dado for t & g

Alexis · February 08, 2008, 03:07:24 PM

Hello, I got a quote from a sawmill to process some of my own wood for flooring. I the flooring is planned and dried, they charge 250$ per thousand bf. It seems pretty expensive and I wonder why i couldn t just use a dado blade on a good table saw.

by the way, the flooring would be 2 by 6

thanks

Alexis

low_48 · February 08, 2008, 04:13:50 PM

Is the lumber straight line ripped? Getting the wood to the stage of being able to put the tongue and groove on, may be the tough part for you. Running the wood over a jointer and then ripping to width will take a while. I think you would also want to consider a power feeder to keep the long stock flat on the table. Add another $500-$600 for that.

flip · February 08, 2008, 04:33:34 PM

It would be worth it to me to not have to handle, plane, rip, run the shaper and get rid of the waste. Also consider how much time it would take. Just my own experience, I did do some "flooring" for the top of mom and dad's computer desk, the above process took me about 3 hours to do 20sq/ft., it was hardly what I would call good or worth the time I had in it. The T&G set has not been out of the box since then.

The other question I would ask if you havn't already. Is that 250/mbf what comes out of the machine or what you take to them? There was a figure of about 25% waste when you are making flooring.

gharlan · February 08, 2008, 05:53:06 PM

I would think the price would not be bad if the mill has good equipment. I am assuming they will be gang ripping and running through a molder. i do not know how long your flooring is or what species, but holding long boards on a table saw or shaper is not an easy task. If you let the tongue or grove wonder it will make assembly a little tougher. It can be done as you mention but i think you will earn all the dollars you save. i order my lumber surfaced and slr. These are not finished surfaces ready to use but it adds about .25 a bd foot to the cost. Good luck

logwalker · February 08, 2008, 07:46:04 PM

I understand that it seems like a lot of money but 250 per thousand is not expensive. It is a fair price as you would learn if you tried to do it with a dado blade in a table saw. Your results would lack the precision that a good molder could deliver. You would have to be willing to work for minimum wage to do it as you are suggesting. I am not trying to discourage you but I have learned that at the least you would need several thousand $$ worth of equipment to get it done in a reasonable time. Good Luck

WDH · February 09, 2008, 12:22:04 AM

In my experience, paying them $.25/foot to do it is a good deal if the quality is there. I am with logwalker on this one, minimum wage at best if you do it yourself.

Alexis · February 09, 2008, 07:21:10 AM

Maybe I wasn't clear, but 25 cent a boar foot is only to do the tongue and groove, I would need to pay somebody to plane it and dry it also...

David Freed · February 09, 2008, 08:50:53 AM

I have a Logosol PH260. I just did a custom job on 1600 bf of pre-made 7/8" blanks, ready to put through the moulder to make 3/4" flooring, face side sanded, no end trimming. It was 1/2 white oak and 1/2 walnut, 4 different widths. I have 1 employee that does almost all the work, and I pay a good wage because he can take care of the day to day things concerning the business (repairs, taking orders from customers, etc.) while I'm gone driving my truck. I charged $.35/bf for this job and when you subtract all the expenses, I didn't make much money on it. I think $.25/bf for 1 1/2" t&g only would be a good deal for you.

Alexis · February 16, 2008, 08:58:27 AM

would a woodmaster work for what I want? Seems it would cost the same thing...

woodmills1 · February 16, 2008, 09:14:42 AM

I make a fair amount of flooring. A woodmaster style macine will work, but limits the width of the flooring to the maximum height the machine will open to. Also it can be used to plane the thickness. You will also need a jointer and table saw to straighten the lengths.

That said, I have a Belsaw macine that works like a woodmaster. I use it to plane, as well as make mouldings, but I don't tounge and groove with it. I use a shaper to produce the tounge and groove.

I make my flooring from air dried stock by double drying it after the initial drying outside. That is...........dry on stickers at least one year outside..........plane to about 7/8 and sticker inside for as long as possible...............produce flooring........sticker
inside again for at least a month. lots of time and work, but good results.

ARKANSAWYER · February 16, 2008, 11:09:39 AM

I make flooring on my PH 260 and charge $300 msqft for doing so. It is not a bad cost that you are looking at. If you have ever tried to put flooring down that does not fit well you will gladly give up the coin. If it cost you $650 bdft to have it dried and T&G ed then you are way ahead of the cost of buying flooring.

WDH · February 16, 2008, 08:00:44 PM

James,

That is nice 8).

Arkansawyer,

That is a beautiful red cedar floor 8).

Louisianaredneck · February 17, 2008, 07:06:59 PM

Arkansansawyer
Could you please elaborate on your cutters for the log siding. I have the knives from Bailey's same as logosol and the siding has too much flat in the middle. I am using 1"x6".but I don't see any difference in thicker lumber. I am making mine with T&G.
Thank you, Louisianaredneck

Alexis · February 17, 2008, 11:31:58 PM

Ok, so I understand that for flooring, I'd better be paying the sawmill to process it...

another question, I will also need a lot of 2X6 rough saw and t and g... it is for the wall and the roof in my future house... trying not to have plywood anywhere... Since I do not need a perfect fit or planned face, what would you recommend for t and g of these? Time is less important than money for me...

thanks, Alexis

flip · February 18, 2008, 08:36:42 AM

The old house I did used ship lap pine or fir of some type. My .02 is that ship lap used for what you're talking about is better than T&G at shedding water. Ship lap is a lot easier to do than the T&G, it could be done with a router (if you are so motivated) with a rabbiting bit, one pass flip over and make a pass on the other side.

ARKANSAWYER · February 20, 2008, 06:54:35 PM

LRN lots of people like the Logosol flat log siding. And yes it is really too flat for me. There is a custom made set that you can get that is rounder. Most of mine is done with 5/4 x 6 lumber and finishes at 1 inch thick. We ship lap ours as it is easier to install and you can replace a board later if need be.

Louisianaredneck · February 20, 2008, 07:50:51 PM

Thanks Arky for the reply, I hear what you are saying about the shiplap instead of t&g but I wanted to hide the nails. How do you nail your shiplap, face nail? I moved the t&g down 1/16" to get more round surface. Where is a good place to get custom made knives?
LRN :

flip · February 21, 2008, 01:17:17 PM

I was refering to ship lap for siding and decking that will be covered. If you use it for flooring you will have to do some face nailing and loose some asthetics.