# cupping



## Clark (Aug 13, 2009)

I recently milled a bit of small maple crotch. The log was cut in half down the middle, so I decided to just mill the smaller of the two halves first to see how it went (don't have much experience). I still have the second, larger half intact; you get the idea from the picture. I milled out the two small board shown, 18"x5"x1/2" roughly. 
I stacked them with stickers cut from the same wood and placed about a 20lb weight on top and gave the ends a quick coat of water proof wood glue to seal. It has been a week in my basement with a dehumidifier, and they have cupped almost 1/8". There is no end checking/cracking visible. 
I am holding off cutting the larger half which will yield more wood until I have a better idea of what I'm doing.
Should I use more weight, even on these small boards?
Should I turn off the dehumidifier to slow down the drying?
Should I get proper sealant and coat the whole board?
Or am I best off to cut the remaining piece into a large block, let that dry, then re-saw desired thicknesses. 

Most of my previous experience has been in wood that has been dead and dried, so this green wood is new territory. Thanks for bearing with me.:smile:


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

...it just does that (cups) some species more than others. I mill all my crotch material at least 6/4...I have found anything 1" or under is more prone to move. But having said that even some of my 6/4 and 8/4 stock has cupped. It will cup back to the center of the log. The very center piece most often stays the flattest, so I try to "box the pith". Meaning I don't split it right down the middle, I saw on either side of dead center and make a slab from the center.


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