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Old 05-09-2020, 11:09 AM   #1
rfitzpatrick
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Been told there's a lot of wood in all the Models -- where would I find how many board feet are used, I've a '31 Steel-Cab.
Thanks
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Old 05-09-2020, 11:50 AM   #2
Bob C
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Almost no wood in that cab.
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Old 05-10-2020, 07:55 AM   #3
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Hay, I have board feet. Ever since this corona thing started.
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Old 05-10-2020, 08:52 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by rfitzpatrick View Post
Been told there's a lot of wood in all the Models -- where would I find how many board feet are used, I've a '31 Steel-Cab.
Thanks
Just curious, what did you want or need the board feet quantity for ? A rather unusual question to say the least!
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Old 05-10-2020, 08:56 AM   #5
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Default Re: Board-Feet

The ones that had the most wood were the bodies manufactured by the subcontractors with the station wagons having the most. All the Fordors and the Cabriolet all had quite a bit. The ones made by Ford generally only used wood to have a bit of extra bracing and act as tack attachments for interior trim.

When you use width times length times thickness as a formula you can see than the pieces have to be fairly large to get much board footage. Most pieces were not much wider than 2 inches nor much longer than a few feet with many parts being pretty thin.
You would have to measure all the pieces to find out.
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Old 05-10-2020, 10:08 AM   #6
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I actually wanted to know which Models had the most lumber, the least. Just used board feet as a reference. I've a '31 PicUp because didn't want the 'soft-top' - most of it's wood is the bed floor I understand Henry didn't go steel top until '37 model year, perhaps?
Thanks, perhaps I wasn't clear
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Old 05-10-2020, 10:30 AM   #7
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Methinks that there would be a lot more wastage than actual wood used.
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Old 05-10-2020, 10:33 AM   #8
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I know it's different wood than Henry used but if you're redoing a pickups wood I know how to get more than enough. The largest eastern white pine that I know of maybe cut ("maybe" cut) 2500 board feet and I'm being generous. While traveling through the avenue of the giants we stopped at a saw mill town and they have a butt cut of a redwood stood on edge. The rings are marked and show significant historical dates by counting the rings, one ring does equal one years growth. This particular tree cut over 80,000 board feet of lumber. I did not make a mistake it wasn't 8,000 it was 80,000. When it's still over seven feet through at 150 feet, (21' diameter) you start getting an idea of how that's possible. For you who haven't been it is a must see with even larger diameters (giant sequoias) up around Yosemite. Photos don't do it justice.

Sorry for going off topic and I don't know if many of you will appreciate that info but to me it's mind blowing.
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Old 05-10-2020, 10:34 AM   #9
Bob C
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The Fordor had the most wood (not counting the Station Wagon), see the picture
and it doesn't show the door wood.
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File Type: jpeg fordorwood.jpeg (126.7 KB, 53 views)
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:07 PM   #10
David R.
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My ‘30 AA had at one time (I think, at least the remaining hardware suggests) a nearly all wood huckster type body. Been helping my friend get his sawmill running. With bed over 8 feet long it will take a good bit of lumber to recreate.
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Old 05-10-2020, 09:19 PM   #11
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XXXXXXXX nothing here!
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Old 05-10-2020, 10:26 PM   #12
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xxx

Last edited by Hitman; 05-10-2020 at 11:29 PM. Reason: Xxx
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Old 05-10-2020, 10:39 PM   #13
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I don't know about board feet but my Fordor Blindback has a cord of wood that I have with me all the time!
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Old 05-11-2020, 06:35 AM   #14
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Board-Feet

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Originally Posted by rotorwrench View Post
The ones that had the most wood were the bodies manufactured by the subcontractors with the station wagons having the most. All the Fordors and the Cabriolet all had quite a bit. The ones made by Ford generally only used wood to have a bit of extra bracing and act as tack attachments for interior trim.

When you use width times length times thickness as a formula you can see than the pieces have to be fairly large to get much board footage. Most pieces were not much wider than 2 inches nor much longer than a few feet with many parts being pretty thin.
You would have to measure all the pieces to find out.
Even with all the prints I have, this is not easy to measure. I have the prints for the 150 body as we are making those however there is not much wasted materials when making that body since the majority is straight runs. The 255 body will have more BF than the 150, but based on my experience, I would venture the 60A/B/C bodies use more BF to fabricate the body. The picture Bob posted above is a 60 series that we built. On those we often must use 12/4 and 16/4 lengths where over half of the stock is discarded once the piece is shaped.
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Old 05-11-2020, 11:38 AM   #15
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Someone mentioned waste previously. Ford didn't waste much of anything. The iron mountain Ford plant used the wood harvested from Ford land on the upper peninsula to use in the Ford assembly plants and those of the subcontractors as well. Any shipping container wood that was coming in to Ford plants was repurposed. At iron mountain, the sawmill and waste from other forming processes was used in the making of charcoal briquettes and for other fuel uses. Kingsford charcoal is still being produced to this day.
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Old 05-15-2020, 04:39 PM   #16
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BRENT I have a '30 Tudor that is allllll apart and the piece over the door seems to be laminated. This piece also seems to be very original. I have thought after seeing this I would laminate the pieces together as I would think the thinner pieces would be cheaper vs the 12/4 etc.
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Old 05-15-2020, 07:47 PM   #17
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BRENT I have a '30 Tudor that is allllll apart and the piece over the door seems to be laminated. This piece also seems to be very original. I have thought after seeing this I would laminate the pieces together as I would think the thinner pieces would be cheaper vs the 12/4 etc.
I have lots of original 36’ pieces , none of them are laminated. I have some NOS 35-36 wood, they are not laminated. I have original 35-36 top bows, they are not laminated.

I know there are some exceptions, like 28-29 truck pieces that have minimal lamination (2 pieces), Ford wasn’t a fan of lamination.

Given modern wood tooling capabilities, I’d do all I could to minimize lamination. Glue eventually gives up.
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