Help!! Bowed Cherry

[Jerry Olexa]

In final stages of building an end table and today cut the face panels of 7/8" cherry on the panel sled for the drawer fronts. All square and accurate but then I noted as I stacked and started for the router table, one of the drawer fronts was slightly "bowed". ( Only about 1/4" in a 28" span but I want this to look right after I attach them to the completed drawer assemblies). Normally, I would just stack them overnight with heavy weight and probably this would handle the 1/4". BTW, this is a basement shop w humidity issue. I keep the dehumidifier running always. Not a big deal but, any tricks you guys know to handle a bow like this?? Thanks:confused:

[Chip Charnley]

Are you talking about bow or cup? The reason I ask is your comment about using weight to remove the issue. I don't see that that would help with bow but would with cup.

Only way I know to get rid of bow is with a good jointer or a tablesaw with jig.

[Lee Schierer]

Wow, 1/4" over 28 is a pretty healthy bow.

Do you have a moisture meter? What is the MC of the board?

Was this board left on the floor or facing a wall for some time? If it was, put the board back where it was the other way around. If this board was resawed off a thicker piece you may also have a moiture issue, but it might also take care of itself after a few more days.

You can try wetting the concave surface to see if it will expand enough to eliminate the bow. Then allow the board to dry in a stickered stack with either clamps or weigh holding it flat.

If the final thickness is to be 3/4, then you should be able to joint out some of the bow on a good jointer.

[tod evans]

jerry, if it was me i`d grab another board instead of chancing that the one you have might calm down and behave...02 tod

[Jerry Olexa]

Are you talking about bow or cup? The reason I ask is your comment about using weight to remove the issue. I don't see that that would help with bow but would with cup.

Only way I know to get rid of bow is with a good jointer or a tablesaw with jig.

Chip: Im talking Bow which I believe is the variation on the length. 1/4" over a 28 inch length. Cup to me means accross the grain (the short distance: in this case about 6") and cup IMHO is usually harder to handle. You can flex a board even in your hand this size and correct most of it. I'm thinking my drawer pulls will straighten the rest of it out when I attach to drawer inner case.

[Jerry Olexa]

Thanks guys...I'm thinking after a liitle weight leveling (overnight), the rest can probably be handled with the drawer pulls as I tighten them down. There'll be 4 small screws in each drawer face panel to hold them tight after alignment. Maybe I'm too optimistic:) :D Thanks for your ideas

[Travis Johnson]

Jerry, I know exactly what you are talking about because this same thing happened to me on a Black Cherry Toolbox I was making. I was able to salvage the raised panel, the top of the lid, by using a strong back underneath.

A strong back comes from the fabrication/ machinist world where a piece of metal is placed on edge underneath a tacked up weld joint. It ends up looking like a T when you are done. To salvage my bowed top, I simply held the bowed panel down with weight (sand bags) and then screwed a board two inches wide on edge underneath the bowed panel to form a wood T. Of course this does show, but in my case, the board disappeared from view once the lid was shut.

I cannot envision exactly what you are doing so I admit my solution is a 50% chance at best in your case. Still, for what it is worth, a strong back can often get you out of a mess.

[Jerry Olexa]

Thanks Guys good advice from everyone. Think I'll be OK (if not, I'll just get a bigger hammer:D )