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Why do dry straight boards twist as soon as I cut them?

3K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  Sleeper 
#1 ·
I need to make a facade over my daughters Fire place to hide wires to her TV and every board I cut twist up into a pretzel as soon as I rip it to 1” and before they even leave the Table Saw. I started with very dry aged 1x4 pine boards that I cut perfectly straight before ripping into 1” strips.

I chose Pine because it was light weight and the facade is 71”x 44” which will hang on the wall so that it is removable. Should I not use pine? I’m at the mercy of two big box stores here and the selection is not that great.
 
#2 ·
Sleeper said:
I need to make a facade over my daughters Fire place to hide wires to her TV and every board I cut twist up into a pretzel as soon as I rip it to 1” and before they even leave the Table Saw. I started with very dry aged 1x4 pine boards that I cut perfectly straight before ripping into 1” strips. I chose Pine because it was light weight and the facade is 71”x 44” which will hang on the wall so that it is removable. Should I not use pine? I’m at the mercy of two big box stores here and the selection is not that great.
How is it going to be finished? Paint?

I so I try for poplar or maple, or for perfect stability you could use MDF if painting.

Pine is notorious for warping.
 
#3 ·
Its all going to be painted, the pine boards are just to space the 1/4 plywood from the wall, but they have to be straight.

I guess I'll have to make another run to Home Depot. :glare:
I've been there every day this week. I'm going to have take note that if I ever move, I'll have to find a place right behind a Home Depot. :laughing:
 
#4 ·
It is difficult to know whether a board which appears flat has internal stress's.

The warping / twisting you are experiencing is due to internal stress in the wood.

I have experienced this myself. Last year a friend came over with kiln dried oak he was using to make a bed. He needed a 3/4in piece resawed. Did this with two passes on the table saw. First pass was easy. Big surprise on the second pass. The wood started to want to close on itself. Thank goodness for the riving knife.

My friend was amazed at the difference. Flat board to start with, and two highly curved pieces at the end.

If this is being painted, consider ripping pieces of 3/4in plywood, or as started earlier MDF. I prefer plywood, stronger for screwing the facing 1/4in plywood.

You could look for 1x2 stock at HD, but this will be more expensive than ripping plywood.
 
#5 ·
I was just now going through my wood shed and found a scrap piece of full 3/4" plywood with 5 layers. I'm not sure what grade it is, but it looks pretty good with no voids that I can see.
Do you think I could rip it down to 1" strips and it would stay intact?
 
#7 ·
Thanks Caninetman, I was thinking of gluing the edge to the face behind the Facade so the only thing showing would be the split between.
Well I'm off to Home Depot because the wife wants some blinds, so I'll have a look around.
 
#9 ·
We have come up in the world! :huh: Our Home Depot now has Maple and Birch although it is pretty expensive. I probably will not be buying much of it anytime soon, but at least I know it’s available. I thought the Red Oak was high and now it will not feel so extravagant to use. :smile:
Anyway I’ve decided to use the ¾” Plywood so I didn’t buy anything.
 
#10 ·
If I'm making something that absolutely needs to be and stay straight, I'll lamid solid wood. For instance: the stiles of a entry door, 1-3/4" thick x 5". I'll re-saw four lams 1/2" thick each and about 5- 1/2" wide. Glue it up on a flat beam or bench to a rough size and then mill it to the finished size. Lay the lams together so that the grain, bowing or cupping oppose the adjoining board so that they will work together to stay straight. You can apply the same techniques to any size workpieces you have.

I used this method on doors up to 14 feet tall with excellent results.

Bret

Door Property Architecture Arch Home door


Window Glass Door Clock Wood
 
#11 ·
Thanks Bret, wow that sure looks great and sounds like that the way to go. I'll have to keep that in mind for the next time. :thumbsup:

I have mine all glued up with the clamps on still on it. I put it together outside because my assembly table is too small and then decided to bring it into the shop for the night because its been getting cold and damp at night. As I was bringing it inside I noticed some flex and I'm now a little concerned that all 4 corners are going to fit tight up against the wall.

I may have to use hangers on the bottom as well as the top.
 
#12 ·
Sleeper said:
...I guess I'll have to make another run to Home Depot. :glare:
I've been there every day this week. I'm going to have take note that if I ever move, I'll have to find a place right behind a Home Depot. :laughing:
I hear ya brudda.

Lowes opened seven minutes from me shortly after I bought my home.

How considerate of them.
 
#13 ·
A few years ago I discovered an ACE Hardware store within a mile of my house. I don’t know how long they where they were there, but they were going out of business when I found them. I told them they should have advertized because I’m sure I wasn’t the only one and I would have done a lot of business there is I had only known.
 
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#16 ·
I went to the local hardware store one day when I was working on a plumbing project, and had mistakenly thought I had enough supplies at home already. The copper pipe and fittings would have been 80 bucks at the hardware store...I instead drove 7 miles to menards and paid less than 25...

The only reason I go to the hardware store anymore is for my annual fertilizer purchase....with their rebate their always the cheapest....and the screw, bolt and nut drawers...
 
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