Removing the warp

[morpheus83uk]

Hello,

Is it possible to remove the warp from warped board? When storing my wood I keep it upright in a small bin or on the rafters and no matter what I try it always seems to warp. So I have two main questions:

1) is there a better way to store the wood to stop it warping in the first place? As its currently in my garage and no where else I can put it...
2) How do I remove the warp from the wood before I use it?

Thanks

James

 

[MikeG.]

It might be down to how you store it, but it also likely to be down to how damp the air is where it is stored. Ideally you should be storing wood flat, but with air able to circulate all round, and in a dry warmish environment.

As for flattening it..........same answer, I'm afraid. Get your hand plane out. Cut it to length, first, as you'll have to plane less away to get three short boards flat than to get one long board flat.

 

[morpheus83uk]

Thank you so it seems the garage is too damp for the wood to be stored. I wonder if I could put something on the bottom of the garage to keep the water out?

Well that just makes me a little sad

Would a planer/thicknesser remove warps quicker?

 

[MikeG.]

You really must get your workshop dry as a priority. It will wreck your tools as well as your wood.

Don't go leaping at technology as though you can bypass skill. Before you stick a piece of wood into a machine you need it to be able to sit flat. If it has warped, twisted, bowed, cupped.......whatever.......it will not lie flat on the machine bed. To get it flat enough to machine, you will need to use a hand plane. To remove the marks from machining afterwards, you will need a hand plane or a belt sander and a scraper. Seriously, flattening boards is an absolutely essential woodworking skill, and although machines can take the grunt work out of it, they can't take the skill element out. I suggest you watch a few Youtube clips of people flattening boards (you might find it described as "stock preparation"). Paul Sellers would be the place I suggest you start, but there are lots. I say again, woodworking involves skill. There is no getting around this, and the sooner you learn to sharpen, adjust, and use you hand plane/s, the sooner you will start on the road to woodworking.

 

[morpheus83uk]

I totally agree. I am literally learning by doing at the minute or by YouTube. I was at an open day the other weekend and spoke to Chris Tribe who does woodworking courses. So I am looking at doing them as he has one for hand tools which covers this kind of thing.

I was just curious as when I was googling around I saw people using them so I thought it may help. I may also look at getting a belt sander to help with the flattening of the surfaces. Are there any you would recommend?

I have a hand plane so I will start with that but I am unsure how I can keep the garage dry. All of my tools are in boxes so not left out apart from the power tools but again these are in cases too where possible.