Question for the experts...
I have been making a variety of furniture items recently (coffee tables, end tables, TV stands, buffets, etc) and in most cases, I use a solid 3/4" wood glued-up top for these pieces. Immediately after glue-up they are dead-flat, but after some time (a few days to a few weeks), they develop a slight bow across the end grain. Typically I see between 1/16" to a 1/8" bow over a 24" wide panel.
This is the typical process I follow:
1) Rough Mill square stock close to final dimensions (crosscut, joint 1st face, plane 2nd face, plane 1st face, joint 1st edge, rip 2nd edge on table saw)
2) Sticker the stock for 24-48 hours
3) Mill again to final dimensions, but leave slightly thicker than final top. (I usually use somewhere between 2-1/2" to 5" wide boards)
4) Joint edge that was cut on table saw
5) Glue-up to intermediate panels <13" wide using pipe clamps (so I can run through my planer after glue-up)
6) Remove from clamps after 1 hour and scrape off glue squeeze-out
6) Wait 24 hours
7) Run through planer to final thickness
8) Glue-up intermediate panels using pipe clamps to achieve overall size
9) Remove from clamps after 1 hour and scrape off glue squeeze-out.
10) Lean up against wall (at this point the panels are still dead flat)
11) When I'm ready to sand and trim panel to final dimensions (this can be several days or several weeks later), I notice the panel has bowed across the end grain!
Other notes:
- My shop is climate controlled, so I don't believe it is humidity related.
- I don't pay attention to end grain orientation when selecting boards for glue-up, thought this happens even with quartersawn glue-ups.
- Most often, I can still secure the top to the piece in such a way as to remove the bow, but I don't like that I have to do that.
Is there something I'm neglecting in this process?
I'd appreciate any words of wisdom, as this issue is really beginning to frustrate me.
Jeff
I have been making a variety of furniture items recently (coffee tables, end tables, TV stands, buffets, etc) and in most cases, I use a solid 3/4" wood glued-up top for these pieces. Immediately after glue-up they are dead-flat, but after some time (a few days to a few weeks), they develop a slight bow across the end grain. Typically I see between 1/16" to a 1/8" bow over a 24" wide panel.
This is the typical process I follow:
1) Rough Mill square stock close to final dimensions (crosscut, joint 1st face, plane 2nd face, plane 1st face, joint 1st edge, rip 2nd edge on table saw)
2) Sticker the stock for 24-48 hours
3) Mill again to final dimensions, but leave slightly thicker than final top. (I usually use somewhere between 2-1/2" to 5" wide boards)
4) Joint edge that was cut on table saw
5) Glue-up to intermediate panels <13" wide using pipe clamps (so I can run through my planer after glue-up)
6) Remove from clamps after 1 hour and scrape off glue squeeze-out
6) Wait 24 hours
7) Run through planer to final thickness
8) Glue-up intermediate panels using pipe clamps to achieve overall size
9) Remove from clamps after 1 hour and scrape off glue squeeze-out.
10) Lean up against wall (at this point the panels are still dead flat)
11) When I'm ready to sand and trim panel to final dimensions (this can be several days or several weeks later), I notice the panel has bowed across the end grain!
Other notes:
- My shop is climate controlled, so I don't believe it is humidity related.
- I don't pay attention to end grain orientation when selecting boards for glue-up, thought this happens even with quartersawn glue-ups.
- Most often, I can still secure the top to the piece in such a way as to remove the bow, but I don't like that I have to do that.
Is there something I'm neglecting in this process?
I'd appreciate any words of wisdom, as this issue is really beginning to frustrate me.
Jeff