Appreciation post: The old guy at the lumber yard in Tacoma who saved my project

I was picking up some 2x4s for a deck frame last fall and an older guy, Frank, saw me struggling to check them all for crown. He walked over and showed me his trick: just roll each board on the concrete floor. The high point will always rock, so you can spot a bad one in two seconds flat. I must have saved an hour that day alone. Anyone else have a quick check method for lumber?

4 comments

4 Comments

keith_bennett2mo ago

Man, I used to be so picky and would eyeball every board down the edge like I was aiming a rifle. Felt like it took forever and I still got it wrong sometimes. That rolling trick is so stupid simple it's genius, I can't believe I never saw anyone do it before. Total facepalm moment for me, but it's the only way I check now.

leehall2mo ago

My buddy loaded a whole sheet before noticing the hump.

nancyjones1mo ago

Oh man, that's rough. I've been there too, loading a whole stack before realizing the top sheet has a weird twist in it. @keith_bennett I totally get what you mean about the old eyeballing method, I used to feel like I was getting carpal tunnel from squinting down every edge. Now I do that drop test thing and it saves so much hassle. It's like a little victory dance when it slaps flat instead of that sad thud.

logan_mitchell2mo ago

That rolling trick is a total game changer. I learned a similar one for plywood sheets from a guy at the Home Depot in Bellingham. He told me to lift one corner and let it drop. If it slaps down flat and loud, it's good. If it makes a dull thud, there's a warp or a bubble in the middle. Saves you from loading a bad sheet onto the cart.