# Working with reclaimed wood: Warps



## Acercanto (Jul 9, 2013)

Hello all, I've got some really nice barn Chestnut that I want to use in a project or three, but it's got some problems.
One if the boards is close to 13" wide, and 3/4" thick, and I want to use it in a headboard, showing off its width, but it's got some rather severe cupping going on such that if I planed both sides flat, I'd be lucky if I had a 1/4" board left.
Should I rip it down the axis of greatest cup and joint the halves and glue them back together?
Oh, I don't have a jointer, so I think I need to make a planer sled if I want to do any jointing.

Ideas?
Acer


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*yes and no*

Rip them down the length first.
Be cautious with a warped board on the table saw so that it won't twist during your cut, it may kickback. You must have the straightest edge against the fence. Tape a block to a corner if necessary or if the warp is severe use a circular saw or handsaw or bandsaw. 
Place them side by side and see how the mate up in the center.
There should be no gaps or angles when mated properly.
Take another very light cut along the edge using a sharp blade and pushing slowly forward so as not to force the blade to one side IF they do not mate up cleanly. It's like "jointing" them only on the table saw....which must be dead on accurate and a fence that is secure.

If that's not possible your remaining choice is a hand plane and you can mess them up in a hurry if you are not proficient with one.

The planer sled is for jointing/flatting the top and bottom surfaces, not the edges. So, no you won't need one for this project. However if the cup is severe you may want to plane one side of each board before mating them up ... hard to tell over the web just what you are up against.....


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## SeniorSitizen (May 2, 2012)

Acercanto said:


> Hello all, I've got some really nice barn Chestnut that I want to use in a project or three, but it's got some problems.
> One if the boards is close to 13" wide, and 3/4" thick, and I want to use it in a headboard, showing off its width, but it's got some rather severe cupping going on such that if I planed both sides flat, I'd be lucky if I had a 1/4" board left.
> Should I rip it down the axis of greatest cup and joint the halves and glue them back together?
> Oh, I don't have a jointer, so I think I need to make a planer sled if I want to do any jointing.
> ...


The board cupped because of the cut at the mill. Quarter saw vs plain saw. Thinning until it's flat doesn't negate this fact and the thinner will probably cup once more. Rip into 5 pieces, flip every other and re-glue to have any chance of relieving the stress that causes cupping.


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## Acercanto (Jul 9, 2013)

Woodnthings and Sandbur, thanks for the replies.
The thing is that I want to use the full width if at all possible, since this is 100+ year-old American Chestnut. I probably should have included a photo to begin with.








Thanks,
Acer


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*you can rip them*

You CAN rip them and have a virtually invisible glue joint. That's the only way I know to save the board. It would make a better barrel stave than a table top...... :laughing:

What ever your tool bag has in it? :blink: a bandsaw will be the safest.
There are ways to deal with a board that is cupped badly on a table saw, but it is best left for someone with a lot of expertise. If you can charm your way into a shop with some powertools that would be good thing, if not paying a few bucks would be better than you getting injured!


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## MNsawyergp (Jan 31, 2012)

Even if you rip the board and re-glue it, it will want to cup again unless you flip-flop every other piece to make the growth rings reverse their pattern. I would rip the board into 3 pieces, and flip the middle piece so it is face down to the other 2. You still need to square the edges to the faces of each of the 3 pieces before you re-glue them. A jointer would be best, but you can rip them a second time after you have cut the plank into 3 pieces. Rip them with the hump side of the cup up. You will still have problems when gluing the 3 cupped boards. I would plane the side that is going to be face down close to flat, so the boards will lay in the clamps better. If you don't do that, you will lose that much or more when you plane the panel after gluing due to uneven surfaces.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I think I would start with a different board.








 







.


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## Dandan111 (Oct 29, 2013)

Not many options. Good time to buy a jointer.


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## Acercanto (Jul 9, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions, gentlemen. I think I'll try woodnthings' suggestion of ripping it and gluing it. I'll try it on this short piece before I attempt it on the rest of the board.

Acer


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