Define "Slab"

DR Buck · March 23, 2019, 09:12:21 PM

I've seen lots of posts on facebook, craigslist and other places advertising slabs for sale. I even had a customer bring slabs for kiln drying. I've always considered slabs as really wide (over 24") boards, both live edge and edged. Apparently all these people posting slabs for sale are just trying to sell thick live edge boards no wider than a foot to a foot and a half as slabs.

So what is a slab?

123maxbars · March 23, 2019, 09:26:41 PM

At my sawmill (Northeast TN) I consider a slab to be a live edge board thicker than 4/4 (usually 9/4 or 8/4) and any width.

Larry · March 23, 2019, 09:32:25 PM

A board that sells for three times the money its worth!

marcnaz · March 23, 2019, 09:34:04 PM

i always thought it was a live edge slice that wasn't cut as dimentional lumber.. basically a horizontal (or oval) slice from a log. Seems one live edge meets some folk's definition as in a live edge mantle.

Southside · March 23, 2019, 09:50:21 PM

Lets just add to the confusion and throw in "slab wood" - IE the opening cuts of a log, we give a lot away for firewood and I can't tell you how many folks call up expecting that I am giving away 24" wide, live edge, 8/4, walnut..... :

terrifictimbersllc · March 23, 2019, 10:01:35 PM

If it's a customer saying it it can mean almost any part of a log.

Downstream · March 23, 2019, 10:02:57 PM

In my neck of the woods a slab means greater than 5/4 thick, 2 live edges, rough sawn other two faces. normally 12in wide minimum.

Woodpecker52 · March 23, 2019, 10:24:25 PM

Live edged greater than 2 inches and whatever the customer calls it.

Magicman · March 23, 2019, 10:34:28 PM

But in the truest sense what we are commonly calling "slabs" are actually "flitches". They are defined as; "a piece of lumber with wane on one or both edges". Flitches will be produced after the initial face opening is made which actually produces a "slab".

Slabs are defined as; "the exterior portion of a log removed in sawing". :P

Of course the above has nothing to do with dealing with today's market. ;D

moosehunter · March 24, 2019, 07:11:19 AM

I use the terms "slab" as the outside of the log and "project slab" as the two sawn face, live edge.

mh

Don P · March 24, 2019, 07:52:52 AM

A concrete floor ;D

Magicman · March 24, 2019, 08:01:15 AM

I was thinking 'bout a big old crappie.

PA_Walnut · March 24, 2019, 08:46:42 AM

I have begun to add super-wide dimensional material to the "slab" category also. Essential, if it will make a countertop or table top without gluing, it goes into our "SLABS" sort.

NOTE: Online, the category of "slab" certainly does NOT mean that it is neither dry nor ready to use. You can simply get a chainsaw mill, $199 rig on Amazon, and you are suddenly in the slab market. Had another dude yesterday telling me about bugs coming out of this Facebook slab.

:-\

YellowHammer · March 24, 2019, 09:26:37 AM

I seem to use the term loosely. Basically, anything that fits in the context of "This BOS (Big Ol Slab) is heavy, help me lift it." Or "DanG, I popped my drag back circuit breaker again, trying to pull back that BOS." "Why did I cut so many of those BOS, I should have cut some boards instead."

Sometimes, I substitute the term BAS if a particular BOS is giving me trouble. :D :D

John Bartley · March 24, 2019, 11:53:25 AM

Quote from: Magicman on March 23, 2019, 10:34:28 PM
Slabs are defined as; "the exterior portion of a log removed in sawing". :P

Yes, this (above) is what I call a slab .... a chunk of wood with one milled face and balance of the faces "all" being live edge. This of course means that one side is flat and the other side is rounded over ..... being all live edge, how could it be anything else?
A board of any thickness less than 2", with live edge on two sides, and the two widest opposite faces being both milled and parallel are what I call "flitches"
Anything bigger than a board, being milled on all four sides, but not finished it's milling is what I call a "cant".
A board is milled on four sides, smaller than 2" in thickness, and ready for use or market.
Anything bigger than a board is what I call a beam.

red · March 24, 2019, 12:03:31 PM

A typical full slab of ribs has 11 to 13 bones.

moodnacreek · March 25, 2019, 06:31:37 PM

When I started there was traditional sawmill lingo and slabs where and still are the outside waste. Round edge or wane edge planks are called slabs by the newbies. Also milling was what a grist mill did. A sawmill SAWED!