Step One: Crosscutting to Rough Length

After you have selected your lumber, keeping in mind that this step might require a little more effort if you are working around knots or other imperfections in the wood, you must cut your piece to a rough length. This means, if you need a part 24 inches long, cut it 26 inches long or so, not to the finished length. (You can be more frugal if you wish but I have goofed so many times I like to give myself some extra breathing room.) The cutting can be accomplished with a hand crosscut saw, a circular saw, a power miter box, or a bandsaw, providing the overall board isn't too large. My preference is to use the bandsaw, if the raw lumber isn't too big. Otherwise I use my circular saw. I mark the line with a straight edge and a jiffy marker.

Let me point out that this essay is more on why you should be milling your stock and the general process involved. I am not including instructions for every alternative - I assume that you already know how to use your tools. Besides, the possible choices for completing each of these steps are so numerous, I would have to write a book to cover them all, and last time I checked, I was handing out this information for free.

Back to our sample piece on the bench, I have chosen to use the circular saw, as the slab is too large and unwieldy to be cut on the bandsaw. Had I used a more expensive, better grade of lumber, I would have ripped off the thick waste at the bottom of the photo first to conserve it with as much length as possible. The condition of this slab, as well as some of the other flaws evident (and my mood at the time) led me to the decision to just lop off the end and get it over with. Sans straight edge (the perfect cut is not possible or even necessary), I did just that.