Warped walnut

[Dewey Torres]

I will find some figured walnut per Ralph and make a new top. I have worked on this for quite a while and am very grateful for the guilt relief. Thanks to all.

Frank,
Looks like you figured out the pics which were a great help to your responses. Always add pics when you can especially on questions. You will get more and better answers!

One request,
Use you new found pic posting skills to follow up once you fix it. These are the things folks after you will look up and solve because you took the time to share.

Good luck on the fix!

[Frank Gilbert]

So here are two pictures to share now. One my dad signed his work in 1954 and second the torture device, including heat and moisture, that so far has failed. I work in decades instead of days so don't look for the finished product until January.

[Rich Enders]

I had an old round oak table which had cupped drop down leaves. It had been owned by a neighbor who had it since 1925. We purchased it 40 years ago and at that time I had read something about wetting the concave side. Dutifully I stripped and sanded that side and then tried to keep it wet. After a few days of wetting and seeing no results, I rigged a hose to trickle over the surface. Weeks later I checked, and still no movement and I basically gave up, but left the water trickling.

Then one day perhaps 6 or more months later I checked and the leaves were flat..... Not perfect, but good enough for government work as they used to say. I am not sure of the exact cause of this, but maybe it is akin to air drying wood. Meaning that it takes a year, or years for wood to give up moisture, and it took quite a while for this wood to reabsorb water and swell enough to finally to overcome the internal stress that was cupping it.

The table and leaves were then finished with several coats of Polycrylic (to try to maintain a very light color), and the leaves had not cupped again until the last time I saw the table in 2002.

[John Keeton]

Frank, was this table one of your Dad's pieces and did he sign it? If it was on the top, perhaps you could extract that piece out and use it somehow in the new top.

[Frank Gilbert]

The Oak story is fantastic and backs up the information in "Furniture Restoration" by Marx and Marx. Their instructions include the advice that the wood warped over a long period of time and unwarping time will be unpredictable.
The table was made by my father and yes I will make something else from the table top. His signature was on a dust panel under the drawer so easy to include in the repair.
Could you recommend a source for figured walnut?

I inherited my dads shop and just at the right time as at 61 I am taking time to begin learning the craft. Everything is from the 1950's. When you get the whole shop you don't have to buy punches, rasp, nails or screws. Trouble is machines like the Black and Decker sanders are no match for Festool and large equipment needs a lot of clean up, new cords etc. I have been shocked by how much machinery has improved -Model T to Honda Accord- and how much I need to learn and how wonderful the people are in this field. Another surprise to me is I am leaning toward hand tools! A lifetime project no matter the path taken.

[Chris Padilla]

Frank,

Look in the manufacturer's forum for some leads on locating figured Walnut. Ebay can be a good source, too. Where are you located (you may wish to fill that in on your profile) as that may help us to help send you somewhere and seeing it in person is always the best if you can do it.

[Frank Gilbert]

[Frank Gilbert]

[Frank Gilbert]

I am dumbfounded that I cannot understand how to add a photo of the table. Advise please.

[Matt Day]

And it only took 12 years to report back, a record! Glad you fixed it.

There is photo posting information in the Forum Tech Support subforum.

[Tom Levy]

Original poster replies back after 12 years? This is one of the more amazing things I've seen. What happened in those twelve years? 2008 was right when the original iPhone was released, Obama was about to be elected and the office on tv was still new and really good. An age ago as they say across the pond.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I think I would go the other direction and remove the top, joint the two edges and re-glue the two boards, then run that rascal through a wide belt sander to remove the high spot in the center, which looks to be about a 16th or more, hard to see. Then re-finish and re-attach.

Why not?

No harm in trying. Saves money and time.

[Lee Schierer]

I am dumbfounded that I cannot understand how to add a photo of the table. Advise please.

In every message reply form there is a small icon of a tree in a picture frame.photo.JPG, simply click on the picture frame, then select your photo and click on upload. Once the photo posts you should see this type of text where your cursor was (ATTACH=CONFIG]430809[/ATTACH]

One thing that the OP was never asked and never showed was how the table top was attached to the stringers. The top according to the first photo he posted was cross grain to the stringers and if it was not allowed to move with seasonal moisture changes (slotted screw holes, figure 8 fasteners, cleats, etc), the cupping was like to occur and may well reoccur unless that problem is fixed.

I would also recommend that he apply equal amounts and types of finish to the underside of the top to slow moisture change effects.

[Frank Gilbert]

Tony you saved me and I am grateful. Hope the boating is still working for you. IMG_4929.jpg
I am grateful for all of the advice as I think there were several workable
solutions mentioned.

[Steve Demuth]

And it only took 12 years to report back, a record! Glad you fixed it.

There is photo posting information in the Forum Tech Support subforum.

+1 (or more). There are reasons this is my favorite forum. This will be one more.