Plan once, cut once
Less waste starts with better math.
Every board foot we don’t over-buy and every ounce of epoxy we don’t over-mix is a little less waste. These are the three calculators we reach for most in our own shop, and they’re free for anyone to use.
Hardwood is sold by the board foot: a piece 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide and 12 inches long. Add each board on your cut list to see how much lumber to buy, with an allowance for defects and milling so you buy what you need and no more.
Choose thickness the way it’s sold at the lumberyard, in quarters (4/4 is 1″, 8/4 is 2″), or pick Custom to enter any thickness in inches.
Your lumber
Board feet = thickness (in) × width (in) × length (in) ÷ 144. Use nominal (rough) thickness, the way lumber is priced.
Plans, lumber and finishing products don’t always speak the same language. Convert between metric and imperial, and see inches as the fractions you’ll find on your tape measure.
You can type fractions, like 3 1/2 or 7/8.
Converted
1 inch = 25.4 mm exactly.
The five-cut method is the most accurate way to square a crosscut sled or miter gauge fence. It multiplies any error by four, so even a few thousandths show up. Enter your offcut measurements to find out how far your fence is off and how much to move it.
Your fence
Make the adjustment, then run the five cuts again. The difference between A and B should shrink. If it grows, move the fence the other way.
How to do the five-cut method
- Start with a square-ish panel of plywood or MDF, roughly 12–24″ on a side. Number the edges 1 to 4.
- Make cut 1 with edge 4 against the fence, trimming a thin strip off edge 1.
- Rotate the panel so the edge you just cut rides the fence, and trim the next edge. Repeat for cuts 2, 3 and 4.
- For cut 5, trim a strip about ½″ wide off edge 1 again.
- Measure the width of that last offcut at both ends with calipers (A and B), and its length. Enter them above.
Mixing too much epoxy is expensive and wasteful, and mixing too little mid-pour can leave a visible line. Estimate the volume of your fill, inlay or casting, then see how many separate pours your resin needs at its maximum depth per layer.
Your pour
Volume = length × width × depth. 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches. If the edges are uneven, measure the width at several points and average them. Always check your resin’s instructions for its maximum pour depth.
Planning something bigger? Let’s talk it through. And if you’re curious what goes into our pours and finishes, take a look at Things We Like and Use.