Bowed Wood

[rlroach]

I have a small amount of lumber that I bought for cherry. Not sure where it was grown but don't think it is southern cherry. It is twelve inches wide. I had a couple of pieces about two feet long planed to one half inch thickness. In a couple of days it it taken on a bow about one quarter inch. Is there any way I can reverse this and will it stay if corrected. I would like to use it in the twelve inch width.
Thanks for any help.


Ray

[greatdane2]

Too late! It must of had a bit of moisture left in it. Its hard to dry boards that short but sealing the ends and stacking it with thin wood stips across about 1 inch thick with a lot of weight on top will help next time. You can buy moisture meters that will tell you how dry the wood is. I use mine every time I go to buy wood. They have come down in price the last few years and are worth every penny.
As to the wood you have now I would let it dry out and plain it down again to smooth it out.

[Terry Jay]

Ray, what you describe is associated with differential shrinkage in the drying process. If you can support the entire piece(s) with a few stickers and put some weight on them for a while they will continue to dry and may (or may not) straighten. Try 4 pieces of 1x1x2', lay on a sheet, 4 more pieces, sheet, 4 more pieces, even weight across everything. The process will likely take months at the temperatures and humidity typical of a house or shop.

Others may have different comments. Best wishes for success.

Terry

[sawdustus]

Ray, it is not uncommon for thin wood to bow (curve along its length) or cup (curve across its width) when it is planed down or resawn from thicker lumber. When resawing, it is uneven tension in the wood and there is not much to do but try what Alan and Terry have suggested. When planing it thin, plane an equal amount from each side by alternating your planing runs from one side to the other. This reduces the risk of cupping or bowing since the internal moisture now has a equal chance of getting out from each side.

george

[Jediscroller]

Flat-sawn lumber in that width is almost always going to bow to some degree. I tend to stay away from stuff that wide and try to limit myself to a max of 6" widths. I'll edge-join the boards if I need wider pieces. Qtr-sawn lumber will be less likely to warp but even that at 12" widths will probably distort some as well. Sometimes cutting the frets out of the center will relieve the internal stresses and the board will flatten somewhat but this is also hit and miss. If we could just figure out how to grow straight, square trees the bowing problem would be a thing of the past.