Yeah, but it (shop dimensions of lumber) happened long ago and since then
prices have equalized to the new dimension, which has become the Federal
standard. I notice at the home stores, though, that on items as standard
and common as quarter round, they are cheating by 1/16 or so, but still
calling it the old full dimension. They do not have the excuse that
finished lumber has, that they plain it to be "shop sized" to a standard.
They are actually reducing the dimension to get a few more out of a board.
The new stuff does not match existing work. You either have to drive to a
real lumber yard, or tear out all the old work and replace it if you want
it to actually match. Plus, the wood itself hardly resembles what you used
to buy in a given grade.

In automobiles, you can't likely reduce the dimensions and quality like you
can with lumber and tarps, etc. But you can reduce the thickness of
material, and then it weighs less and goes faster and gets better mileage,
you likely you pay more for the luxury of cheaper materials. But the place
they get you in the automotive world is the quality of aftermarket parts,
and replacing metal with plastic.

Jim

On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 3:03 PM Edward Maglott <emaglott3@gmail.com> wrote:

> I guess that's true.  When did they stop using the rough cut lumber, and
> why?  I'm sure there is additional profit there in those fractional
> differences.
> Edward
>
> On Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 11:51 AM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > ​RE: "... rather than that newfangled "2 inch
> > unfinished size, 1 and 3/4 inch finished size" lumber they use nowadays."
> >
> > Not 'new' at all, finished lumber (vs. rough cut) has been measured that
> > way for at least 100 years probably longer. a rough cut 2x4 is 2"x4" but
> > finished (nice and smooth) is 1 3/4" by 3 3/4".
> >
>