Advice needed Maple slab issues...

[minuztarzan]

Dear All,

I'm new to this website and this is my first post.
I need some advice.
I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Maple which was brought over here from Hungary, I was told it was kiln dried.
The slab came at a thickness of 40mm and had been planed using a router sled to this thickness.

Being a novice to woodworking, I made a plan for my first coffee table, and proceeded to cut it yesterday to its final dimensions at my local workshop.
At this point a senior woodworker came in, told me how beautiful the slab is, and told me it needs to dry. I told him its been kiln dried and he told me it hasnt... telling me he can tell just by touching it that its still wet.

My issue is this, I have already cut it to its final dimensions...
I read alot about how wood can warp etc as it dries, and checking can occur on end grain, so this morning I sealed the ends with mineral oil and candle wax. I ordered a moisture reader and that is on its way in the post.

I plan on keeping the slab which is 50cm x 150cm at its current dimensions and wish to minimise warping. Should I screw in some steel flat bar on the back side with slotted screw holes to allow for expansion and prevent warping?
What else can I do?
I really want to minimise my yield by cutting it anymore after it is fully dried?

Any advice will be appreciated...

 

[custard]

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Maple which was brought over here from Hungary, I was told it was kiln dried.
The slab came at a thickness of 40mm and had been planed using a router sled to this thickness.

Where did you buy it?

 

[minuztarzan]

@custard, I bought it off gumtree, a hungarian fella who travels up there every few months and brings back a tonne of wood whihc he uses or sells

 

[minuztarzan]

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Maple which was brought over here from Hungary, I was told it was kiln dried.
The slab came at a thickness of 40mm and had been planed using a router sled to this thickness.

Where did you buy it?

@custard, I bought it off gumtree, a hungarian fella who travels up there every few months and brings back a tonne of wood whihc he uses or sells

 

[custard]

Okay, then there's every chance it hasn't been kiln dried, or even properly air dried. Indeed there's every chance if it was flattened on a router sled that more material has been removed from one face than the other, which isn't a good strategy for long term stability.

Leave it in your workshop, properly supported so air can circulate around it, for at least a year and then take another look and decide what to do then. Forget about steel bar, if wood wants to move it'll find a way, either now or in the future.

In the meantime pop down to Surrey Timbers near Guildford and get a properly dry slab for your project. No doubt you'll pay more, but you'll also improve your chances of a successful outcome immeasurably.

Good luck!

 

[minuztarzan]

Okay, then there's every chance it hasn't been kiln dried, or even properly air dried. Indeed there's every chance if it was flattened on a router sled that more material has been removed from one face than the other, which isn't a good strategy for long term stability.

Leave it in your workshop, properly supported so air can circulate around it, for at least a year and then take another look and decide what to do then. Forget about steel bar, if wood wants to move it'll find a way, either now or in the future.

In the meantime pop down to Surrey Timbers near Guildford and get a properly dry slab for your project. No doubt you'll pay more, but you'll also improve your chances of a successful outcome immeasurably.

Good luck!

Hey thanks for the advice, much appreciated.
Do you have any idea where I can find out the ideal moisture content for wood?

 

[custard]

Okay, then there's every chance it hasn't been kiln dried, or even properly air dried. Indeed there's every chance if it was flattened on a router sled that more material has been removed from one face than the other, which isn't a good strategy for long term stability.

Leave it in your workshop, properly supported so air can circulate around it, for at least a year and then take another look and decide what to do then. Forget about steel bar, if wood wants to move it'll find a way, either now or in the future.

In the meantime pop down to Surrey Timbers near Guildford and get a properly dry slab for your project. No doubt you'll pay more, but you'll also improve your chances of a successful outcome immeasurably.

Good luck!

Hey thanks for the advice, much appreciated.
Do you have any idea where I can find out the ideal moisture content for wood?

If you've got an accurate moisture meter you're looking for about 10%, but for a coffee table which doesn't have any components that might bind or jam, then 12% will do fine. The problem though with meters, or at least the affordable type with prongs, is that they give you a reading only where you check. Personally I'd forget about meters, store it for 12 months and look at then to see if there's been much movement. If there hasn't then you're good to go, if there has then plane it flat, put it back in store and check again a few weeks later.

 

[Ttrees]

A moisture meter is used for the job.
You can buy ones in Lidl or Aldi when they come in, I have not seen them this year yet, though, so there may be
a good chance it might come up soon.
It was only a tenner, so not expecting miracles
What say ye folks about these cheapies?

Another thing I was looking at, was the gun style thermometers (20 quidish in Lidl/Aldi) to aid the moisture meters
and also handy for laminating timbers
Love to see an opinion on these
Thanks

Tom

 

[minuztarzan]

A moisture meter is used for the job.
You can buy ones in Lidl or Aldi when they come in, I have not seen them this year yet, though, so there may be
a good chance it might come up soon.
It was only a tenner, so not expecting miracles
What say ye folks about these cheapies?

Another thing I was looking at, was the gun style thermometers (20 quidish in Lidl/Aldi) to aid the moisture meters
and also handy for laminating timbers
Love to see an opinion on these
Thanks

Tom

Yeah I have ordered one on amazon and its coming tomorow, I just didn't know the figure I was to be looking for..

 

[minuztarzan]

Okay, then there's every chance it hasn't been kiln dried, or even properly air dried. Indeed there's every chance if it was flattened on a router sled that more material has been removed from one face than the other, which isn't a good strategy for long term stability.

Leave it in your workshop, properly supported so air can circulate around it, for at least a year and then take another look and decide what to do then. Forget about steel bar, if wood wants to move it'll find a way, either now or in the future.

In the meantime pop down to Surrey Timbers near Guildford and get a properly dry slab for your project. No doubt you'll pay more, but you'll also improve your chances of a successful outcome immeasurably.

Good luck!

Hey thanks for the advice, much appreciated.
Do you have any idea where I can find out the ideal moisture content for wood?

If you've got an accurate moisture meter you're looking for about 10%, but for a coffee table which doesn't have any components that might bind or jam, then 12% will do fine. The problem though with meters, or at least the affordable type with prongs, is that they give you a reading only where you check. Personally I'd forget about meters, store it for 12 months and look at then to see if there's been much movement. If there hasn't then you're good to go, if there has then plane it flat, put it back in store and check again a few weeks later.

Thanks for the advice mate!

 

[custard]

You're welcome. You might find this useful,

how-to-buy-hardwoods-t107912.html

Also a guy on the forum is compiling a list of recommended timber yards, you'll find it in the sticky posts at the top of the forum. But if you're interested in waney edged slabs then Surrey Timbers or Moss & Co in Perivale are good options, two other excellent options that are a bit further away are Tylers out along the M4 or English Woodlands Timber in Sussex.

 

[Jacob]

If you monitor it whilst it dries you might get a good idea of how it's going and how far it's got to go.
Apply a straight edge and measure gaps, check again in the same position a few weeks later.
Weigh it at intervals and make a graph of weight over time. It'll tail out as it dries