Warning on Bunnings oak panels

**Cgcc** · 3rd August 2021, 10:07 PM

So for a little project I decided to grab one of the project panels from bunnings - the FJ oak.

It seemed to be genuine oak which I like working with and is a nice meaty and softer feel to "FU" Australian hardwoods.

When I unpacked the panel, there was a huge split in the panel along a glue-line - not a great start. But I re-glued and clamped and seemed okay.

I decided to get stuck into some dovetailing for the project. Got very close to a tight fit and gave it a bit of a whack to hopefully get a crisp fit.

Split in 3 places along glue lines. Whoie project ruined as I'd cut all the pieces.

PXL_20210801_025505724 (2).jpg

I... don't mind admitting that it probably took me 2+ hours to do all those dovetails and get near a good fit.

After I got over the depression, I morosely whacked finished whacking the dovetails in on the broken bits and planed them back just to see how I did. They looked good, I thought, as I placed them in the fire pit. Now my fire pit has my best dovetailed joint to date.

So that is the warning. The glue lines on these panels are not good. Maybe they don't use something suitable for the oak. The split in 2 places can't be a fluke in combinatino with the panel coming apart out of the packaging. I'm sure they would be fine for a rabbeted or suchlike joint but not dovetailing unless you can get it so precise that you don't need test fits.

Chris

**riverbuilder** · 4th August 2021, 06:06 AM

Oak is softer than eucalyptus hardwood?

**double.d** · 4th August 2021, 08:01 AM

You should have taken it back when you noticed the first crack.

**Cgcc** · 4th August 2021, 08:20 AM

In my limited experience, for some eucalypts, heck yes. It feels a little more "spongy" and much less likely to splitter or tearout. In hardness seems quite similar to "Tas Oak" (who knew).

I don't have much experience that take that as a very noob view.

**Cgcc** · 4th August 2021, 08:22 AM

Thought about it. I actually recall not getting an electronic receipt thinking "how can a piece of wood stop working". All other project panels from Bunnings have been great.

But would have been almost 30 mins drive there and back. A line of glue and clamps seemed easier at time.

**AndrewPatrol** · 4th August 2021, 10:27 AM

Thanks for the heads up Chris. Sorry you ended up being the guinea pig and all the work you put in.

**Biggus** · 4th August 2021, 12:54 PM

I bought a couple of oak panels from Bunnings about a year ago with a 'Made in Romania' label and as soon as I cut them they cupped like you wouldn't believe. The glue lines seem ok but who knows when I try to flatten them. Either way they're going to require a fair amount of screws to pull them into line. It was always my intention to use them for some shop cabinets so I guess it doesn't matter if they're a bit rough but was disappointing nevertheless.

rrich · 4th August 2021, 02:39 PM

The "Oak" definitely looks like the oak that I can buy locally. I have to admit that I have never seen panels like that from a home center. The oak that is available here is hard as a river rock.

**Cgcc** · 4th August 2021, 06:05 PM

Mine cupped but only slightly after cutting the pieces and because it was after sawing I thought it was fair enough as perhaps caused by tensions changing. It was slight enough that it clamped out flat in Moxon vise.

**yoboseyo** · 5th August 2021, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Cgcc

how can a piece of wood stop working

many ways... if you think its job is to stay as it is, it doesn't even do that

anyway, I prefer starting projects from as close to raw timber as possible, and I consider finger jointed boards to be more of a manufactured timber product than actual timber

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