Any tip what to do to warped boards?
- Thread starter RC
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Hi Reiska
Almost every piece of wood that goes into my workshop is never really true. For small twists and bends I start on the jointer (mine is a planer thicknesser and can be set up like a jointer) and get a face side followed by a face edge flat and at right angles. Once that is done you can thickness it to get a squared up block.
I sometimes find some really badly twisted stock and take a good look at each piece before deciding what is best. I usually cut the wood into shorter sections and true up in the normal way. If you have a piece that you do not want to shorten but it is too twisted to easily true up on the jointer then you can attached straight edges to act as a guide for thicknessing the opposite side. You can mark a straight line and try and re-saw it on the bandsaw or you can tackle it by hand (not for me anymore).
I would not attempt to 'un-twist' a piece by soaking, steaming or heating as it is never reliable.
Finally, there is always the firewood pile!
Peter
Almost every piece of wood that goes into my workshop is never really true. For small twists and bends I start on the jointer (mine is a planer thicknesser and can be set up like a jointer) and get a face side followed by a face edge flat and at right angles. Once that is done you can thickness it to get a squared up block.
I sometimes find some really badly twisted stock and take a good look at each piece before deciding what is best. I usually cut the wood into shorter sections and true up in the normal way. If you have a piece that you do not want to shorten but it is too twisted to easily true up on the jointer then you can attached straight edges to act as a guide for thicknessing the opposite side. You can mark a straight line and try and re-saw it on the bandsaw or you can tackle it by hand (not for me anymore).
I would not attempt to 'un-twist' a piece by soaking, steaming or heating as it is never reliable.
Finally, there is always the firewood pile!
Peter
Ah, that's precisely what I didn't want to hear since I don't have access to a planer/thicknesser nor a bandsaw nor do I have a fireplace either [sad]
I can edge joint to some extent with my EHL65 in it's stand, but it's not good at any longer lengths of board and limited to 65mm width. And I can cut strips with my TS-saw with either the guide rails or in the CMS, but I don't think I can get away with them tools from the thicknessing phase?
I guess I'll have to get cracking on building the boxes for the S.O.'s planting gear and reclaim the whole shed for myself as a man-cave - maybe then I could somehow fit a tabletop planer/thicknesser in there...
Where's the Tardis when you need one? [scratch chin]
I can edge joint to some extent with my EHL65 in it's stand, but it's not good at any longer lengths of board and limited to 65mm width. And I can cut strips with my TS-saw with either the guide rails or in the CMS, but I don't think I can get away with them tools from the thicknessing phase?
I guess I'll have to get cracking on building the boxes for the S.O.'s planting gear and reclaim the whole shed for myself as a man-cave - maybe then I could somehow fit a tabletop planer/thicknesser in there...
Where's the Tardis when you need one? [scratch chin]
Sparktrician
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Don't throw it out. Find a local woodcarving artist and make a deal. They could make you a wood sculpture for your business in return.
[smile]
[smile]
Reiska said:
The most reliable method to "straighten" timber is by removing stock. I wouldn't trust lumber that had been stressed or coached back to flat.
Since you don't have a jointer/planer I assume you are building furniture for enjoyment not profit.
I don't have a power planer but I do have a power jointer which is burried & hardly ever used -- I discovered the quiet, dustless joy of using bench planes and always use those to bring stock to size & flatness after I've sawed to near net. I can control dimensions much more accurately (
I'm purely a hobbyist with woodworking - I earn a living with keeping banks compliant to regulation [big grin].
If I had even a bit of permanent heated shop space I would get a 300mm jointer/planer since that's how I learned to prepare boards in school all those years ago, but don't have any and have to make do with predimentioned stock from the lumberyard.
For some reason those lunchbox thicknessers don't seem to be sold in Europe much - only saw some in the UK I think one was a Jet and another was an Axminster labeled China-import. The neat DeWalt ones seem to have stayed on your side of the pond (the one with proper roller locks model 734 maybe?).
If I had even a bit of permanent heated shop space I would get a 300mm jointer/planer since that's how I learned to prepare boards in school all those years ago, but don't have any and have to make do with predimentioned stock from the lumberyard.
For some reason those lunchbox thicknessers don't seem to be sold in Europe much - only saw some in the UK I think one was a Jet and another was an Axminster labeled China-import. The neat DeWalt ones seem to have stayed on your side of the pond (the one with proper roller locks model 734 maybe?).
Ah, got carried away in my last post a bit. I currently only have a Stanley 4C smoothing hand plane, though I'm currently waiting for pictures of a friends fathers tool collection who used to be a boat builder before he passed away. Apparently he had a large selection of hand tools that no-one in the family wants so I'll get first picks and I'm hoping to get lucky with some nice tools.
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Reiska
My late uncle was a boat builder and he was probably the finest carpenter that I have ever met. His tools were amazing. If that is anything to go by then you may be a very lucky chap. You still need a planer/thicknesser and a bandsaw. I could not function without those two machines. So, build yourself a shed and get some tools to go in it! I will send you some plans if that would help.
Peter
My late uncle was a boat builder and he was probably the finest carpenter that I have ever met. His tools were amazing. If that is anything to go by then you may be a very lucky chap. You still need a planer/thicknesser and a bandsaw. I could not function without those two machines. So, build yourself a shed and get some tools to go in it! I will send you some plans if that would help.
Peter
Michael Kellough
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You have to cut them into smaller pieces to minimize the relative amount of warp (relative warp will be that same in a consistently twisted piece no matter the length) and then glue into larger assemblies, like table tops. Trying to reduce the twist by flattening results in smaller usable (thickness) sections anyway so you might as well re-cut and waste less wood.
Cutting twisted wood is a good job for a band saw.
You need a good strong bench for hand planing but a power planer like the 65 does not. If you re-saw the stock down to the width the 65 can handle you can get it into good shape. Since you don't have a planer, get the inner joining surfaces true enough to fit well and then you can sand the exterior to suit.
The boatbuilder likely had some very interesting tools. Don't miss this opportunity. Do some studying.
appearance can be deceiving. An old well used chisel indicates that it was a fine combination of durability and ease of sharpening rather than just and "old" tool to be passed up.
Cutting twisted wood is a good job for a band saw.
You need a good strong bench for hand planing but a power planer like the 65 does not. If you re-saw the stock down to the width the 65 can handle you can get it into good shape. Since you don't have a planer, get the inner joining surfaces true enough to fit well and then you can sand the exterior to suit.
The boatbuilder likely had some very interesting tools. Don't miss this opportunity. Do some studying.
appearance can be deceiving. An old well used chisel indicates that it was a fine combination of durability and ease of sharpening rather than just and "old" tool to be passed up.
Reiska said:
That must be difficult job! [smile]
I have one of those Axminster lunchbox thicknessers [344cx] dont know if they still sell them . It's actually quite good but I have to buy disposable blades all the time [sad] Don't have a band saw but I often think about getting one....anyone heard of an Italian make Meber?
Nigel said:
For some reason (unknown to me, others probably know) the best bandsaws seem to come from Italy with some exceptions like the old Inca machines (small models). There are many on here better versed with the various manufacturers but I've not heard of any bad bandsaws coming from Italy (things do change though).
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I'm more likely to toss a straight/flat piece of wood in the burn pile than a really warped piece.
Nigel said:
I've never owned or operated a Meber, but I do know they have been making bandsaws for over fifty years just outside of Balogna, Italy.
Their machines seem to be well regarded. They were the first company to build bandsaws for Laguna Tools, back when Laguna was considered top of the line. Laguna later switched to ACM, also in Italy, and then to several other suppliers in several different countries.
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