Help & Advice when making wood letters

[toesy]

Any advice is greatly appreciated, I have made for my Family a few of the below "FAMILY - What Lifs is All About"

However I have the problem that the wood then bends, as you look down it side on, it seems that the wood (Pine) is losing its strength once the letters are cute.

Any idea how I can stop this, or is this the case with Soft woods?

 

[jonluv]

Hi Toesy
how thick is the wood?

John

 

[toesy]

Oops sorry forgot to mention that, 18mm thick.

 

[jonluv]

You could try having a base under " what's live all about" so the piece stands firm

But 18mm is usually fine for letters


John

 

[Chippygeoff]

That is the problem with pine. It is a poor wood to begin with and when you cut that lovely name you took the guts from the wood and pine being pine it began to warp. As Jonluv said, you could mount it on a plinth once it has been cut and this will help it a lot to remain straight. The other alternative of course is to make it from hardwood. I have made hundreds of signs and never had a problem with warping.

 

[cowboy682]

why don`t you try soaking it and put some weight on it but protect that lovely piece of work very nice cutting

 

[toesy]

Thank you all so far, I have soaked it in water and then put a granite block on top, This was ok, but as soon as the wood really dried out - it warped again.

I like the idea of a back board, maybe glue to some plywood and then I could frame it all.

"Chippygeoff" Hardwood does seem the real way forward.

Thanks again

 

[bodgerbaz]

Nice piece of cutting toesy. Very neat, sharp and even. Well done, I'd be dead chuffed with that if I'd cut it.

Regarding the warping, the guys are right, it's the problem with pine I'm afraid. It's grown quickly and has a tendency to warp as does most woods but pine seems to warp more than most. A lot of the strength has been cut away due to the pattern which has probably caused some of the warping.

If it were me, I'd add a landscape backer piece of plywood or MDF and mount the 'friends' to it. Maybe 50mm wider all round.

Barry