# advice on flat cut planks



## gridlockd (Jul 23, 2013)

I have been using my CSM to cut some flat boards I was intending to make a few foyer tables/hall tables with. I have cut them stickered and attic stacked them, and they are now dry and ready to use. I am seeing some bowing and twisting in some of the boards. I think I can plane out the lesser bowed ones, but I have one in particular that is twisted pretty bad. Is there any way to straighten it out? I'd hate to lose it, as it's one of the prettier planks of the bunch. 

These are not really long planks, less than 4' x 12" or less wide. all are maple, if that makes a difference. 
any advice is appreciated, and I apologize if this is the wrong section to post this in, seemed like the best place to ask.


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## gvwp (Jul 23, 2013)

gridlockd said:


> I have been using my CSM to cut some flat boards I was intending to make a few foyer tables/hall tables with. I have cut them stickered and attic stacked them, and they are now dry and ready to use. I am seeing some bowing and twisting in some of the boards. I think I can plane out the lesser bowed ones, but I have one in particular that is twisted pretty bad. Is there any way to straighten it out? I'd hate to lose it, as it's one of the prettier planks of the bunch.
> 
> These are not really long planks, less than 4' x 12" or less wide. all are maple, if that makes a difference.
> any advice is appreciated, and I apologize if this is the wrong section to post this in, seemed like the best place to ask.



If you have a little thickness to spare and depending on the amount of twist you could plane them out. I use a wide drum sander to straighten my slabs but you have to have thickness to spare because it takes down the thickness quite a bit and can be time consuming but usually does the trick. If you can't plane out the twist and you don't have a drum sander you might see if you can find a local place to do it for you.


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## RBcarving (Jul 23, 2013)

If there is not enough to plane out and you really want to straighten the board, you can use a wet clamp method to take a lot of the twist out.
1.Wet the board & lay on a flat surface.
2.Lay a runner of scrap wood (about an inch wide on edge grain) across the board every 16" or so and one at each end.
3. Clamp each runner to the table, on both sides, with the board in between, and tighten to add pressure to the board (not too much pressure)
4. Every day, mist the board with a little more water and tighten the clamps a little more. You will want to flip the board every 3 to 4 days to make sure to wet the other side as well.

Once the board appears to stay straight when you loosen the clamps, clamp it back down and let it set until good & dry. Depending how badly it is warped & bowed, this can straighten a board in as little as 2 or 3 days or, Ive seen as long as several weeks.

I had my HS students do this a lot when I was teaching, seems they always picked the most twisted up pieces for their projects.

Brad


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## gridlockd (Jul 24, 2013)

Thanks for the advice guys. I would try to plane out the twist, but I don't believe there would be much lumber left to work with once I got it flattened. I am going to give Brad's solution a try and see how it goes. hopefully I'll be able to salvage this board, if not, well, I'll think of something to do with smaller pieces of it I guess! one question, if this works and the twist comes out, will it stay out? I shouldn't expect any future twisting should I?


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## RBcarving (Jul 24, 2013)

In my experience, if it flattens out and stays that way once unclamped & acclimated, it should be fine. The exception, which is usually noticeable in just a day or two, is if the grain is under some internal strain from abnormal/unusual growth activity. In this case you will most likely never get it straight to begin with and if you did, you will look at it a day after unclamping and it will be all twisted up again. The only other issue Ive had on a straightened board is that the board stayed straight, but the surface "skin" cracked in various directions, against the grain, and looked like alligator skin.

Good Luck,
Brad


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## gridlockd (Jul 24, 2013)

Thanks again, Brad! I'll post pics of my progress and/or the finished project when I'm done. might try to take a before and after of the board to post for reference for other members that might have a similar problem.


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