Avoiding slab splitting

**Nathanael** · 16th July 2009, 10:59 PM

Hey everyone,

I'm currently in the process of buying a couple of blackheart slabs. The slabs are green they were bandsawn 2weeks ago. Measurements are 25mm thick, 600mm wide and around 2 metres long.

I've been reading many helpful threads about how to get the proper set-up organised to air dry the slabs but haven't been able to find anything on preventing the boards splitting straight up the middle as I've heard Blackheart loves to move around and the middle of the slab is well known to split.

So my question is this: Does anyone have any no-fail guarantee way of preventing splitting of the slabs? Any advice would be highly helpful as i'm a newbie to drying out my own timber i'm used to buying it ready to go.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
Nathanael

**Calm** · 17th July 2009, 08:11 AM

First of all if you havent bought them i wouldnt.

At 600mm wide and 25mm thick - any bow/warp/twist/shrinkage or anything else when it drys out will leave you with a 10 - 15 mm thick peice of timber - will that do the job you want it too.

If you have already bought it i would paint/seal the ends with oil pased house paint or something like Mobil Log seal (purchased at Mobil depots)

Then get 6 boards about 100 x 50 and use them in pairs as clamps to keep it flat. Remember to check the bots every month or so to keep pressure on it.

Are they the "centre" slab (which is quartersawn) or one nearer the edge of the tree (which is back sawn) - if the centre slab then splitting down the heart is most likely to occur and there is not much you can do to avoid it.

Hope that helps - if i wanted a 25mm table top i would purchas at least 35 mm green to give room for movement etc.

Cheers

**Lumber Bunker** · 17th July 2009, 02:46 PM

No Fail = Cut them in to boards now and dry, then glue them back together in a year.

David is spot on with the 25mm being too think for such wide boards.

**charlsie** · 17th July 2009, 05:12 PM

what they both said. if theyr'e wet and 25mm thick i'm guessing your'e already in trouble

**Nathanael** · 17th July 2009, 07:38 PM

Sorry guys went and bought them today before reading but 5 slabs are 50mm thick and two littler slabs are 25mm so yea i suspected those two wouldn't be good for much but i had to take the lot.
Going to paint the ends tomorrow then rack them up. If i had two big drums on top filled with water would that have enough weight behind it to hold them flat?
If i were to cut them how many cuts should I make, two or three boards out of a slab?
Great advice Calm he said they were quartersawn (the centre slab).
Thanks everyone you been a huge help.

**Calm** · 17th July 2009, 08:38 PM

If you want to cut the thin ones i would at least cut them right down the centre of the pith, but my preference would be to wait and see where they split, then cut them there and rejoin when dry. You never know they may not split at all.

Are we going to see a gloat - ie pics please

Cheers

**Nathanael** · 17th July 2009, 08:49 PM

Sure Calm i'll get some pics up for you tomorrow arvo.
But i'd hate to be a gloater

**Nathanael** · 19th July 2009, 06:38 PM

Got some pics for you Calm weather has been miserable all weekend!

Good ol' Tassie winter. Thats mostly the color of them most of the 50mm slabs are relatively free of heart shake up the middle.

**glenn k** · 19th July 2009, 08:36 PM

That fungus in the wood makes some great patterns, hope they turn out well for you.

**Nathanael** · 19th July 2009, 10:09 PM

I really hope so too but as it's my first slab drying experience i'm sure it will be a good learning curve hopefully come away with some usable slabs

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