How can I correct bent wood?

[jimmybigfoot]

Hi I am making this wardrobe for a customer and have thicknessed and mortised the stiles of the three doors but that was a couple of weeks ago and have since been on holiday. I have come back and now because I live in France and while I was away it has been around 39degrees solid, two of the stiles have warped (not twisted thankfully). Does anyone know how I can straighten them or do I have to redo them.
They are in pine.
Here is a picture
Thanks Jim

 

[Lord Kitchener]

So presumably the wood had a higher moisture content when worked, has now dried out a bit and has warped. The question is what is going to happen when it is installed. Will it warp again? Where are you getting your stock from, is if kiln dried?

Will it matter if it warps, can the unit be constructed in such a way as to cancel out any movement, or restrain it from moving enough to stop it being a problem?

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Hi, They were 4m long 3x2 untreated. I'm not sure how or if they were dried.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

I'm not sure how or if they were dried.

There's the problem, you are using stock the provenance of which you know nothing. That might be ok for am amateur learning or doing experiments, but seeing as this is a customer, and you are expecting to make money from this work, you really need to make sure you can trust the stock you are using.

The difference in cost of buying good stock over cheap and/or easily available stuff is a lot less than having to redo the job. You're lucky it warped when it did, if it had been built up, finished and installed it would have been a lot worse.

If you simply can't get decent stock (I don't know what the timber situation in France is) then probably your best bet is to buy the straightest looking stuff you can get, and leave it to acclimatise for as long as you can before working it.

 

[mickthetree]

You may as well try taking a bit more material off the outside edge that has bent. That may bring it back slightly, otherwise its only fit for the burner. Or a smaller job where you can mill it down more.

Worth a punt if you can afford to loose some material off that side. I've corrected some slight bends surprisingly well with that.

 

[Jonzjob]

Jimmy, did you get it from a brico?

I have no idea as to how long you have been here, but I'm sorry if I'm trying to teach you how to suck eggs, but if you can find a local scierie, saw mill, they will probably be able to help you with good seasoned wood? Also try Pages Jaunes comme ça

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/annuaire/conf ... 6/scieries

Hope this helps and good luck..

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Hi thanks, yeah it came from a Bricomarche. I know of a few saw mills but they all generally stock oak and chestnut. I am going to be going back to the uk soon to get some exotics/rare woods because maple and walnut etc are very hard to come by around here.

 

[Wildman]

psycho analysis? hee hee.
I suppose it is possible to steam it, easier to get some seasoned timber and start again.

 

[Jonzjob]

Bloody hell Jimmy! Poor you! Just having the choice of oak or chestnut! Can you send me some of your throw-outs pretty please :mrgreen:

From what I have seen the only soft woods that you can really find around here in the half decient places are cut for the traditional window/door shutters. Most of the joinery stuff is hardwood. The biggest problem is that you can only buy it by the VERY big plank! As a hobby turner that would last me beyond my lifetime..

Walnut shouldn't be too difficult. Don't know about maple though? Just the volume is the problem fr me.

For those north of the Channel I should have explained that a brico is a DIY shed.

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Yeah u are true. All the exterior woodwork is hardwoods. Sipo is used a lot but it is still all from around la rochelle where the woodyards import it from Africa.

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Bricó timber in France is the worst I have ever used anywhere.

 

[rafezetter]

Sounds to me like it's time to start on "Le olde woodpile of stuff I'm seasoning for later".

 

[Dangermouse]

My advise, burn it and start again. If it warps, its rubbish wood.

 

[jimmybigfoot]

Hey guys I re did the bent bits. Here is a photo of the end product before the paint.

 

[custard]

Looks like you made the right decision!