Tom Blank
02-02-2013, 12:44 PM
I’m working on a couple of small boxes (9 x 6 x 4) for granddaughters. They wanted them dyed, so I made them out of Poplar (sides, ends, and top) with ¼” BB bottoms. The box corners are splined miters and the top and bottom are in dados. The top floats and the bottom will be glued. My “workshop” is in an unheated garage. I started this project late last Fall, resawing and truing the stock. Everything was coming along nicely. I dry fit the sides with the splines, top, and bottom in their dados and brought the boxes up to the office to take pictures to send to the girls. No problems, girls are happy.
The next day, I started to take the boxes back apart and they were stuck tight. I finally got them apart and found all four sides and the top had cupped while sitting overnight in the office. Different temp and humidity than in the garage where I produced the parts.
I found that if I dampen the concave face of each piece and lay them damp side down on the desk, so the moisture soaks in instead of just evaporating, the pieces will flatten out. I took the pieces back to the garage and they got close to flat, but did not flatten all the way.
I’m feeling a bit stupid right at the moment. I’m thinking the pieces need to be flat in the environment closest to what they will live in, the office not the garage. The question: If I dampen the pieces, when the pieces get flat (and dry on all surfaces) can I put on a sealer coat (shellac or lacquer) and capture the “correct” moisture content and will the pieces stay flat?
I suppose on future projects, I’ll need to work only with sheet goods in the Winter, or keep solid stock in house, run it downstairs to the garage to work it, and return it to the house to keep it acclimated. What a pain.
Thanks,
Tom
The next day, I started to take the boxes back apart and they were stuck tight. I finally got them apart and found all four sides and the top had cupped while sitting overnight in the office. Different temp and humidity than in the garage where I produced the parts.
I found that if I dampen the concave face of each piece and lay them damp side down on the desk, so the moisture soaks in instead of just evaporating, the pieces will flatten out. I took the pieces back to the garage and they got close to flat, but did not flatten all the way.
I’m feeling a bit stupid right at the moment. I’m thinking the pieces need to be flat in the environment closest to what they will live in, the office not the garage. The question: If I dampen the pieces, when the pieces get flat (and dry on all surfaces) can I put on a sealer coat (shellac or lacquer) and capture the “correct” moisture content and will the pieces stay flat?
I suppose on future projects, I’ll need to work only with sheet goods in the Winter, or keep solid stock in house, run it downstairs to the garage to work it, and return it to the house to keep it acclimated. What a pain.
Thanks,
Tom