https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=2605%3A59C8%3A160%3ADB08%3A988B%3A772A%3A4E5%3AB209 2026-04-07T22:46:31Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3138:_Dimensional_Lumber_Tape_Measure&diff=386026 2025-09-06T02:33:29Z

<p>2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209: </p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3138<br /> | date = September 5, 2025<br /> | title = Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure<br /> | image = dimensional_lumber_tape_measure_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 532x478px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = A person with two watches is never sure what time it is, especially if I got them one of the watches.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created by A LUMBERYARD PSYCHIATRIST. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> A 2x4 is a type of dimensional lumber, meaning it is cut to a specified length. In the case of a 2x4, despite specifying dimensions of 2 inches by 4 inches, its actual dimensions are 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure &quot;fixes&quot; this inaccuracy by changing the length of its indicated inches so that a 2x4 is measured as 2 inches by 4 inches.<br /> <br /> As explained {{w|Lumber#Dimensional_lumber|here}}, the nominal dimensions of a piece of lumber(US)/timber(UK) are those to which, in history, the wood was cut from green logs. Over time, the wood would shrink from loss of water. Consequently, a board cut to 2x4 inches would shrink to some fraction of those dimensions. The actual final dimensions would vary based on the type of wood, the amount of water lost, and other factors with a greater or lesser amount of predictability. Over time, the actual dimensions of the wood became standardized at some regularly-achievable value less than the nominal dimensions.<br /> <br /> A person not familiar with this history may be puzzled at the disconnect between the nominal and actual dimensions of lumber/timber, perhaps to the point of thinking that something underhanded was going on. To such persons, the comic's Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure makes sense, or at least addresses the disconnect. It would not, however, have any practical use, and attempts to employ it would likely lead to constructions going dangerously awry, promptly.<br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div>

2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:3138:_Dimensional_Lumber_Tape_Measure&diff=386025 2025-09-06T02:18:51Z

<p>2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209: </p> <hr /> <div>&lt;!-- Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom. --&gt;<br /> <br /> I was under the impression this was actually a thing that exists, somewhere. (Separate and apart from so-called &quot;shrink rules&quot; used by patternmakers who create patterns for metal castings). No? [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 00:36, 6 September 2025 (UTC)<br /> <br /> https://www.inchcalculator.com/actual-size-of-dimensional-lumber/ for reference --- MEL<br /> <br /> : Wikipedia has {{w|Lumber#Dimensional_lumber|a similar table}}. Interestingly, if the values on this table are correct, the xkcd measure fails for the 8 x 8 board. [[Special:Contributions/2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209|2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209]] 02:18, 6 September 2025 (UTC)</div>

2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3138:_Dimensional_Lumber_Tape_Measure&diff=386024 2025-09-06T01:59:37Z

<p>2605:59C8:160:DB08:988B:772A:4E5:B209: </p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3138<br /> | date = September 5, 2025<br /> | title = Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure<br /> | image = dimensional_lumber_tape_measure_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 532x478px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = A person with two watches is never sure what time it is, especially if I got them one of the watches.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> A 2x4 is a type of dimensional lumber, meaning it is cut to a specified length. In the case of a 2x4, despite specifying dimensions of 2 inches by 4 inches, its actual dimensions are 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure &quot;fixes&quot; this inaccuracy by changing the length of its indicated inches so that a 2x4 is measured as 2 inches by 4 inches.<br /> <br /> As explained {{w|Lumber#Dimensional_lumber|here}}, the nominal dimensions of a piece of lumber(US)/timber(UK) are those to which, in history, the wood was cut from green logs. Over time, the wood would shrink from loss of water. Consequently, a board cut to 2x4 inches would shrink to some fraction of those dimensions. The actual final dimensions would vary based on the type of wood, the amount of water lost, and other factors with a greater or lesser amount of predictability. Over time, the actual dimensions of the wood became standardized at some regularly-achievable value less than the nominal dimensions.<br /> <br /> A person not familiar with this history may be puzzled at the disconnect between the nominal and actual dimensions of lumber/timber, perhaps to the point of thinking that something underhanded was going on. To such persons, the comic's Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure makes sense, or at least addresses the disconnect. It would not, however, have any practical use, and attempts to employ it would likely lead to constructions going dangerously awry, promptly.<br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div>

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