# I'm buried in scraps!



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

I've culled my scrap bins a few times over the years. Right now I want to do a cleanout. I'm sort of a scrap hoarder but have gotten better at it over the years. I no longer save every small cutoff I make. I actually produce a 30 gallon barrel of scraps to toss out three or four times a year, no problem there.
The other stuff is the hard to throw away Foot long piece of oak that's 6" wide. Harder still to part with maple, cherry, and especially mahogany and walnut. Walnut… at $12/bd ft I save small pieces of that. I've got a lot of this stuff. in a modestly sized shop.
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This is an overhead shelf area. I've culled this a lot already.








Yes junk wood on the top as that's where I often throw it but mostly hardwoods below the surface.








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It's not a ton of stuff but a lot for my space. And it just keeps on coming.

Rarely do I make something small. No bird houses, pens, or jewelry boxes. It's larger furniture, cabinets, etc. Actually, going over my forty eight projects on my projects page, there is nothing small at all. not even that many small pieces in any of the projects.

So, I'm left with few choices if I want to cull most of it. One, is put it on craigslist. Someone will surely come to get it but probably only for fireplace kindling. I do a fair amount of camping. I could bring it to burn like I do the truly trash ends I have in my refuse barrel. I could simply haul it to the dump. They have a wood dumpster there. Other than that, I'm not sure what to do about it. When I do get rid of it I'll be closing my eyes and biting my tongue and cringing.

*Anyone have any quick easy ideas? *The only criteria is I need it gone, not just stored. And I need it to be done fairly quickly… all at once, not here and there over time. What do you do besides keeping it. I've already gone down that route for long enough.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Build a fire pit for your backyard.


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## ocean (Feb 13, 2016)

I can't help you with your problem. I have my own problem that is exactly the same. Just rolled out a 40 gal. trash can to the "Real" trash can. Can't believe the space it creates in a one car garage. Good luck with your problem.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

> Build a fire pit for your backyard.
> 
> - bondogaposis


Ya, I could do that, but I could also bring it camping which is what I will probably end up doing. Getting rid of the wood isn't the problem. Burning good stuff is.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

> I can t help you with your problem. I have my own problem that is exactly the same. Just rolled out a 40 gal. trash can to the "Real" trash can. Can t believe the space it creates in a one car garage. Good luck with your problem.
> 
> - ocean


Oh great… I guess I'm part of a club here. We could start a new reality show "Scrapwood hoarders" and have mentors come in and cull it for us! I just wish I knew of someone who does build birdhouses who would say, "I'll take it off your hands and build bird condos. That would be the best thing for my peace of mind.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Gift some to a beginning woodworker.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

> Gift some to a beginning woodworker.
> 
> - WayneC


Ya, wouldn't mind at all. Just got to find one. I'd pull it, stack it, and help him/her load it. That would be the best solution. Craigslist is a way to announce that but you know that it's someone who wants if for kindling up here in Maine.


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

I started to turn pens so at least now some of the better scraps(mostly Walnut, Teak, Maple) are used up!
I have a rolling garbage can with a lid that comes with us on camping trips for the rest.
Oh ya, and a wood burning fireplace in the house!


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

what about any school woodshops,are there any around,or clubs maybe? im a semi hoarder myself but ive limited myself to nothing under a foot except maybe exotics or nice burl wood which i can use to make pens or such.i do feel your pain craftsman.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Haha yeah I do the camping thing. One time We had a fire, and my wife asked "what kind of firewood is that? Theres hardly any smoke!" (We usually have the obligatory campfire problem of smoke following your eyeballs). I answered, "its the most expensive firewood we have used"


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## Delete (May 19, 2017)

This isn't going to be any help, but up here in Northern Ontario I use a little bit every morning to start the fire in my wood stove to help with heating during our 6 months of winter. Doesn't hurt much, I am not burning the rich woods you guys work with occasionally some oak or mahogany, white pine but mostly construction grade scraps. Converted my breezeway into a ventilated workshop space and added a front porch a couple of summers ago, lots of scraps produced, but just used the last of it. Nothing under 3' left in the storage area ha ha.


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## Davevand (Feb 10, 2016)

Last year I turned most of my scrap pile into toy cars. I also used up all of my partially used rattle cans of spray paint that I had around, pine and plywood were painted, the rest are natural. Anything left after these were made was truely trash


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

If you were in Illinois…....


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

> Last year I turned most of my scrap pile into toy cars. I also used up all of my partially used rattle cans of spray paint that I had around, pine and plywood were painted, the rest are natural. Anything left after these were made was truely trash
> 
> - Davevand


Man… if I did that I could open up a toy store. I just came in from culling it and gave four 30 gallon barrels of wood to a neighbor for his outdoor fires. I've picked out the best stuff. I've still got at least that much left.


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## SenecaWoodArt (Dec 19, 2013)

I don't know how badly you might want to recycle or reduce your inventory, but there is a market for it on Etsy. Some cut it to fit in a USPS Priorty Mail box. You set the price to cover postage and a fee for the wood. There are crafters who will buy it, especially good hardwood. Even Hobby Lobby sells bags of hardwood. It's a lot of work for not much return, but it is a way to reduce your inventory without the tears of throwing it away.


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## Davevand (Feb 10, 2016)

> Last year I turned most of my scrap pile into toy cars. I also used up all of my partially used rattle cans of spray paint that I had around, pine and plywood were painted, the rest are natural. Anything left after these were made was truely trash
> 
> - Davevand
> 
> ...


I made over 600 last year and didn't use half of what I had. Our local WW club provided the wheels and axles


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

> Last year I turned most of my scrap pile into toy cars. I also used up all of my partially used rattle cans of spray paint that I had around, pine and plywood were painted, the rest are natural. Anything left after these were made was truely trash
> 
> - Davevand
> 
> ...


More patience than I've got!


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## Horus (Apr 23, 2019)

If you put it on craigslist as hobby wood, you could advertise it at some nominal cost - to avoid the firewood hounds. Then if you determine that it will go to some higher purpose than smoke and ash, unload as much as the person wants for free or close to it.

Maybe find someone having a garbage/rubbage sale and see if they'll sell it for you - you don't care about the money, let them keep it.

You could also put it in a box at the end of your driveway with a "FREE" sign on a Thursday or Friday when people are out garbage saling.

If I was close, I'd be happy to take at least some off your hands for boxes and spatulas/spoons - and I'm always in need of hardwood for new jigs.


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## HackFabrication (Mar 11, 2019)

> I just came in from culling it and gave four 30 gallon barrels of wood to a neighbor for his outdoor fires. I ve picked out the best stuff. I ve still got at least that much left.
> 
> - Craftsman on the lake


Well, now I don't feel so bad only having one 30 gallon trash can full of small scrap….

My 'scrap' problem is plywood. Lot's of long thin pieces of everything from 1/4" up to 3/4". Hate to get rid of them, but I know I should.


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## GaryCK (Apr 7, 2018)

> Oh great… I guess I m part of a club here.


Heh! Me too. Mine is at least limited to four small bins I built for that purpose on the backside of my plywood cart. I've probably used more of my scraps testing dado cut widths and depths than anything. I do find it hard to through away a perfectly good, albeit small, piece of hardwood.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

LOL, Count me as another person embarrassed he doesn't generate enough scraps!

Have a 30 gal plastic can for 'scraps'. To me that is anything less than 1 ft long, and < 2 " wide when 3/4 thick. 50% always seem to be plywood from cabinet type projects. Have larger scraps stashed away as well for reuse.

These scraps used to get disposed on scout camping trips with my sons. But haven't been camping in a a few years, so ended up putting our cut off 55 gal drum fire pit in back yard as bonfire spot for teenagers. Keeps kids at home,making it easier to watch on weekends.

A few months ago, kids burned a can with massive amount of 8/4 cherry, mahogany, and sapele. 
Watching them empty the can, suddenly realized how many pen blanks went up in smoke. 

Not being someone who likes lathe work, nor one that makes anything smaller than large cereal box sized project; I had no idea the demand for this small stuff until I read this thread. May have to allocate some time to research on how to recycle hardwood scraps better, and maybe even get a few bucks for time spent to recycle.

Thanks for sharing everyone!


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## Horus (Apr 23, 2019)

Have you guys with all the scraps ever considered making your own charcoal? it's pretty easy, especially if you have steel drums with lids. You already have enough fuel for the heat source. Put the drum in the middle of a fire pit, fill it with wood, put the lid on with a small vent hole, light the fire around it - pretty simple and easy - look up the exact process, you may never need to buy charcoal again.

Don't use manufactured lumber…


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

When oak, cherry, hickory, and mesquite become too small for pens, scraps become smoking wood for the grill. Good to the last bite.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

You just have to get over it. You got your use out of the pieces you bought the material for. The scrap is just scrap.
It only hurts for a day or so. You just can't hoard it all, so you're left with giving it up. Some good advise above, otherwise you just have to dump it and get over it.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

post on facebook merchandising. sell them a scraps or firewood.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Start building Checker/Chess boards. You could easily knock out dozens of them in contrasting combinations…
Just a thought…


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

I just turned a pretty good sized pile of small pieces of cherry and walnut into honey dippers and spatulas. Burned the small bits I couldn't use. Now the scraps left over are at least the bigger chunks.


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Drill a hole in them insert a dowel, attach a sail and set them off across the lake.
That should keep you amused like a little kid again, and if the wind is right you may never get to see them ever again!

Plus as a bonus, you might just find that clamp you had go missing ages ago!


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## gerrym526 (Dec 22, 2007)

You didn't mention if you have a fireplace or wood stove. Cut-offs make great kindling, especially hardwood ones (I cut mine to size to fit my wood stove).
If you have neighbors who have fireplaces, mention you can supply them with kindling for next season.
They'll probably come to pick it up-saving you the trouble.

You mention a short term solution, but if you would consider a long-term solution a small box making project uses up scraps. I got rid of lots of scraps and pleased members of the family with small box Christmas gifts.


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## CajunWoodArtist (Oct 27, 2015)

give it to the pen turners. They can use pieces that most of us would toss.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I'm the worst scrap hoarder. I build models and small pieces of wood are my stock in trade.


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## bc4393 (Apr 10, 2015)

When my dad visits he always cleans mine out….into the garbage. Usually with a line like "You don't need all this S^&T! It always hurts at first but I never end up missing any of it.


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## sansoo22 (May 7, 2019)

Coming from a BBQ city I would trade anything that works well in a smoker (oak, hickory, mesquite, cherry) for a slab of ribs or a brisket. Maybe a salted pulled pork to make sandwiches for my lunch. That way the wood isn't going to waste. It's being used to make awesome meat candy.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Dang Dan…

You didn't remember your good ol' LJ buddy just across the river in Milton? My feelings are hurt :^p

What you need is an out building… oh wait, your shop is in the upstairs of your barn… there goes that idea.
But hey, you're enjoying the good life on the lake, so "extra" real estate to build on ain't part of that package.

Tough call.

I'd save the best of it to build some jewelry boxes, etc… and use the rest for plus sized kindling in your fire place. This time of year especially, it's nice to have "not so big" fires. Just enough to warm up the house on a dreary wet day, but not so much that it bakes you out.


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## KevinH (Dec 23, 2007)

Three years ago when I moved, I took a drastic approach. I saved only the most choice hardwood pieces of significant size, plus some partially milled pieces for specific future projects and moved those to the new house.

The rest consisted of cutoffs from the first 25 years of learning about woodworking and home repair - mostly small pieces and chunks of 2x and cheap plywood that I had saved because 'I might use that someday" but never did. They went to the dump. *The experience was liberating.* I didn't have to move, stumble over or dig through all that stuff any longer.

In my new shop, I'm trying not to hoard those little pieces as I did before. I can see potential in small cutoffs, so it's not easy to let go, but I like having a cleaner shop. Those small bits of nice walnut, though… Maybe I'll make a special place for those.


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## Horus (Apr 23, 2019)

Does LJ have a clearing house section for scraps, cut-offs and unused tools? I'm fairly new here and haven't come across it, if there is one. I like making smaller projects (small shop) and it's always painful to have to buy a four foot piece of lumber when I only need three inches - it usually makes the project cost prohibitive.

Maybe a solution for some of this is to have a sort of exchange where if someone is looking for a specific "waste" they can connect with others willing to part with it for a nominal fee to cover for the hassle of boxing and shipping, buyer pays shipping…


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Maybe a forum for nice chunks of wood that would otherwise get thrown away, like Horus is asking about. I have all kinds of little pieces of nice wood that I really hate to throw out. I just did a purge of my shop, and it hurts to see beautiful little chunks of wood go to waste. Truly, some of what I have is way better than the exotics boxes from the wood boutiques. It could be sent in one of those "if it fits, it ships" boxes. I wouldn't even care about the boxing and driving to the PO. I'd only want shipping costs back.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Buy a lathe. You will have 1/1000th of the scraps you do now.


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## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

Give them away. I would bet you'll find a taker if you offer a large flat rate USPS box for cost of shipping here on LJs. Some of us build small and can find uses for scraps. I got a box of offcuts from EarlS before he moved, and have started making fibonacci gauges for other woodworking friends from the 12" long pieces. I can knock one out in an hour or so in an evening, even hand-peening the rivets.

Glue them together. I've got a couple buckets of thin stuff that get built up into multi-colored alternating layer sandwiches. I've made a couple wedges for planes from them, and have been experimenting with using them for knife handles. Plus there's cutting boards.

Carving practice. I've been making carving knives for me and for friends. If you start carving spoons, your definition of what's a "useless scrap" will quickly change. If you're not interested in carving, find someone who is.

Finally, the burn box. I fill large flat rate USPS boxes (I have a bunch from swaps here on LJs) with shavings and small scraps (less than 6") for a friend who takes them to his cabin on weekends in the summer. He and his three boys have a bonfire in their fire circle nearly every weekend night during the summer, and they're always happy to have dry wood and clean shavings to start the fire. And the boys are learning to whittle (I'm making carving knives, remember) so they enjoy practicing on scraps. They're mostly doing fuzz sticks at the moment, but I expect I'll see other things by fall.


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