Ttrees":wtphzs50 said:
You will definitely end up with thicker stock squaring components rather than the beam
as a whole.
If your crosscutting the beam in half, it will make the biggest difference as your effectively halving the amount of twist or bow.
Ripping stock for parts is your call as you don't mention what tools you have for the job, nor mention what the moisture content is, and whether the timber is green and kiln dried/air dried and where it has been stored.
Has the beam been in the workshop for long?
What dimentions are you ripping the stock down to?
This might cause issues if the beam had a planed face, and you were depending on it for tenon faces.
It might have to be orientated around to counter movement if your making large joints to counter twisting.
If it's green then it would be advisable to seal the ends if green straight away!with whatever you got...
candle wax, old glue would be two choices for me.
The thicker the stock the longer it takes to dry
The olde rule of thumb in England is, an inch per year plus a summer.
This might go out the window with thicker stock past say 4 inches though.
MikeG makes stuff from green oak, so he can give you his opinion on what he would do in your shoes.
He will most definitely have probably the best advice for you.
Tom
Thanks Tom.
Air dried oak, been in the shop since February though, I didn't get the moisture meter out (

) though, but seems dry as a bone.
No ripping, except tenon and dovetail joints, although i'll probably have to counter bore the front legs for holdfasts.
I fancy having the mass of the large legs, the top's a flattened 3 inch slab of air dried oak (was 4inch but had significant cup), and i have kd maple for stretchers.
I'm aiming for a rustic Tarule bench with a sliding deadman, no vice, although i do have a Moxon vice to make and use for finer work, eventually.
