Some background...we have some shagbark hickory around that was cut for firewood originally. I believe this is from a tree that was felled not quite 2 years ago. The wood is sound and pretty much free from insects, etc.
One of my boys is suddenly in a big hurry to build a couple of cribbage boards, one of which he wants to give as a wedding gift for one of his roommates, who is getting married over Labor Day weekend.
He would like to use a piece of this hickory as the base of the board and then the thought is to inlay walnut, or some other darker exotic wood. The inlaid walnut will be where the cribbage "tracks" are drilled, the hickory is the base board.
I tested one of the hickory logs tonight with my moisture tester and it was right around 16%...about what I would have guessed. So it has certainly dried down a ways, but is not down in the 8% range yet.
Tonight we cut four approx. 4/4 thick slabs the length of the log...about 18" long. I then used some 1/4" oak for stickers and placed those between the 4 hickory slabs and then wired the log back together essentially.
My thought is to quick finish the drying process in the oven and wiring it together will hopefully help to avoid curling/cupping. I have never done this before, but we are trying to expedite the drying process so he can finish the board in time to give it away less than a month from now. I would be fine with the center two boards making it through this process and sacrificing the outer two.
Am I bananas here, or is there a better way to finish drying these boards. I would hate to have him invest the time to make an inlaid, hand made cribbage board and give one away as a wedding present...only to have it warp or crack later, etc.
I know we could buy an already dry piece of hickory and be good to go...but this hickory is from our farm and there is a desire to make these boards from "our" wood...particularly the one he plans on giving as a gift.
Shoot...for that matter...we could cut a couple walnut branches this weekend and dry those babies up quick like for the inlay pieces...then whole thing would be native.
Anyhoo...does anyone have any good advice on small quantity wood drying that would fit the scenario I described above? TIA.
One of my boys is suddenly in a big hurry to build a couple of cribbage boards, one of which he wants to give as a wedding gift for one of his roommates, who is getting married over Labor Day weekend.
He would like to use a piece of this hickory as the base of the board and then the thought is to inlay walnut, or some other darker exotic wood. The inlaid walnut will be where the cribbage "tracks" are drilled, the hickory is the base board.
I tested one of the hickory logs tonight with my moisture tester and it was right around 16%...about what I would have guessed. So it has certainly dried down a ways, but is not down in the 8% range yet.
Tonight we cut four approx. 4/4 thick slabs the length of the log...about 18" long. I then used some 1/4" oak for stickers and placed those between the 4 hickory slabs and then wired the log back together essentially.
My thought is to quick finish the drying process in the oven and wiring it together will hopefully help to avoid curling/cupping. I have never done this before, but we are trying to expedite the drying process so he can finish the board in time to give it away less than a month from now. I would be fine with the center two boards making it through this process and sacrificing the outer two.
Am I bananas here, or is there a better way to finish drying these boards. I would hate to have him invest the time to make an inlaid, hand made cribbage board and give one away as a wedding present...only to have it warp or crack later, etc.
I know we could buy an already dry piece of hickory and be good to go...but this hickory is from our farm and there is a desire to make these boards from "our" wood...particularly the one he plans on giving as a gift.
Shoot...for that matter...we could cut a couple walnut branches this weekend and dry those babies up quick like for the inlay pieces...then whole thing would be native.
Anyhoo...does anyone have any good advice on small quantity wood drying that would fit the scenario I described above? TIA.