Work Wet or Wait??

[cpowell]

I got some nice AD red oak slabs from DaveO...3 3/4 inches or so thick. I milled it oversized for bed posts (3 1/4 x 3 1/4) for a Mission style bed for my son. When I ripped it on the BS, I could tell it was still a little wet (I don't have a moisture meter but it is NOT dry). The wood has been stickered for a week since milling, no twist or warp.

I am tempted to use this stock because:
A. It will be solid 3x3 final dimension, giving the heavy look I want.
B. DaveO gave me a great price (12/4 KD red oak is VERY expensive).
C. I hate the extra time it takes to mill, laminate 3 boards, re-mill to final dimension. Making big posts with big stock is SOOOOO much easier!

But, I am nervous about the MC. I will have two 4 x 3/4 mortises on each post for the top and bottom rails. The headboard will have an addl mortise for the stretcher at the bootom. The rail piece tenons will be kiln dried. My fear is that the mortises on the "wet" posts will shrink as the wood dries and the tenons will not because they're dry to ambient MC. Is there a chance the posts will split?

I am leaning toward setting these aside to dry for a future project but am willing to use them now if the collective experts here think my fears are unjustified.

Thanks,

Chuck

 

[Travis Porter]

I would wait. It is likely to bow or twist on you, and then you would really be upset.

 

[walnutjerry]

Chuck--------I agree with Travis. If that oak has only been milled a couple weeks it is really wet. You would be asking for a lot of heartache to use it in furniture now.

Jerry

 

[cpowell]

The wood had been cut and stickered for quite some time (maybe 18 months?) before I got it but I was warned by the seller that it was not ready. I jumped the gun. :eusa_doh:

I'm going to sticker the wood for another year before I use it.

Thanks,

Chuck

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I'd wait, especially with oak that thick- oak dries slowly. Are you going for the Arts and Crafts quartersawn grain look? If so, Stickley often used a technique to make legs out of four quartersawn pieces mitered or lock mitered together so the characteristic Arts and Crafts quartersawn ray fleck is visible on all four sides.

 

[cpowell]

I'd wait, especially with oak that thick- oak dries slowly. Are you going for the Arts and Crafts quartersawn grain look? If so, Stickley often used a technique to make legs out of four quartersawn pieces mitered or lock mitered together so the characteristic Arts and Crafts quartersawn ray fleck is visible on all four sides.

Alan, I'm using flat sawn RO. I can't afford the adder for QSRO. I like the idea of the miter though, if only to cover the glue joints.