Jack Truschel
10-12-2004, 6:49 PM
Hello to All,
I plan to build a butcher block style cutting board similar to the one shown in Mike Schwing's tutorial. Since this is my first attempt, I will use just one type of wood (hard maple). I called my supplier this morning and he mentioned that he is expecting a new shipment of hard maple next Tuesday. His lumber is kiln dried with a moisture content of 8-10%. I was thinking I'd buy a 10-12" board about 6' in length. To make milling (jointing, planing, ripping) more manageable, I thought I'd x-cut the board in half, then rip each piece in half lengthwise. I'd then sticker these four pieces in my shop to air dry for four to six weeks before milling to final dimensions. After stating all this, I'll finally get to my question. Should the boards be ripped to a narrower width, e.g., two inches instead of six inches before air drying? Or when were talking just a few inches in width does it matter? My goal is to avoid any type of warpage after project construction.
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
Regards,
Jack Truschel
I plan to build a butcher block style cutting board similar to the one shown in Mike Schwing's tutorial. Since this is my first attempt, I will use just one type of wood (hard maple). I called my supplier this morning and he mentioned that he is expecting a new shipment of hard maple next Tuesday. His lumber is kiln dried with a moisture content of 8-10%. I was thinking I'd buy a 10-12" board about 6' in length. To make milling (jointing, planing, ripping) more manageable, I thought I'd x-cut the board in half, then rip each piece in half lengthwise. I'd then sticker these four pieces in my shop to air dry for four to six weeks before milling to final dimensions. After stating all this, I'll finally get to my question. Should the boards be ripped to a narrower width, e.g., two inches instead of six inches before air drying? Or when were talking just a few inches in width does it matter? My goal is to avoid any type of warpage after project construction.
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
Regards,
Jack Truschel