Shiplap Back

[Mike Gottlieb]

I am about to install a maple shiplap back on a chest of drawers. I need some advice on the width of the expansion gap between the four maple boards approximately 36 x 5. Appreciate any help.

[Mel Fulks]

Kiln dried maple doesn't need much. I've always used "small flat , bead ,small flat ,bead...." on face and about 1/16th
between boards on back of back.

[Richard Coers]

We don't know what part of Washington you live in. The seasonal movement will be much different on the coast vs the high desert. In Central IL, I would build with dime thickness gap right now. The furnace is starting to run a little more regularly, but not nearly as dry as in January yet. In January I would build with a nickel thickness gap. If your maple is quarter sawn, it will barely move at all in the width.

[Derek Cohen]

I am about to install a maple shiplap back on a chest of drawers. I need some advice on the width of the expansion gap between the four maple boards approximately 36 x 5. Appreciate any help.

Mike, in a recent build, using flat sawn Walnut, I made the gap 2-3mm. The rebate on one side was 10mm and the other 7-8mm.



The pictorial is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...ngTheBack.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Warren Lake]

like Bead board or tongue and groove. In this case tongue and groove with a bevel. Ship lapped once prefer a tongue and groove to it, rather have wood fit into wood. Spacing usually just use a strip of laminate. Gap likely about .040 approx. season and material considered.

P1000261AB.jpg

[Mike Gottlieb]

Thanks all. I think a 2mm gap is what I will use.
Regards, Mike

[Tom Bender]

Beautiful shelving Warren. You have displayed a lot of wood without going all wood.

[Alan Lightstone]

Beautiful shelving Warren. You have displayed a lot of wood without going all wood.

I agree. Beautiful shelves, Warren. Giving me ideas to build...

[Gordon Dale]

I agree, those shelves are beautiful Warren. I'd be happy to hear about your finishing process if you'd care to share.

[Warren Lake]

Hi Gordon

Wood is birdseye I have a good stock cause of a great salesman years back who called said come in, have three lifts what you want so of course I did. For the back I picked low amount birdseye and got it to pop by using NGR stain. It will soak in to the softer areas and punch them up. Brand is goudey near toronto, while mentioning the brand realize you may not have it in your area. That company had extra hocus pokus stuff in their wiping stains that made them more brilliant and more depth, when I took my metal stir stick out of wiping stains there was some type of coating on the stick with very nice colour that stuck to the stick

I checked notes and dont see I recorded it I normally do. Its NGR stain and likely some oak colour as cherry was too orangey red brown so I took some oak stain and diluted it lots. The trick there is the NGR is wiped on by hand, while that might sound easy its not, you swipe it on and it flashes so fast you see your swipe and thats done. I would have found the slowest reducer and still had to go at warp speed. ITs supposed to be sprayed. This case Its in the wood not landing on it. When you spray it is more opaque even if a thin stain and if you build coats its sort of cloudy. Wiping also makes it blotch and that brings out the low figure wood lots more. Would have been sanded to 180 on the stroke sander and then RO 220 and something finer from there not sure, I go by what I see in the wood and some grains will look perfect then a foot away you will see grit marks. Finish is two coats of Becker acroma post cat 15 degree sheen, sanded 320 then one final coat.