# cupped red oak drawer front



## Ronnie1a (May 24, 2009)

I have a piece of 5 x 20 3/4" red oak which is slightly cupped. I hope to use it as a drawer front using a lock rabbet joint connecting to the sides but do not think I can make the proper cuts or even if it would hold due to the slight bend in the wood. I've had it clamped to other pieces which takes the bow out hoping it might straighten itself out but no luck. Is there any way to save the piece or am I out of luck?


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## bradnailer (Nov 11, 2008)

You could rip it then rejoin it and run it through a thickness planer.


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

What He ^^^ said!!!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Cupping is normally caused by an imbalance in the moisture content from one side to the other. You can wet the cup side and cause it to straighten it. What is unknown is if it will stay flat. Often if you can get a finish on both sides it will stay straight.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

Cupping can in only unusual circumstances be caused by an imbalance in moisture on two sides but the cupping/warping with which we normally encounter is cause by deformation of wood when the overall moisture content is changed (on bot sides and thru). 
Wood as it dries needs to change dimensions(shrink) more in a tangential vs radial direction to its original configuration in the tree/log. This makes it cup in a way that amounts to a straightening of the growth rings if you look at the end. 
The opposite happens when it goes to a higher moisture content.
If your board has reached equilibrium, it will stay cupped unless the humidity changes for a few weeks. The ripping ,planing, jointing and reassembling as mentioned is the only answer to again have a flat board unless you can force and mechanically hold it flat. 
Wide board have appeal but have issues.


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## Ronnie1a (May 24, 2009)

*not the answer I wanted but probably correct*

I was hoping to save a few bucks but will have to bite the bullet and buy a new piece.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

A cupped board is not waste. Once it is at the correct moisture content, you joint it flat on the concave side then plane it parallel on the other. It will be thinner but still very usable . If you need to minimize the loss and thinning, you rip it to narrower boards then joint and glue back together.
Avoiding boards from near the center of a tree. The tighter the growth rings, the more tendency to cup with moisture changes.
RHB


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

If you don't mind the net thickness to be less, then a couple of swipes across a jointer and then through the planer or re-saw and you are back in business. Same thing can be accomplished with hand planes, with practice.

90% of woodworking is getting the wood to do what you want it to do. 

Bret


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## 3fingers (Dec 7, 2011)

Ronnie1a said:


> I was hoping to save a few bucks but will have to bite the bullet and buy a new piece.


Save a few bucks???....that piece of wood ur talking about saving is $4.


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## SebringDon (Jan 2, 2013)

3fingers said:


> Save a few bucks???....that piece of wood ur talking about saving is $4.


I work on a tight budget myself, but I have to be careful not to be penny-wise and pound foolish. I'd rather replace a $4 piece of wood (and reuse that cupped piece in some way) than risk blowing a whole project. Stick the cupped piece back on the wood pile, bite the bullet, and buy a new piece you know won't come back to bite you after the project is complete.

I learned this by spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to work around a bad cut on a piece of red oak plywood; I could have cut a new piece for a couple bucks, and recut that bad piece for use in a later project. Instead I wasted way more time than I should have before I finally sent the bad piece to the rework pile and cut a fresh one.

I'd feel differently about a piece of $50/bd ft exotic hardwood, of course.


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