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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    Default Wood movement and knowing when you're ready to work with it

    Hey all, long time since I posted. I had a bit of an annoying issue over the xmas break. I bought some recycled Tallow Wood to use for cutting boards that I gave to family as gifts. Given it was fairly old and very solid stock, I mistakenly thought a single pass to plane and flatten the ever so slight warp would be enough. So I planed both sides (using a router and rails, I don't have a thicknesser), then oiled them up and handed them out. A week later I was at my sister's house and horrified to see that the board had generated an extremely large cup across the short axis (I basically chopped single boards to length and then edge glued to produce wider boards). The wood must have been sitting at the timber yard for months on end, and when I took it home it was fine. Then a week after glueing and planing it warped in a big way (Worth mentioning that I made the boards in Melbourne and brought on a plane with me to Adelaide to give to family - not sure if the change of location could be accountable for it?)

    How do you know when you've milled a piece enough that you can feel confident it won't re-warp or twist or bow after it leaves your shop? Different home, different states have different conditions, so it's impossible to guess. I rushed these a bit, so I was thinking from now on I should mill, glue, then leave them for a week or so to check if they maintain integrity? But not sure that's a viable plan for longer term wood movement?

    I hope this makes sense...wood movement is really driving me nuts at the moment. I usually stick to ply to remove the issue, but I really want to get into using hardwoods, the finishes are absolutely gorgeous.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Caroline Springs, VIC
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    Default

    You can cup a cutting board easily. They are best to be stored standing on edge to allow them to fully dry after use, and it also allows even air flow all around. Here is a photo of some extra cutting boards I had at the end of the recent xmas period. I'll sell em eventually (hoping a previous buyer will take em all so I don't have to sell one by one...), but for now they can stand on edge in my TV room. They have been there for a couple of months and most are still dead flat, with a couple having cupped ~0.5mm over 300mm.
    IMG_20200114_183949.jpg

    If I was to lay any of them flat on my kitchen bench while I go to work for the day, it will be cupped when I get home. Knowing that, I'd just flip it over the next day and hopefully it will be flat again, but I'd much prefer to be within cooee of em so I can stand it back on edge again when it is flat.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Brookfield, Brisbane
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    49
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    What Kuffy said.

    There needs to be airflow all round the board otherwise they will play up.

    I learnt this the hard way about a table top I left flat on my work bench!

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    South Australia
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    4,470

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    Not enough information to offer any advice did you alternate the boards, did you mill before or after gluing, did you allow time to acclimatize, did you check the moisture content

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    melbourne
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    Default

    Oh, that's great advice, thanks, Kuffy. I didn't even think of that. Will remember to let people know that when I give them out. Be good to field test this, too by making some and trying out different storage/ drying methods. Thanks so much!

  7. #6
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    Mar 2015
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    melbourne
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    I did alternate the boards, and mill after gluing. Honestly, I didn't leave hardly any time for it acclimate, and I wouldn't even know how to check moisture content! I guess I should invest in one of those moisture readers. But all good points to consider, thanks.

  8. #7
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    planning on some cheese boards myself, so good timing,
    does this happen with all timber or only Tallow? I am planning on Camphor
    I would love to grow my own food, but I can not find bacon seeds

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Hobart
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    Two questions Zoovegroover:
    • did you oil all surfaces? and
    • how many coats of oil did you apply.


    Wood will always move with changes in moisture. Good and balanced surface treatment will minimise the effect.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    melbourne
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    I've made a few boards for friends without having this problem.
    It's good to know what can happen though and I'll definitely heed the advice given here when making more.

    And not wanting to hijack a thread but to do with cutting boards.
    Does this go for end grain boards as well.
    I've made one so far and plan to make some more.

  11. #10
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    Mar 2015
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    melbourne
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tonyz View Post
    planning on some cheese boards myself, so good timing,
    does this happen with all timber or only Tallow? I am planning on Camphor
    Possibly. I have used Iron Bark in the past and it barely moves at all.

  12. #11
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    Mar 2015
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    melbourne
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    Quote Originally Posted by mattocks View Post
    I've made a few boards for friends without having this problem.
    It's good to know what can happen though and I'll definitely heed the advice given here when making more.

    And not wanting to hijack a thread but to do with cutting boards.
    Does this go for end grain boards as well.
    I've made one so far and plan to make some more.
    My understanding is end grain isn't subject to movement. It's a big part of the reason why people do it.

  13. #12
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    Mar 2015
    Location
    melbourne
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    Quote Originally Posted by GraemeCook View Post
    Two questions Zoovegroover:
    • did you oil all surfaces? and
    • how many coats of oil did you apply.


    Wood will always move with changes in moisture. Good and balanced surface treatment will minimise the effect.
    I did oil both sides, yeah...I put a couple of coats on each side, but I must say I went fairly light on it. In YouTube vids I've seen, people soak these things in oil.

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