# Joining quartersawn to flatsawn



## ppg677 (Jan 22, 2016)

I'm making drawers out of (flatsawn) maple sides and back. I'm half-blind dovetailing to the drawer fronts. 

I'd like to use quartersawn oak as the drawer front. But the maple will expand more than the quartersawn oak. I calculated up to a 1/32" difference over the 7" width of the drawer front. 

Should I abort and use flatsawn oak? 

I don't want my dovetail pins to crack.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You will be alright. I don't believe I've ever seen a drawer the sides and front were the same material.


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## ppg677 (Jan 22, 2016)

Steve Neul said:


> You will be alright. I don't believe I've ever seen a drawer the sides and front were the same material.


Thanks. I was more concerned about the flat vs. quarter sawn rather than the oak vs. maple.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Shouldn't matter because....*

Wood shrinks and expands across it's width as you know, and the difference between the two species should be negligible. I don't know that for a fact, but you could search for the rates and see if they are radically different, but I doubt it. :smile3:

This article covers that issue:
http://www.woodworkerssource.com/shop/wmov.html

Quote:
Movement across the grain is greatly influenced by how a board was sawn. On average flat sawn hardwood will shrink 8% from the Fiber Saturation Point to oven dry while quarter sawn hardwood will shrink only 4%. There are tables for tangential and radial shrinkage by species but for most applications knowing that quarter sawn lumber moves only half as much as flat sawn is sufficient.


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## ppg677 (Jan 22, 2016)

Right, the Maple will move 1/16" over the 7" width and the quarter sawn oak will move 1/32" . Since they join, I hope the pressure caused by the difference in movement doesn't crack the dovetails...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*shrinkage during drying*

What it shrinks during the drying process may not be the same ratio as after it's dried...I donno? This is way over my head, so maybe someone who has that specific knowledge will respond. :smile3: Shrinkage and movementrare also two different animals so ... there we are. :surprise2:


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## Getting better (Dec 3, 2009)

I always try to use quarter sawn or rift sawn material for drawer sides. Seems to me flat sawn sides would want to move a lot causing potential binding. Depending on your tolerances. I don't know this for a fact but it is my opinion (trying to be helpful)


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