LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner
Cancel

Wood Warping

702 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Unknowncraftsman, 
J
I have been making cribbage boards for 5 years using a variety of woods. I've sold 50+ never hearing about issues. Today I saw 2 that had warped really bad. One was Purple Heart 3/4 inch thick glued to a 1/2" thick piece of yellow heart. The other was mahogany and cherry.

The boards are round 15 inches in diameter and I glue the 2 pieces together to make them about 1 1/4 thick.

I guess I'm wondering if I should be worried I have a bunch of upset people or is this a one off? Also looking for suggestions on how to minimize this in the future.
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Unknowncraftsman
We can only guess.
Since your the crafter of the piece your guess is better then anyone's.
I bet you even know the answer just listen to your inner small voice.
There is one scenario that could be considered. Your costumers treatment of the board. Left near a window laying flat on the table. Direct sun light will heat up one side. Wood will cup rift or quarter sawn I believe will help but no guarantee.
Good Luck
Reply
Save
Like
therealSteveN
When you pick your pieces are you paying any attention to grain direction, how the board is sawn. Flat, Rift, QS? Different woods, and among them different grain, cut characteristics often have different behaviors. Any 2 behaviors not heading the same way can get ugly.

It obviously disturbs you, seeing your posting asking for help with it. A possible consideration is to suggest anyone who notes something like this, should contact you. Unless you become clairvoyant I see it as the only way to track what different matches will do.

I think Aj makes a good point, a lot of it could be how, where it's being stored.
Reply
Save
Like
R
It's risky to glue boards to make thicker stock. If they don't move in unison, warping can result.
Reply
Save
Like
northwoodsman
The points above are all correct. The way that you orienting them when you are gluing them the boards will expand and contract at a different rate and warping is inevitable. Is there a specific reason for your method?
Reply
Save
Like
Lazyman
It s risky to glue boards to make thicker stock. If they don t move in unison, warping can result.

- Rich
Click to expand...
+1, especially if you oriented the grain on the 2 layers at right angles to each other. That will almost always result in warping because there is almost no expansion along the length of the grain. Even if the grain runs the same direction, both yellow hear and purple heart have about the same tangential expansion but different radial expansion rates so you are likely to get a little warping just because the movement across the grain will not be the same in each piece.

The best way to get 1.5" stock, for example, from the 3/4 or 1/2" original boards is to cut them into 1.5" strips, turn them sideways and glue them together that way.
Reply
Save
Like
J
The points above are all correct. The way that you orienting them when you are gluing them the boards will expand and contract at a different rate and warping is inevitable. Is there a specific reason for your method?

No reason. Just really like the look of the contrasting woods. If I could figure out how to upload photos I would but have not figured that out yet.

- northwoodsman
Click to expand...
Reply
Save
Like
J
I appreciate all the feedback. I thought by putting the grains at 90 degrees would help, but I guess that actually hurt me.

So other than cutting strips as you would for a cutting board I'm playing a little Russian roulette it sounds like. Would there be species of woods that might work better? Walnut and maple? Maple and cherry! Cherry maple?

Weird thing is I have 10 I know of and people have not had any issues so may be a storage issue on these two.

Thanks to all that replied
Reply
Save
Like
R
Head over to the Wood Database and check out the tangential shrinkage numbers for wood you're interested in. They vary from species to species.

If you can match them pretty closely, and the two board's MC is close to the same, you should be able to glue up stable 15" rounds. I'd definitely align the grain parallel.
Reply
Save
Like
Lazyman
Also note that the radial expansion is usually less than the tangential, sometimes half as much. If the board is quarter sawn, this make the radial expansion the primary rate so it helps to minimize the movement with moisture changes. With flat sawn wood, the tangential rate is the primary one to worry about.
Reply
Save
Like
R
Also note that the radial expansion is usually less than the tangential, sometimes half as much. If the board is quarter sawn, this make the radial expansion the primary rate so it helps to minimize the movement with moisture changes. With flat sawn wood, the tangential rate is the primary one to worry about.

- Lazyman
Click to expand...
Good point. I hadn't considered that.
Reply
Save
Like
Unknowncraftsman
I think 1.5 is too thin for 15 inch circle. I would shoot for 1.75 to 2 inches. Add feet to the bottom too.
I hope you mind us making your product more expensive for you to make. :)
Good Luck
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
LumberJocks Woodworking Forum
A forum community dedicated to professional woodworkers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about shop safety, wood, carpentry, lumber, finishing, tools, machinery, woodworking related topics, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Blogs Power Tools, Hardware and Accessories Woodworking Skill Share Off Topic Coffee Lounge Hand Tools
Top