Roger Bull
02-25-2008, 2:11 PM
I finally started my bubinga bedroom suite project and spent the weekend choosing which cuts to make on which boards. This wood had been here for a long time and was quite dry (no meter used).
After I finished getting the most efficient use I could out of each board I started cutting. The last cuts were rips for the spindles on the bed etc. Some of you probably know where this is going already... :rolleyes:
Since these were 4/4 boards I decided to cut the spindles 1 and 1/8" to give me a finished dimension of ~3/4 x 4/4 via the drum sander. As I was ripping the spindles (from boards crosscut to several times the rough spindle length) I was impressed by how fast the wood curled. The thought that came to mind was 'like metal shavings on a lathe' (my mouth was saying something else). One pass would have the spindle peeling off to the right. The next pass would be trying to go to the left. Thank goodness for the riving knife on my SawStop because those pieces were trying hard to grab the blade even though I was pushing them through at a good clip.
Knowing this can happen, I spent a lot of time deciding which boards to use. I chose the straightest grained boards I had. Some ripped perfectly and others curled impressively (6" - 8" in 5'). There was no obvious way to tell which way each board would perform.
I hate to waste wood. I thought about wetting one side (or soaking the whole piece) and then stickering and stacking with weight to dry. Since that is not always a permanent fix it could be a big problem after assembly. I ended up ripping more than I planned to get enough straight pieces. I have lots of time to fix the crooked ones and use them later.
Any better suggestions on how to straighten and stabilize narrow pieces such as these?
Thanks,
-Roger
And before it is suggested - no, I do not need to build a rocking chair. :cool:
After I finished getting the most efficient use I could out of each board I started cutting. The last cuts were rips for the spindles on the bed etc. Some of you probably know where this is going already... :rolleyes:
Since these were 4/4 boards I decided to cut the spindles 1 and 1/8" to give me a finished dimension of ~3/4 x 4/4 via the drum sander. As I was ripping the spindles (from boards crosscut to several times the rough spindle length) I was impressed by how fast the wood curled. The thought that came to mind was 'like metal shavings on a lathe' (my mouth was saying something else). One pass would have the spindle peeling off to the right. The next pass would be trying to go to the left. Thank goodness for the riving knife on my SawStop because those pieces were trying hard to grab the blade even though I was pushing them through at a good clip.
Knowing this can happen, I spent a lot of time deciding which boards to use. I chose the straightest grained boards I had. Some ripped perfectly and others curled impressively (6" - 8" in 5'). There was no obvious way to tell which way each board would perform.
I hate to waste wood. I thought about wetting one side (or soaking the whole piece) and then stickering and stacking with weight to dry. Since that is not always a permanent fix it could be a big problem after assembly. I ended up ripping more than I planned to get enough straight pieces. I have lots of time to fix the crooked ones and use them later.
Any better suggestions on how to straighten and stabilize narrow pieces such as these?
Thanks,
-Roger
And before it is suggested - no, I do not need to build a rocking chair. :cool: