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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?
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keith_bennett20d agoTop Commenter
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.
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leehall20d ago
My buddy loaded a whole sheet before noticing the hump.
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logan_mitchell20d 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.
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