Slab thickness

[AaronB]

What thickness do you slab your boards if you plan on selling/using them for live edge tables or things like that, or maybe not knowing what a customer will do with it?

Normally I just do 1.125" or so but that was when I was just using it for woodworking projects and just needed .75 thick boards, but I have had some people ask if I had any thick slabs, but I usually don't mill thick since I didn't know what I would do with it.

I have another log of that ash tree that has streaks in it and considering making thicker slabs.

 

[buzz sawyer]

I slabbed some Ash recently. I started with 3" but could barely move them. Went to 1.5" and didn't think it would leave enough so I went to 2" . That should leave me with about 1.5" - good thickness for a table imo.

 

[Cease232]

2"


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[ChoppyChoppy]

1" and 2". They are run through the edger and turned into lumber when there is enough.

 

[golddredgergold]

Lol guess we do them a bit bigger. I cut at 3 3/4". Let them dry for 3 years. Then plane them on a cnc router table. I end up with nice flat on both side at 3" to 3 1/4" slabs for tables, desks, and bar tops. 1" would be considered shelving. 2" is a thin slab. Folks here want big heavy chunky slabs.

 

[jewelerjake]

Lol guess we do them a bit bigger. I cut at 3 3/4". Let them dry for 3 years. Then plane them on a cnc router table. I end up with nice flat on both side at 3" to 3 1/4" slabs for tables, desks, and bar tops. 1" would be considered shelving. 2" is a thin slab. Folks here want big heavy chunky slabs.

A fellow paradisian Miller! Off topic. Sorry. Just bought a chain at Don's for my new 72" gb bar. I am over at Sierra gem in town. Sorry again.


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[jewelerjake]

Lol guess we do them a bit bigger. I cut at 3 3/4". Let them dry for 3 years. Then plane them on a cnc router table. I end up with nice flat on both side at 3" to 3 1/4" slabs for tables, desks, and bar tops. 1" would be considered shelving. 2" is a thin slab. Folks here want big heavy chunky slabs.

By the way, we slab at 3.5" to 4" depending on species and application.

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[golddredgergold]

A fellow paradisian Miller! Off topic. Sorry. Just bought a chain at Don's for my new 72" gb bar. I am over at Sierra gem in town. Sorry again.


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Awesome. Will drop in and say hello!

 

[Ketchup]

Thickness seems relative to your market. Some people want boards as thick as 3 inches, but most don't seem to think about it. I usually mill to 2 and 3/8" for countertops and bars. Anything more is pretty impractical to move around and shape. It also takes longer to cure. I seem to get more warping in the thick slabs too.
3" slabs eat up a log very quickly also, so if you have a prized log (like spalted ash), you probably want to cut it thinner.
Sometimes a 4" slab is useful for legs or posts and for finer furniture 3" is plenty. Thick slabs make nice mantle pieces too.

 

[300zx_tt]

2 3/4- 3 1/2 is my normal range. If you're using a chainsaw mill to cut 1" boards you're wasting a ton of material.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

2 3/4- 3 1/2 is my normal range. If you're using a chainsaw mill to cut 1" boards you're wasting a ton of material.

Woodmizer Super Hydraulic LT40 diesel

 

[Trever]

Woodmizer Super Hydraulic LT40 diesel

Maybe someday (retirement Lord willing) when I can justify buying one.

 

[sonny580]

I do 1" , but that is for my own use and a couple friends!---We mostly find better use for 3/4" and less, ( finished size), for our needs. Some goes as low as 1/4" finished size. No body around here does the thick stuff so unless it's a special order, I don't cut it! thanks; sonny580

 

[BigOakAdot]

I started off milling around 2" thick found myself having to plane down to 6/4 and wasn't thrilled with how thin it was for a natural edge table. I now mill 3" thick cause it keeps the wood in place more and I'll always have a 8/4 + finished product. Pretty much would never milk under 10/4 at this point.