Bow in board

bigfenz | Posted in Wood and Materials on October 15, 2012 12:43pm

I am making a table top from walnut, I bought a board 8/4 by 7” because I wanted to get a bookmatch 13″ by 48″ . When I resawed the board, both halves bowed so much they were worthless. They bowed wide apart in the center. I tried to hyper bow and clamp them in the oppisite direction, dry and even wet them overnight, but they went back to how they were. Is this a moisture problem or a stress problem? This peice of 60 dollar walnut is worthless to me. Is there anything I could have done different or is that the chance you take. This board was mostly flat sawn in the center, would 1/4 sawn be less apt to do this?

Replies

roc | Oct 16, 2012 12:55am | #1
Oh Now

Where did you buy the plank ? Woodcraft, lumber yard or high end furniture grade wood supplier ? Just curious.

In any case you can make veneer. Just keep sawing.

: )

Sorry to hear about your disappointment for your current project. You might try finding a small and or highly reputable furniture grade wood supplier and tell them what you want to use the plank for and how you intend to work it and they can advise you on what they have that will work well. That sort of place wants you to be happy and return for more.

I find the problems start with the Woodcraft , the owner near me is a smart ass jerk. Drives customers away with a stick and or just does not know his stuff. Forget the Home Depot/lumber yards for building ; that wood is often not dry enough or very sketchy as far as reaction wood etc.

One last ditch thing you could do is face glue the two slabs back together and make a thicker top. One reason I made our dining table top so thick. Stable. The thin slabs I resawed off to make all the planks the same rough thickness I saved for veneer.

In the photos:

First is thick Krenov style veneer

Second I resawed the walnut for these thin cabinet sides, by hand yet, and they stayed remarkably flat. Not very much waste at all. But short length and I lucked out.

Last photo; thick table has been very stable. The wood supplier ordered in the bubinga specially for this project. Pretty expensive but I am totally happy with the end result.

Some times to get a large flat surface that is thin there can be quite a bit of waste and if the wood goes wango like yours did chances are it will keep doing gymnastics with the weather over the years.

I hope that helps you. Some how.