Replies

1. 
   MikeHennessy | May 02, 2006 07:14pm | #1

   Don't know why not. The grooves are just to help the boards sit flat on the subfloor and to provide air circulation. The boards will likely be pretty dry, so you shouldn't have an issue with taking 1/4" off the back side. I assume you plan to also mill away the tongues and grooves - they are not accurate enough to make good glue joints, IMHO. Oak is pretty cheap. Are you sure you want to do all that work to mill & join all those pieces? (They make great kindling! <G> )

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

1. 
   Sardog | May 02, 2006 11:14pm | #3

   Mike

   I need to mill whatever wood I use to 1/2" for the sides.

   Maybe some 1/4" also.

   All the drawers are short length (nothing over a foot).

   So it seemed to be a good use for otherwise unusable wood.

   I can't see using this wood for anything but a repair of the floor in the future.

   Seemed like a good use other then storing it away for a long time.

   Jeff

    

2. 
   JohnWW | May 02, 2006 10:20pm | #2

   Sure you can use it, but be aware that the finish will very quickly dull ordinary steel blades so planing the prefinished face can only be done with a jointer or planer with carbide blades.

   John W.

1. 
   Sardog | May 02, 2006 11:17pm | #4

   John

   Good to know.

   I don't use carbide blades in my jointer or planer, just HSS.

   Do you think I can get away with milling only the grooved side, or do you think the wood will warp?

   I can always use the finished side as is, as the inside or outside of the drawers.

   Jeff

    

1. 
   JohnWW | May 03, 2006 01:30am | #5

   If the boards are narrow the amount of warpage probably won't be significant.  You could also finish the bare faces with shellac to balance the finish on both sides of the stock.  If you have a band saw you could resaw the boards and remove the finished face of the flooring.  You could also resaw the boards on a table saw but a band saw is the preferred tool, the cutting is safer and easier to control.

   John W.

1. 
   Sardog | May 03, 2006 02:34am | #6

   John

   Hadn't thought of resawing as the boards are only 3/4" to start, but I might try it.

   I actually like the idea of keeping the finish on the boards and only taking off the grooved side.

   I usually use a thin coat of varnish on my wood to seal them anyway (I could use shellack) so this saves a step.

   Thanks for the advice.

   Jeff

    

1. 
   JohnWW | May 03, 2006 04:35pm | #9

   I recommended shellac because many varnishes will have a lingering, and very unpleasant, smell that when concentrated inside of a drawer will cause problems.

   John W.

2. 
   Sardog | May 03, 2006 10:21pm | #10

   John

   Good thought on the smell.

   I keep shellac in the shop also, so that should be easy.

   Used to use it all the time years ago.

   Thank you

   Jeff

    

3. 
   mike4244 | May 03, 2006 12:27pm | #7

   Yes ,but as soon as your done seal the planed side with shellac,varnish etc. If you don't the boards will bow and cup. Last year I resawed and planed about 20 lf of teak flooring. The boards bowed within two days. I had another 40 lf of teak flooring left. I resawed and planed,then two coats of shellac on the planed side,the other side is prefinished. This batch of flooring did not cup or bow.

   mike

1. 
   Sardog | May 03, 2006 04:03pm | #8

   Great

   Thank you Mike