazon has some freakishly good deal on either the Bosch or Dewalt kits. 

I do like the idea using jigs.  I want to build a couple of Galaxian cabs so I'll be making jigs for the curved parts.  that way I can get the curves right and then cut my sides.  Bonus I can make more later.  I might start building two and trying to sell one.

So back to the OSB...Any good ideas for projects with this stuff? (Not siding or roofs!)
I suppose I could build a box. 

[NiteWalker]

I do like the idea using jigs.  I want to build a couple of Galaxian cabs so I'll be making jigs for the curved parts.  that way I can get the curves right and then cut my sides.  Bonus I can make more later.  I might start building two and trying to sell one.

That's why I use jigs and templates.
Making an extra to sell is a good way to recoup some of your costs.

So back to the OSB...Any good ideas for projects with this stuff? (Not siding or roofs!)
I suppose I could build a box. 

A scrap bin is a good project for OSB.

a lot of plans for jigs in Shopnotes etc call for plywood and then some type of hardwood but they usually just say hardwood and nothing specific.  Is baltic birch what you would use generally nitewalker?

For the plywood, yes definitely Baltic Birch. For the hardwood, oak and maple are the two most common. They choose hardwoods because they're usually very stable and durable; exactly what jigs need. I prefer maple as it's a bit closer grained. Poplar would probably work well to. Sometimes I just modify the plans for my own specific needs using baltic birch plywood throughout.

[knave]

So I used some of the knowledge I gleened on this board to make something from the scrap OSB that I had...

...I made a box. and spray painted it black.

This box is for the beermaker that I know. It holds a case of beer bottles and won't melt like cardboard when it gets wet.

I recently bottled six cases of beer with my dad and the cardboard just sucked!

In a moment of ingenuity I thought of these.  Holds a case of beer and it will last forever.

...Good use of OSB.









I particularly like the handle...I'm the one who usually has to move the things around.

 

[NiteWalker]

Awesome.

I'd drill a few holes in the bottom so if a bottle breaks it won't seep into the OSB. Good thinking though. If you have any left just make boxes of random sizes. There's always uses for those in the shop.

[DrewKaree]

Now use the rest of the OSB, cut it to about 3-4", and using a straight bit, cut slots 'em and create dividers for the bottom to separate the bottles.  Simple addition and you don't have to waste money on the cardboard carriers either, plus it's a nice exercise.

[knave]

Yeah, I thought about drilling some holes in the bottom.  This particular box is already in the hands of it's beermaking owner.  But I'll probably add that to my next one.

I designed the box to have enough space for dividers but I think the OSB is too thick.  Something 1/4" though would do the trick. 

I plan on making a bunch of these...the above one was really a prototype that I threw together, I didn't even measure.  I used a pencil and a empty sixpack holder.

I guess that's a form of measuring. 

Next I'll build two for my dad...I might fancy them up by using plywood on the ends with a cutout handle.  But who knows...The original design is so simple.  I might not mess with it.