2x4 construction lumber for shop furniture - edge joint with track saw?

[NewWoodWorkerVA]

I am going to build some shop furniture with 2 x 4 construction lumber. I want to clean up the edges. I can use my tablesaw but that won’t give me the straight edge that I want to attach the table top surface to. Has anybody ever edge jointed a 2 x 4 with a track saw?  I’d like to use my track, saw to get one clean edge, and then use my table saw for the other edge. I’m less concerned about the faces.

Thanks

 

[luvmytoolz]

Aside from any twist or bowing construction timber usually has pretty parallel sides, if you have one a thicknesser would do the job admirably I would think.

Using a tracksaw is doable but a PITA, you need to sandwich a couple of pieces with something grippy between the timber and the guiderail to stop it sliding or moving when you trim it. Or even screw it down though the faces to keep it immobile.

 

[Dane]

I do this regularly, it works great.  Just need a flat surface and to support the rail with another piece of 2x stock.  Obviously, you aren’t going to easily get fine furniture fit,  but with appropriate expectations for the material you are using, it’s pretty foolproof.

 

[Packard]

I don’t know exactly when this change was made, but current 2” x 4” lumber now have 1/4” radii on all four corners.  That to expedite the quality control process.

So, in general, I think you have to slice off 1/4” from both edges to make a 2” x 3” size piece from each nominal 2” x 4” piece.  Doing so increases the glue surface area and will result in flat surfaces wherever there is a joint. 

 

[Peter Kelly]

I am going to build some shop furniture with 2 x 4 construction lumber. I want to clean up the edges. I can use my tablesaw but that won’t give me the straight edge that I want to attach the table top surface to. Has anybody ever edge jointed a 2 x 4 with a track saw?  I’d like to use my track, saw to get one clean edge, and then use my table saw for the other edge. I’m less concerned about the faces.

Thanks

I've done this lots, would recommend using Douglas Fir 2x8s or 2x10s. The track isn't easily going to lay down flat on a 2x4 and the cut quality won't be great. If you're careful with selecting, wider boards should also allow you to keep everything vertical grain. Construction lumber has a tendency to twist unpredictably when ripped so buy more than you think you'll need.

 

[ChuckM]

I work with construction lumber all the time, and I handle them all with my SawStop PCS. This workbench, for example, was completed a couple of weeks ago using 2x3s and 1x4s:

[attachimg=1]

The trick is not about what saw to use, but about what lumber to pick and timing. Pick lumber that's largely free of twists, cups and bows, and use them as soon as you get them into the shop (within 24 hours if possible). This 24-hour advice is also applicable even if you thicknessplane your own hardwood stock.

Even if I had a tracksaw, that wouldn't be my choice of tool for ripping 2x4s -- simply too much setup work for EACH cut compared to a table saw. Use your table saw since you have one, and use it with a featherboard(s).

View attachment 2

 

[ChuckM]

I should add these:

1) Cross cut the ends if they are "waxed" or stapled with the price tags (the staples are a PITA to remove)
2) Cross cut pieces to, or close to, final lengths whenever possible before ripping to reduce the degree of bow or cup.

Construction lumber is great for shop furniture, kitchen builds (painted), etc. When I need to build a prototype, I use construction lumber, not pricey hardwood.

 

[4nthony]

Depending on the length of your 2x material, an alternative to the track would be something akin to a tapering sled, used at the table saw, to get a straight edge. It may be easier than balancing a track on narrow material and/or setting up additional supports for the track.

 

[ChuckM]

The sled shown in 4thony's post is a must-have jig for anyone who works with rough lumber, too. Mine can handle stock up to 6' to 7' long. Anything longer, I cross cut it first.

 

[Sparktrician]

If you're planning on using construction lumber to build furniture, I'd offer the suggestion that you look carefully at Douglas fir instead of crap lumber from the Borg.  Yes, it is considerably more expensive, but it stays straight and doesn't do "The Twist" just before you cut and assemble the end product.  [smile]

 

[Michael Kellough]

I use a sled too but for really long pieces I clamp and 8 foot level to the TS fence.
Trim one side of the board then the other until it’s straight enough.

When not using the sled I put the concave side against the fence and tape a wedge/shim to the stock that fills the gap. If the stock is much longer than the fence a few shims may be needed. Another option is to tape a thin board to the top of the stock which will ride smoothly along the fence.

Dust collection is negligible when trimming so I use a MagSwitch to clamp a foot long L shaped “wall” along the blade which also holds a vac hose at the front.

 

[NewWoodWorkerVA]

I may have picked out great 2x4s at the Depot last night because they all laid flat on edge today so I just ran them through the table saw and then the planer a few times.  I'm happy with how they look.  BTW, 8 2x4s and 2 4x4s planed a few times fills up an entire garbage bag.

 

[ChuckM]

Glad that it turned out well...yeah, thicknessplaning fills up the bag in no time.

 

[squall_line]

I recently picked up a bunch of "scrap" 2x4s from a disassembled stage, mostly 2' long, some a little shorter.  I ended up deciding to use them to build wood storage racks for the garage.

I ended up trimming the horizontal boards down by about 1/4" or so on each side to make them into 2-by-3's, give or take, as you did.  I used my track saw on the MFT to trim them all down, owing to the fact that they were already cut pretty short.  I think I trimmed them to length on the Kapex first just to get decent ends on them that I could use to square them off.

This essentially provided me with a bunch of furring strips that I can use for any projects in the future that need to be trimmed/shimmed out, so it was a win/win in that respect.