Yeah, consistency is really the important one. Almost none of my projects in wood are built "to spec". So, as long as the thickness is consistent between boards

Yeah, consistency is really the important one. Almost none of my projects in wood are built "to spec". So, as long as the thickness is consistent between boards, the table will be flat, the joinery will match, etc. Conversely, in metal, pretty much 100% of my projects are built to a plan, since they tend to be parts of machinery/tools/jigs that need to be the reference surfaces. Oh, the money i've spent on measuring equipment. yeesh.