Scrap Cart Guidelines
The scrap cart is a great way to share your offcuts with others. We request
that you follow these guidelines when deciding if your offcut is usable. To help distinguish the difference between scrap and trash. Offcuts that are
placed on the scrap cart will fall into two categories:
- Used for test cuts to dial in the settings on the table saw, router table, drill press, band saw, etc. They are also occasionally used by hand tool users in setting up various types of hand planes, testing hand saw set, practice cuts, etc.
- Used as project materials.
Definitions
2 by X Materials: These include the common 2x4, 2x6, 2x8 etc. Also included in this category are 4x4’s 6x6’s etc.
Dimensional Lumber:
- Softwood: This includes pine, poplar (technically a hardwood), basswood, etc.
- Hardwoods & Exotics: This includes all domestic and international wood species such as cherry, oak, maple, mahogany, walnut, padauk, bloodwood, purple heart, Iroko etc.
Rough sawn lumber: This includes slabs, cookies, live edge offcuts, etc.
Sheet Goods: This includes plywood, MDF, OSB, melamine, etc.
Guidelines
The following provides the guidelines for what constitutes usable scraps.
First and foremost, the scrap cart is for usable wood.
2 by X Materials
- 2 by X materials must be a minimum length of 8 inches and a minimum width of one inch of usable lumber to assist as test cuts as described above. Anything smaller should be thrown into the trash.
Dimensional Lumber
- Dimensional softwood lumber must have a minimum length of 8 inches and a minimum width of 1.5 inches. Anything smaller should be thrown in the trash.
- Rough dimensional lumber must be in usable condition. It must not be just the bark/wane and sap wood—there must be usable project wood on it. The minimum length is 8 inches and a minimum width of 1.5 inches.
Sheet Goods
- All sheet goods must be a minimum length of 12 inches and a minimum width of 2 inches.
CNC Special Instructions
If you have cut out shapes in the sheet goods and believe there is ample material left to meet the minimum requirements, then before you place that material on the scrap cart, you are required to cut away the waste material and place it in the trash. The individual who chooses to use that scrap material should not have to cut out the usable section and throw away the waste for you.
Cutouts
If you have cut out circles, ovals, triangular or rectangular pieces out of sheet goods, the usable surface of the cutout must meet the minimum dimensions outlined above.
2 by X materials and dimensional lumber
If you have made cuts into the face of the material rendering it useless unless it is resurfaced, then you can either:
- Resurface the material and place it on the scrap cart.
- Throw it in the trash.
