What do you do with your wood scraps?

[Ralph Sarc]

I was just reading a reply to a post I made and Geoff Simpson mentioned wood scraps and that got me to wondering what everyone does with their wood scarps from projects. I have considered burning them in our fireplace but I'm fearful of the residue that it would leave within the chimney liner. So what do you do with your scraps?  

[David J. Drahmann]

I keep just about everything.  It's truly amazing how something I never thought I'd use again comes in handy on the next project.  That said I have space to store things.  My local disposal company has an industrial waste practice where they separate wood from metal, drywall, wiring ,etc....  I don't know what they do with it but I'd bet it ends up in some engineered product or another.

[Bill Murphy]

As a guy on a scrollsaw forum said, "If it won't fit through the hose on the shop vac, it isn't a scrap."  Pick up a scrollsaw if you don't already have one and you will find a use for  just about anything you would have considered a scrap before you got the scrollsaw.

[Robert Brennan]

Well as of this morning I turn my scraps into more scraps using my Kreg Jig, table saw, sander, and locking miter bit.

Sometimes you can have more tools than common sense, and if that's the case its time to stop!

I decided to make a box for my plug cutters from scraps The result was going well until I cut open the box at the wrong angle.

After attempting to tap dance my way out of what was going to be another great box to show off I gave up and used the lo tech solution.

 

I shall keep the box to remind me not to spend 3 days when 10min is all that is required

[Ken M]

If the scraps do not have glue or finish, I donate them to an elderly man for his fireplace.  Everything else is either thrown out, used for jigs, etc.

[Betty]

Birdhouses, picture frames, and that sort of thing for anything that sticks out of a 5 gallon bucket. After that, bagged with the sawdust.  

[RMK]

First, there are good scraps, and, there are bad scraps. Just like people! You find use's for the good ones, and burn the bad ones. (kiddin)....  Seriously tho, the good ones can be laminated together to create other smaller contrasting projects. I've been "savin-up" a few different ones for making some marking knives to give to friends for Christmas this year.    Whoops, hope no one heard that

[Ralph Sarc]

I agree RMK there are good scraps, and, there are bad scraps, lol! I know that our local bird population loves all their scrap houses!

[Adam Adolph]

I have to agree with the others.  It depends on the size.  Mostly the small stuff gets burned in the fire pit or gets used as test pieces and then burned.  I also have a 4yr old so some of it goes to him to play with so that he feels as though he is helping.  I even do small projects with him like the bird house he and I made for Grandpa last summer out of some scrap 3/4 plywood.

[duane ribron]

Most of the jigs that I build are from scraps. I also use them for test cuts, and blocks for my littel girl.

 

[Rick]

I save them so when I doing a finish project I don't make any new scraps. OK...as many NEW scraps.