LH

"Lowell Holmes"

04/02/2006 2:20 AM

8 /4 white oak

I bought some 8/4 white oak (quarter sawn) (mucho dinero) expecting to get 1
3/4" thick stock. By the time I take the bow out, I'm getting 1 5/8" stock.
:-( I suppose I'd have to find 10/4 to get 1 3/4" thickness.

I will say that the clear stock I'm getting is good and running about 8%
moisture content. I thought about re-sawing some 1/4" stock to laminate the
boards up to 1 3/4". When I put the 1/2" 4 tooth timberwolf bandsaw blade on
my new Jet 14" bandsaw with the riser kit, it shakes and bakes. I swear the
blade is bad. The 3/8" timberwolf blade I took off didn't act up. :-(

Some days, things just don't work out the way you want. Tomorrow will be
better. I really need to get to the bottom of the 1/2" blade though.


This topic has 10 replies

LH

"Lowell Holmes"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

05/02/2006 2:38 PM


"dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4NnFf.5312$xs4.3420@trnddc01...
> Lowell Holmes wrote:
>
>> The wood is 2" thick in the rough state. I think the mills
>> are cutting it too close.
>
> I'd certainly agree with that in your case. I normally get 2 1/8 - 2
> 1/4 actual thickness when I order 8/4 rough.
>
>
>
> --
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
Thanks, that's the info I've looked for. I considered buying the wood planed
to thickness, but the boards I looked at had about 1/8" bow, so I opted for
the rough so I could straighten the wood. The pieces I've straightened are
gorgeous, just a bit thin.

I planed the prototype posts for the chair to 1 5/8" and have decided to go
with that thickness in this case. In the future, I will go to mills that
will make it the thickness I want, but then I may have to deal with moisture
content..

LH

"Lowell Holmes"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

05/02/2006 4:46 PM


"George" <George@least> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Lowell Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:%5oFf.5317$xs4.2545@trnddc01...
>>
>> "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:4NnFf.5312$xs4.3420@trnddc01...
>>> Lowell Holmes wrote:
>>>
>SNIP> The mill saws to a standard which will give 1 13/16 ( fat seven
>quarters) planks from 8/4 nominal. Anything above that you should consider
>gravy, or be prepared to pay extra for.
>
> With a band mill, expect 1" real. With a circular, 1 1/16.

The issue I have is not just the yield on thickness. I need absolutely
straight material for this project and I will not accept it not being
straight after I'm through. I'm losing the thickness when planing the boards
lengthwise to
straighten them. By the time the thickness is cleaned up to provide 1 3/4",
I've had about 3/32" bow in the boards lengthwise (49" long).

I'm not complaining, just trying to see what my options are in the future.
I'm not quibbling over price, I paid $7.40/ board foot for the 8/4 quarter
sawn oak. I would gladly pay another $1 or so in order to get the thickness
I want in the future. I know that trees do not grow straight and that while
drying, the boards move. This is 8 to 10% moisture content, and I really am
happy with the wood. Like I said earlier, the wood is gorgeous after I get
it straight, smooth and square. I almost hate to start cutting on it.

:-) I really do appreciate your response

GG

"George"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

05/02/2006 10:16 AM


"Lowell Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%5oFf.5317$xs4.2545@trnddc01...
>
> "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:4NnFf.5312$xs4.3420@trnddc01...
>> Lowell Holmes wrote:
>>
>>> The wood is 2" thick in the rough state. I think the mills
>>> are cutting it too close.
>>
>> I'd certainly agree with that in your case. I normally get 2 1/8 - 2
>> 1/4 actual thickness when I order 8/4 rough.
>>
> Thanks, that's the info I've looked for. I considered buying the wood
> planed to thickness, but the boards I looked at had about 1/8" bow, so I
> opted for the rough so I could straighten the wood. The pieces I've
> straightened are gorgeous, just a bit thin.
>
> I planed the prototype posts for the chair to 1 5/8" and have decided to
> go with that thickness in this case. In the future, I will go to mills
> that will make it the thickness I want, but then I may have to deal with
> moisture content..

The mill saws to a standard which will give 1 13/16 ( fat seven quarters)
planks from 8/4 nominal. Anything above that you should consider gravy, or
be prepared to pay extra for.

With a band mill, expect 1" real. With a circular, 1 1/16.

GG

"George"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

05/02/2006 12:27 PM


"Lowell Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:0_pFf.5397$xs4.4036@trnddc01...
>
> "George" <George@least> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Lowell Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:%5oFf.5317$xs4.2545@trnddc01...
>>>
>>> "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:4NnFf.5312$xs4.3420@trnddc01...
>>>> Lowell Holmes wrote:
>>>>
>>SNIP> The mill saws to a standard which will give 1 13/16 ( fat seven
>>quarters) planks from 8/4 nominal. Anything above that you should
>>consider gravy, or be prepared to pay extra for.
>>
>> With a band mill, expect 1" real. With a circular, 1 1/16.
>
> The issue I have is not just the yield on thickness. I need absolutely
> straight material for this project and I will not accept it not being
> straight after I'm through. I'm losing the thickness when planing the
> boards lengthwise to
> straighten them. By the time the thickness is cleaned up to provide 1
> 3/4", I've had about 3/32" bow in the boards lengthwise (49" long).

Lots of sapwood? That's an unconscionable amount at half board length.
Only suggestion for the future is to avoid sapwood, because the wood curves
toward it. I assume you crosscut and ripped rough prior to the first
jointer pass, so it's not the sawyer, it's the grader you should blame.
S/he shouldn't have allowed what must have been in effect a slab to grade
that high.

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

05/02/2006 2:16 PM

Lowell Holmes wrote:

> The wood is 2" thick in the rough state. I think the mills
> are cutting it too close.

I'd certainly agree with that in your case. I normally get 2 1/8 - 2
1/4 actual thickness when I order 8/4 rough.



--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

04/02/2006 2:59 PM


"Lowell Holmes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:acUEf.26784$7l4.22320@trnddc05...
>I bought some 8/4 white oak (quarter sawn) (mucho dinero) expecting to get
>1 3/4" thick stock. By the time I take the bow out, I'm getting 1 5/8"
>stock. :-( I suppose I'd have to find 10/4 to get 1 3/4" thickness.
>
> I will say that the clear stock I'm getting is good and running about 8%
> moisture content. I thought about re-sawing some 1/4" stock to laminate
> the boards up to 1 3/4". When I put the 1/2" 4 tooth timberwolf bandsaw
> blade on my new Jet 14" bandsaw with the riser kit, it shakes and bakes. I
> swear the blade is bad. The 3/8" timberwolf blade I took off didn't act
> up. :-(
>
> Some days, things just don't work out the way you want. Tomorrow will be
> better. I really need to get to the bottom of the 1/2" blade though.

Perhaps a 2 to 3 tooth per inch blade. You may be sawing too aggressively
with the 4 tooth blade.

LH

"Lowell Holmes"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

04/02/2006 3:01 PM


">
> It isn't hard to get 1 3/4 from 8/4. Are you taking those nice, long
> boards and planing them down? Why? Crosscut first.
>
> --
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>>snip

I'm not cross cutting. I can get 1 3/4" thickness out of the board but there
is up to 1/8" bow in the long direction, In other words, the board is not
straight.. I must have 48" long boards that are absolutely straight.
I have flattened one board with a combination of hand planes and a thickness
planer. It yielded 1 5/8"

Last night I jointed one side of another board (on a jointer) in the long
direction with the wide side of the board down, and it is going to yield 1
5/8".

The boards are absolutely flat, straight, and no twist in them when I get
through. I've never worked with quarter sawn white oak before. The wood is
the best I could get my hands on, and is 8-10% moisture content.

I'm building a rocking chair, so the wood must be absolutely straight. I
will either use the 1 5/8" or else resaw some boards to 3/8", glue them on
to the 1 5/8" stock, and then plane them to 1 3/4" I only need 4 boards that
thickness, so it won't be that much of a job if I go that direction.

I posted my message to see what other guy's do when confronted with this
issue. Thanks for responding.

The other issue is I'm new to using a bandsaw and I'm having a little
problem with the flutter method of tensioning the blade. I think I've
figured that out though. Ripping 8/4 white oak is not much fun on a 10"
table saw, the band saw is the way to go. You can carve those big old pieces
of oak up any way you want to, with no binding or kick-back.

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

04/02/2006 2:28 PM

Lowell Holmes wrote:
> I bought some 8/4 white oak (quarter sawn) (mucho dinero) expecting
> to get 1 3/4" thick stock. By the time I take the bow out, I'm
> getting 1 5/8" stock.

It isn't hard to get 1 3/4 from 8/4. Are you taking those nice, long
boards and planing them down? Why? Crosscut first.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

LH

"Lowell Holmes"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

04/02/2006 9:11 PM


"dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:gc8Ff.576$Gg1.418@trnddc03...
> Are you saying that *after* you join/plane them to 1 3/4" there is still
> 1/8" bow in them???? There should be precious little bow in decent
> quarter sawn wood even when they are rough.
>
> --
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
I'm working boards that are 49" long. By the time I take the boards down to
smooth, straight surfaces, I'm getting 1 5/8". I bought the wood from the
only source of 8/4 quarter sawn oak I know of in Houston. The wood is 2"
thick in the rough state. I think the mills are cutting it too close. The
bow in the wood is 3/32" to 1/8", but the rough surfaces are irregular
enough to require more planing than I expected.

I know why chair makers mill their own wood. :-) The extra 1/8" is only a
matter of proportion and appearance. I had already change proportions of
the pieces to "lighten" the appearance of the craftsman style. I may just go
with the thinner pieces and see how it turns out. I'm going foe more of a
Greene & Greene influence rather than craftsman any way. :-)

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to "Lowell Holmes" on 04/02/2006 2:20 AM

04/02/2006 8:33 PM

Lowell Holmes wrote:
> ">
>> It isn't hard to get 1 3/4 from 8/4. Are you taking those nice, long
>> boards and planing them down? Why? Crosscut first.
>>
>> --
>> dadiOH
>> ____________________________
>>> snip
>
> I'm not cross cutting. I can get 1 3/4" thickness out of the board
> but there is up to 1/8" bow in the long direction, In other words,
> the board is not straight.. I must have 48" long boards that are
> absolutely straight.

The point was that if you crosscut the board into 48"+ pieces before you
join them there will be less bow in each to remove.

Are you saying that *after* you join/plane them to 1 3/4" there is still
1/8" bow in them???? There should be precious little bow in decent
quarter sawn wood even when they are rough.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


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