# Ambrosia maple slab tables



## jimmyjames

I recently picked up a couple slabs of ambrosia maple from gvwp that are awesome. The slabs are 3" thick so too thick for a table top unless you want the crazy thick look so i found a company to resaw them in half for me, first they are going to join 1 side and 1 edge on they're 24" joiner (its massive) and then slice them down the middle giving me 2 book matched pairs of slabs, after that im going to bring them home and dry them out in a home kiln i'm making out of osb plywood, a dehumidifier, fan ,light bulb and a pid temp controller. This morning i had to cut the live edges off to get the slabs down to under 18" since the widest they can cut is 18". I should have them back tomorrow and then will get the kiln thrown together and get that fired up this weekend, need to pick up a moisture meter as well.

And yes i did a quicky job with the skill saw to cut off the live edges, was in a big hurry and had to get it done in about 10 minutes..... but nothing the joiner wont take care of

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-09_09-20-15_114.jpg


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## maclupton

Looks great! Cant wait to see the finished product.


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## woodtickgreg

Be sure to post pics when you get them back. After they are resawed be sure to sticker them and stack them, put some weight on them to help keep them flat, they will want to move as they start to dry and just from the release of tension after the resaw. If you can't weigh them down in your kiln, ratchet straps around the whole stack will help, keep tightening the straps as they dry, they will shrink when drying.


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## DomInick

Looks nice, but I would of left the live edge and had them re-sawn then make a router sled to flatten them out. Nice slabs though!!!! 

when it's rustic.......it's rustic


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## EricJS

woodtickgreg said:


> Be sure to post pics when you get them back. After they are resawed be sure to sticker them and stack them, put some weight on them to help keep them flat, they will want to move as they start to dry and just from the release of tension after the resaw. If you can't weigh them down in your kiln, ratchet straps around the whole stack will help, keep tightening the straps as they dry, they will shrink when drying.



This is excellent advice. Those beautiful slabs will certainly move; and you'll need a lot of pressure to hold them back. 

Can't wait to see the end results!


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## gvwp

Yes! Can't wait to see these finished. Its going to make a super nice table! Keep posting pics throughout the project.


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## jimmyjames

I had to cut them down because the widest they could do is 18", i got them back today and theyve already started to move since the outside was dryer than the inside


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## jimmyjames

I do have them stacked and stickered in my house right now until i can start drying them next week, i imagine that they will flatten back out after they dry throughout. For flattening them after they are dry im having the same company that cut them run them across theyre joiner and plane the other side, then i can marry the 2 halves together. Also after resawing the ambrosia striping is much heavier , i will.post a few pics later


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## woodtickgreg

jimmyjames said:


> I do have them stacked and stickered in my house right now until i can start drying them next week, i imagine that they will flatten back out after they dry throughout. For flattening them after they are dry im having the same company that cut them run them across theyre joiner and plane the other side, then i can marry the 2 halves together. Also after resawing the ambrosia striping is much heavier , i will.post a few pics later



Be sure to weigh them down to keep them flat, you want to keep them flat as they dry, if you don't they will not flatten out by themselves, once they curl up they will stay that way.


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## jimmyjames

Its been a busy day, picked up a used dehumidifier for $30, a couple small fans and one of those humidity/temp monitors from the box store, im going to put the kiln together tomorrow, i will start a new thread just for the kiln build, i will snap some pictures of the slabs when i unstack them to put them in the kiln


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## jimmyjames

Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?


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## woodtickgreg

jimmyjames said:


> Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?



A couple of coats of latex paint will work but anchor seal is better. If there's a wood craft near you they should have it in a pinch, but a little pricey there. But you do want to coat the ends with something soon to slow the ends drying to fast and checking. Get them coated asap.


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## jimmyjames

Well i had to get a couple pictures for you guys, my basement is kind of dark so the pictures arent the greatest, they dont look like much right now but will eventually be a coupe of fine pieces of furniture, i also have 60 board feet of amborsia maple 4/4 kiln dried lumber for building matching end tables etc.

bookmatched pair 1
http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-12_23-05-04_425.jpg

pair 2
http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-12_23-04-55_133.jpg


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## jimmyjames

Im also going to build a router sled to flatten them out after kilning, i could take them down and have them joined and planed but i need a router sled anyway since i plan on working with more slabs in the near future and i like doing everything myself, and of course whatever money i put into the sled will pay for itself since most shops charge $70 an hour for doing stuff for me.


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## gvwp

Its important not to dry these too quickly. Pushing the drying process will only result in splits and surface checks in the wood. Thick slabs require time to dry. Even in a kiln. Definitely want to end seal with Anchoseal. I have it on the website if you need some and can't get it locally. Do a search for Anchorseal from the home page.


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## jimmyjames

I know not to dry them too quickly, right now they are at 6/4 so its not terribly thick, i plan on keeping the kiln at about 90 degrees and will monitor the humidity level in it and set the dehumidifier accordingly, ive found some info on humidity levels inside a kiln showing different dry times at different humidity levels etc, so i will set the ambient humidity accordingly


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## jimmyjames

woodtickgreg said:


> jimmyjames said:
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> Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?
> 
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> 
> A couple of coats of latex paint will work but anchor seal is better. If there's a wood craft near you they should have it in a pinch, but a little pricey there. But you do want to coat the ends with something soon to slow the ends drying to fast and checking. Get them coated asap.
Click to expand...


I found some anchorseal at wood craft in omaha, thanks for the info!


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## cabomhn

jimmyjames said:


> woodtickgreg said:
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> jimmyjames said:
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> Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?
> 
> 
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> A couple of coats of latex paint will work but anchor seal is better. If there's a wood craft near you they should have it in a pinch, but a little pricey there. But you do want to coat the ends with something soon to slow the ends drying to fast and checking. Get them coated asap.
> 
> Click to expand...
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> I found some anchorseal at wood craft in omaha, thanks for the info!
Click to expand...


Good looking progress so far. Funny that you mention having to go to Omaha. When I lived in Omaha when I was younger I remember many times having to cross over to council bluffs for things. It only gave further credence in my mind that there is nothing in Nebraska except for cornfields


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## jimmyjames

cabomhn said:


> jimmyjames said:
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> woodtickgreg said:
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> jimmyjames said:
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> Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?
> 
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> A couple of coats of latex paint will work but anchor seal is better. If there's a wood craft near you they should have it in a pinch, but a little pricey there. But you do want to coat the ends with something soon to slow the ends drying to fast and checking. Get them coated asap.
> 
> Click to expand...
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> I found some anchorseal at wood craft in omaha, thanks for the info!
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> Click to expand...
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> Good looking progress so far. Funny that you mention having to go to Omaha. When I lived in Omaha when I was younger I remember many times having to cross over to council bluffs for things. It only gave further credence in my mind that there is nothing in Nebraska except for cornfields
Click to expand...


Ive lived in the council bluffs area my entire life, man its really changed the last 10 years, how long ago did you live in omaha?


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## woodtickgreg

cabomhn said:


> jimmyjames said:
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> woodtickgreg said:
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> jimmyjames said:
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> Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?
> 
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> A couple of coats of latex paint will work but anchor seal is better. If there's a wood craft near you they should have it in a pinch, but a little pricey there. But you do want to coat the ends with something soon to slow the ends drying to fast and checking. Get them coated asap.
> 
> Click to expand...
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> I found some anchorseal at wood craft in omaha, thanks for the info!
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> Click to expand...
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> It only gave further credence in my mind that there is nothing in Nebraska except for cornfields
Click to expand...

And cow poop! I drove through Nebraska in July and I thought this is the stinkiest state I have ever driven through. :rofl2:


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## cabomhn

jimmyjames said:


> cabomhn said:
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> woodtickgreg said:
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> jimmyjames said:
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> Also, what should i use to coat the ends of the slabs before i dry them? I dont have access to anchorseal locally, any type.of paint that would work?
> 
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> A couple of coats of latex paint will work but anchor seal is better. If there's a wood craft near you they should have it in a pinch, but a little pricey there. But you do want to coat the ends with something soon to slow the ends drying to fast and checking. Get them coated asap.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I found some anchorseal at wood craft in omaha, thanks for the info!
> 
> Click to expand...
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> 
> Good looking progress so far. Funny that you mention having to go to Omaha. When I lived in Omaha when I was younger I remember many times having to cross over to council bluffs for things. It only gave further credence in my mind that there is nothing in Nebraska except for cornfields
> 
> Click to expand...
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> Ive lived in the council bluffs area my entire life, man its really changed the last 10 years, how long ago did you live in omaha?
Click to expand...


I lived there when I was younger, so I moved from there about 11 years ago at this point. I remember it pretty well for the most part but I was still kinda young so I'm sure my perception of things was a little skewed.


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## jimmyjames

Well i made progress today, i picked up some anchorseal and hit the ends and got them sealed up, built the box for the kiln and decided to use my "junk table" in the garage in my house, i hardly ever use my garage attatched to my house, it just seems to be a storage spot for junk. I built this table a couple years ago with leftover 2x10's and it is perfectly level so i decided to use it for the base for my home kiln. Also instead of weighting it down i opted to clamp it down with threaded rod, i can get some serious pressure with them to keep these boards flat, i used some leftover rips of hard mapel for the stickers, ran them all through the thickness drum sander to make sure all of them are exactly the same thickness. I put the 30 pint/day dehumidifier in the box along with a fan to circulate air throughout the stack, also picked up a remote indoor/outdoor temp/humidity gauge thingy so i can remotely monitor the vitals in the box, picked it up for $8 on sale at menards, it seems accurate and is reading the same as our $200 thermostat on our hvac in our house.

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-13_13-12-19_25.jpg

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-13_13-12-36_393.jpg


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## jimmyjames

Also the ambient temp in the garage is 57, started the dehumidifier 1 hour ago and the temp in the kiln is now at 64 with a humidity level of 44%, im heading over right now to pick up a general moisture meter to check the boards so i can get a baseline, i know the general cheapies arent that accurate but i do have dry boards that i can use as a standard.


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## woodtickgreg

That's just awesome. very cool. That should keep those boards flat for sure.  Keep us posted on the progress and also about the general moisture meter. I am enjoying watching this.  Thanks for posting the pics, a good lesson for many members here!


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## jimmyjames

Im not sure if the dehumidifier is working or not, with the humidity in the air being so low since its winter it may be that theres just not enough water in the air to take out, im guessing when the kiln gets up to 90 degrees the humidity level in the box will rise and give the dh something to remove, the temp is at 76 right now, i may add a light bulb to help heat it up to 90, it been hovering at 76ish for a while now. Id like to add the threaded rod i used is 5/8"


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## woodtickgreg

Anything above 70 to 72 ish degrees should release water from the wood. Are the coils on the dehumidifier getting cold? If they are it's working. A light bulb would be a good idea just be careful with it as far as a fire hazard goes.


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## jimmyjames

i just put in one of those small heaters and hooked it up to my controller to keep it at 90.


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## jimmyjames

well i picked up the general moisture meter, checked the slabs and are between 15-16%, i checked a piece of soft maple and it showed 5.5% so i believe it to be somewhat accurate

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-13_21-11-04_260.jpg


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## jimmyjames

How low should i take these? I know i need below 10% prefereably below 8%


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## gvwp

jimmyjames said:


> How low should i take these? I know i need below 10% prefereably below 8%



I normally dry to 6-8% but you may get away with a little higher. On a standard 30 day cycle I raise heat from air temperature to 128 degrees over a three week period and holding at 128 for a full week. For most types of wood this does the job.


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## jimmyjames

Heres the temp/humidity specs for day 1

garage temp-66 degrees
garage humidity-36%
kiln temp-90 degrees
kiln humidity-24%
slab moisture level-15.5%

i will post this same info daily until they are dry


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## jimmyjames

gvwp said:


> jimmyjames said:
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> 
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> How low should i take these? I know i need below 10% prefereably below 8%
> 
> 
> 
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> I normally dry to 6-8% but you may get away with a little higher. On a standard 30 day cycle I raise heat from air temperature to 128 degrees over a three week period and holding at 128 for a full week. For most types of wood this does the job.
Click to expand...


im guessing for a 30 day cycle thats starting with wood with a much higher moisture level correct? Also im not sure if i feel comfortable running it at 128 degrees but i may need to, when they resawed the slabs for me they said ants crawled out of it, im guessing they may have been confused and it was ambrosia beetles, if thats the case i need to get to 128 to kill them off correct?


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## jimmyjames

woodtickgreg said:


> Anything above 70 to 72 ish degrees should release water from the wood. Are the coils on the dehumidifier getting cold? If they are it's working. A light bulb would be a good idea just be careful with it as far as a fire hazard goes.



After getting the temp up to 90 the dehumidifier starting pumping out water so were good to go!


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## gvwp

jimmyjames said:


> gvwp said:
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> 
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> jimmyjames said:
> 
> 
> 
> How low should i take these? I know i need below 10% prefereably below 8%
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I normally dry to 6-8% but you may get away with a little higher. On a standard 30 day cycle I raise heat from air temperature to 128 degrees over a three week period and holding at 128 for a full week. For most types of wood this does the job.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> im guessing for a 30 day cycle thats starting with wood with a much higher moisture level correct? Also im not sure if i feel comfortable running it at 128 degrees but i may need to, when they resawed the slabs for me they said ants crawled out of it, im guessing they may have been confused and it was ambrosia beetles, if thats the case i need to get to 128 to kill them off correct?
Click to expand...


Not all the time. Best results are with the lumber being pre air dried. I like to let the wood set outside in the air and wind for 30 days or more on stickers. I don't always have this luxury but its a lot easier to dry if you let mother nature pre dry the lumber. Your slabs have been cut a couple months so they already have a head start on drying. When learning to dry lumber I ruined several loads until I got the hang of it. You don't want the temperature too high and the humidity too low to start with or you will get surface checks and splits. 24% humidity sounds very low to me to start off with. Its a tricky procedure and you don't want to shortcut the process. Keep in mind my figures are for a much larger setup so your results may be different. Yes, 128 degrees kills everything after a full week. I could be wrong but I believe the really large commercial kilns get much hotter than 128 degrees. I've read pine sap does not set until about 160 degrees but then I've never had any trouble with drying pine and sanding the dried lumber either so like everything else I guess this varies a bit too.


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## jimmyjames

I will shut off the dehumidifier for a bit to get the humidity level up and then turn it back on at a lower setting too keep the humidity higher ,, what would be a good humidity level in the kiln to start with?


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## gvwp

jimmyjames said:


> I will shut off the dehumidifier for a bit to get the humidity level up and then turn it back on at a lower setting too keep the humidity higher ,, what would be a good humidity level in the kiln to start with?



I normally close the doors and turn on the fans with no heat for a couple days to let everything stabilize. Humidity normally will start out around 70%. I then start putting heat on the load as the humidity starts to drop. I like to hold at no more than 100 degrees until the humidity drops below 40% and then slowly climb as the humidity drops. Never increasing more than 2-3 degrees per day until the humidity is below 15%. My kiln chamber is around 3400 cubic feet so I don't know how this will vary in a smaller chamber.


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## woodtickgreg

I have heard 140 degrees for bug kill, I don't know if that's true or not, some bugs may be tougher than others. I have found that ants will usually just leave when the wood dries out, seems they like moist wood. Powder post beattles are another story, they will still be present when the wood is dry. For turnings I just put em in the microwave and cook em.


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## gvwp

woodtickgreg said:


> I have heard 140 degrees for bug kill, I don't know if that's true or not, some bugs may be tougher than others. I have found that ants will usually just leave when the wood dries out, seems they like moist wood. Powder post beattles are another story, they will still be present when the wood is dry. For turnings I just put em in the microwave and cook em.



140 degrees could very well be the standard. More heat couldn't hurt.


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## jimmyjames

Something must be shrinking, all the nuts on the threaded rod clamps were loose this morning and had to tighten them, probably the wet pine boards i used to make the clamps


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## Kevin

Doc says 130 degrees on the bugs but I always use 140 myself. This temp should be at the core for at least two hours. Jimmy in order for your clamp system to be effective you'll need to tighten those nuts almost daily until the wood gets down below ~20% or less. Even then certain stresses will still be evident when you unclamp once the cycle has finished. It can minimize movement but since I did this myself several times I finally concluded the minimal results were not worth the effort since each and every piece must still spend about the same amount of time being jointed/processed anyway. Not trying to rain on your parade and you may have a different opinion but don't be surprised at some point if you ask yourself why you're going through all the trouble when you're not going to save any appreciable amount of time machining the wood anyway. 

YMMV


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## jimmyjames

The wood started out at 15.5% so were already below the 20% mark but the 2x lumber was well over 20 so im sure those boards will shrink quite a bit. I probably wont ask myself if its worth it, i like building stuff and knowing i did it myself.

Ive decided im going to build a router sled using linear guide rails, it will be a basic 96"x24" box constructed with 2x lumber with the carriage for the router made of aluminum, the linear guide rails will make it precise and easy to slide the router back and fourth and make the job quicker and easier


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## Kevin

jimmyjames said:


> ... I probably wont ask myself if its worth it, i like building stuff and knowing i did it myself....



Not sure you understood my point. I was referring to it being worth using all the elaborate time-consuming clamping compared to just stickering them and drying them with a little weight on them or none at all, since you still have to joint/plane anyway. I wasn't suggesting you not build your own furniture.


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## jimmyjames

Oh ok, well i went through all the trouble to keep them as flat as.possible, it only.took me 20 minutes to whip up the.clamp system so its not like i spent a boatload of time on it, i allready had the 2' sticks of threaded rod


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## jimmyjames

Well 2 days in and all is well so far, kiln temp is 90 degrees and the wood is at 14.1% today so a drop of 1.4% in 2 dqys, i did shut off the dehumidifier but the relative humidity in the kiln only went up to 26% , i think its just too dry outside to get it higher and also having the kiln itself built.out of bone dry osb its probably soaking up any moisture in the kiln anyway, and with such a small amount of wood that wasnt that wet to begin with probably factors into that as well. If the dry rate stays the same i should be at 6% in 6-8 more days, that will be about perfect so i will be able to run it up.to 130 degrees for 2 days on the weekend to do the bug kill and then the will be done. After i get the 130 for 2 days should i just shut it all off? Does wood thats 130 degrees need to be slowly brought back down to ambient temp? How long after im done should i keep them clamped?


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## woodtickgreg

I think the dry rate that you are expecting is probably not realistic. unless the moisture meter that you are using can get to the center of the board your readings will not be accurate. You may get low readings on the outside but the center will still be wet and give a much higher reading. Drying is not something that should be rushed, sometimes a sacraficial board is used to cut in half and take a moisture reading off of the fresh cut in the center. After you do a few cycles drying boards you will have a better understanding of how the drying process is working. Just stabbing the end grain of the board or sticking the sides will not give you an accurate assesment of how dry the wood is as the ends and sides will dry faster. Be patient my friend, those are nice boards and you want your project to be stable and not crack after it's done.


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## gvwp

woodtickgreg said:


> I think the dry rate that you are expecting is probably not realistic. unless the moisture meter that you are using can get to the center of the board your readings will not be accurate. You may get low readings on the outside but the center will still be wet and give a much higher reading. Drying is not something that should be rushed, sometimes a sacraficial board is used to cut in half and take a moisture reading off of the fresh cut in the center. After you do a few cycles drying boards you will have a better understanding of how the drying process is working. Just stabbing the end grain of the board or sticking the sides will not give you an accurate assesment of how dry the wood is as the ends and sides will dry faster. Be patient my friend, those are nice boards and you want your project to be stable and not crack after it's done.



I fully agree. 6 days is not a realistic timeframe. Green 4/4 Maple will take at least 30 days to reach 6-8% safely. As Woodtickgreg mentioned and as I have mentioned drying can not be rushed. You will only ruin the wood if you try to push the process. On 6/4 slabs a more realistic timeframe is 4-5 weeks. Hey I've been there. :wacko1: I know what its like to be on pins waiting for something you want work with to get dry but take your time. Its all worth it in the end. 

Jimmy on these slabs if you get more from me in the future I will be happy to dry them for you. Its no trouble but it does take awhile.


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## jimmyjames

When i tested them today i tested the resawn side of the board, too get the pins buried in the board i used a finish nail to make holes in the board deep enough so i could get the pins in, just trying to push the meters pins into the wood doesnt work, it feels like im either going to break the meter or bend the pins. Im not trying to rush it, i have alot invested into these boards, if it takes me a month or 6 to dry them its fine, i have like 400 board feet of other lumber for a bunch of other projects i can work on in the mean time. I know im new to drying wood, thats why im picking everybodys brain about it, if theres something you would do different let me know im all ears!


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## jimmyjames

gvwp said:


> woodtickgreg said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think the dry rate that you are expecting is probably not realistic. unless the moisture meter that you are using can get to the center of the board your readings will not be accurate. You may get low readings on the outside but the center will still be wet and give a much higher reading. Drying is not something that should be rushed, sometimes a sacraficial board is used to cut in half and take a moisture reading off of the fresh cut in the center. After you do a few cycles drying boards you will have a better understanding of how the drying process is working. Just stabbing the end grain of the board or sticking the sides will not give you an accurate assesment of how dry the wood is as the ends and sides will dry faster. Be patient my friend, those are nice boards and you want your project to be stable and not crack after it's done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I fully agree. 6 days is not a realistic timeframe. Green 4/4 Maple will take at least 30 days to reach 6-8% safely. As Woodtickgreg mentioned and as I have mentioned drying can not be rushed. You will only ruin the wood if you try to push the process. On 6/4 slabs a more realistic timeframe is 4-5 weeks. Hey I've been there. :wacko1: I know what its like to be on pins waiting for something you want work with to get dry but take your time. Its all worth it in the end.
> 
> Jimmy on these slabs if you get more from me in the future I will be happy to dry them for you. Its no trouble but it does take awhile.
Click to expand...


I will definately get more from you in the future, ive allready checked shipping for 8' material and its the same as the first shipment. 

Hey let me know when you plan on cutting that ambrosia log you were talking about, imight want some 8/4 slabs instead of 12/4 so i dont have to get them resawn, the shop raped me on resawing them..... it was so much i almost left them there..... the next closest guy is 3 hours away from me with an lt40 with a resaw belt.....


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## gvwp

jimmyjames said:


> gvwp said:
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> woodtickgreg said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think the dry rate that you are expecting is probably not realistic. unless the moisture meter that you are using can get to the center of the board your readings will not be accurate. You may get low readings on the outside but the center will still be wet and give a much higher reading. Drying is not something that should be rushed, sometimes a sacraficial board is used to cut in half and take a moisture reading off of the fresh cut in the center. After you do a few cycles drying boards you will have a better understanding of how the drying process is working. Just stabbing the end grain of the board or sticking the sides will not give you an accurate assesment of how dry the wood is as the ends and sides will dry faster. Be patient my friend, those are nice boards and you want your project to be stable and not crack after it's done.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I fully agree. 6 days is not a realistic timeframe. Green 4/4 Maple will take at least 30 days to reach 6-8% safely. As Woodtickgreg mentioned and as I have mentioned drying can not be rushed. You will only ruin the wood if you try to push the process. On 6/4 slabs a more realistic timeframe is 4-5 weeks. Hey I've been there. :wacko1: I know what its like to be on pins waiting for something you want work with to get dry but take your time. Its all worth it in the end.
> 
> Jimmy on these slabs if you get more from me in the future I will be happy to dry them for you. Its no trouble but it does take awhile.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I will definately get more from you in the future, ive allready checked shipping for 8' material and its the same as the first shipment.
> 
> Hey let me know when you plan on cutting that ambrosia log you were talking about, imight want some 8/4 slabs instead of 12/4 so i dont have to get them resawn, the shop raped me on resawing them..... it was so much i almost left them there..... the next closest guy is 3 hours away from me with an lt40 with a resaw belt.....
Click to expand...


I have several very large ambrosia logs currently. I have another guy here locally that is wanting a couple table slabs so as soon as the weather allows I will be sawing. I'm happy to cut whatever you like. I will let you know a day or so before we saw them. I have an LT70 but hate using it to resaw. Sometimes the piece doesn't set 100% flat and you end up sawing one piece too thick and the other too thin. :dash2::dash2: I also have a Woodmizer resaw but it won't handle slabs this wide.


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## jimmyjames

Whats the diameter of the log? How wide will the 70 slab?


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## gvwp

jimmyjames said:


> Whats the diameter of the log? How wide will the 70 slab?



I have several ranging from around 20" to 52". The sawmill will not handle the 52" so it will have to be cut down to be able to just move it. I can make 23" wide slabs if the log works out. I'll post a few pics of slabs in the for sale section when I get them done and you can just pick what you want.


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## jimmyjames

Were still holding at 90 degrees, ive been tightening the clamps everyday, now i know what that fellow was talking about when he said i would ask myself why i used clamps instead of weights, the next time i do it i will just use tubs of steel drops i have at the shop..... but in the mean time should i just keep it at 90 degrees for the duration? And yes its going to take well over 2 weeks, im still getting moisture readings around 12.5%, before i was getting different readings at different parts of the boards but it seams the numbers are more.closely matched, maybe they stabalized? The pine 2x i used for the clamps has dried quite a bit, ive been checking them as well just for fun, its really easy to bury the pins in that, the pine is reading at around 10.5%. So i believe in 2 or 3 weeks they will be done cooking. Ive also inspected the ends.of the boards for checking, theres only 2 checks on 2 of the boards that were on one of theslabs before i had them resawn, they are about an inch deep into the board and havent got any bigger. So the question for today is to bring temp.up or.not.to bring temp up, gvwp mentioned to not raise the temp more than 2-3 degrees per day, so does that mean for me.to get to the 130 degrees i should start bringing up the temp 3 degrees per day until i reach the 130 and hold that.for a day or 2?


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## Kevin

jimmyjames said:


> now i know what that fellow was talking about when he said i would ask myself why i used clamps...



There's a fine line between making drying too complex and keeping it simple. The reason I told you the clamps aren't worth it is because I've been down the road. The reason GVWP is telling you to take it slow is because he knows what he's talking about from experience. Don't make it too complicated. Go slow. This means that taking a little longer than what drying schedule might tell you is better than going faster. 

When GVWP says to take 5 to 6 weeks and you say you think they'll be done in 2 to 3 weeks, you should ask yourself which one is most likely the best plan. 



jimmyjames said:


> So the question for today is to bring temp.up or.not.to bring temp up, gvwp mentioned to not raise the temp more than 2-3 degrees per day, so does that mean for me.to get to the 130 degrees i should start bringing up the temp 3 degrees per day until i reach the 130 and hold that.for a day or 2?



The answer IMO is don't try to calculate the fastest way to get there. "Take your time" and let it sit a day or two then raise a degree or two. Take 5 to 6 weeks not 2 to 3.


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## jimmyjames

Well the slabs have been drying for 2 weeks now, temps at 107 and has been for a few days now, the pine 2x lumber reads at 5% which is as low as my meter reads before it goes to zero, when i check the slabs im hard pressed to get a reading anywhere, always 0 and sometimes get a beep to 5%, im sure the meter is off but, when i check lumber that sat in the shop it reads between 9 and 12, 12% being wood thats been there for a while and 9% being recently purchased wood from the lumber yard, i think these things are about dry, or as dry as i will ever need them, even if they are 12% thats still lower than any wood thats in my house, my current coffee table reads 13%...... also my dehumidifier isnt putting out squat for water anymore, maybe a cup over the last couple days, i think its time for the 24 hour 128 degree soak......


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## jimmyjames

this week i will be building a router sled, rather than just screw the router to a flat board and ride that on some 2x lumber as the guide to flatten my slabs im going to make it overly complicated using linear guides and lazer cut parts, im going to cut the parts on the laser tomorrow and bend them on the press brake and send them don the powdercoating line and have them coated black and then bring them home and bolt the linear guides and bearings to the assembly, the whole assembly will just be screwed to an mdf frame that im going to assemble, i will have about $0 in this contraption, it will slide like nobodys business, im also adding a clamp so i can move the router at 5/8" increments and lock it down, make a pass, unlock it move it down 5/8" lock it make a pass etc.... I will be able to flatten slabs up to 26"x99"

Drew this up in autodesk inventor so i have all of the dxf files to cut the parts on the laser tomorrow, will post some pictures of the finished product either tomorrow or tuesday

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/routersled_zps28e4fc3a.png


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## jimmyjames

Well i cut to length and ran some ambosia boards through the jointer, going to glue them up tomorrow, these are for 2 end table tops, 1 side table top and for 6 raised panels for my toolboxes. Also ran a couple walnut boards for another project.

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-28_11-49-11_44.jpg

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/2013-01-28_11-49-21_852.jpg


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## woodtickgreg

All very interesting stuff, can't wait to see the ambrosia in the tool boxes. Nice to have access to tools for government work aint it.


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## jimmyjames

Well the the slabs for the tops have normalized in the shop for months so I ran them through the sander and jointer and joined them! 

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/IMG_20130502_115623_465_zps1c9b6d56.jpg

Here's a short sanding video
http://static.Rule #2/player.swf?file=http://vid178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/VID_20130502_114032_369_zpsdb148d70.mp4

Tomorrow I will work on doing the mortise and cannons on the legs etc, will also trim down the top and square it up, soon we will have a coffee table!


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## jimmyjames

http://static.Rule #2/player.swf?file=http://vid178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/VID_20130502_114032_369_zpsdb148d70.mp4


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## jimmyjames

Well I guess you can't post videos here anymore.... hmmmm.


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## Kevin

jimmyjames said:


> Well I guess you can't post videos here anymore.... hmmmm.



I fixed it for you. You were posting a video using image tags. No can do. You cannot *embed* videos ffrom PB though.


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## jimmyjames

Well I worked on the table yesterday, all of the mortise and tenons are done, pretty nerve racking cutting mortises in the legs that mike Jones did for me... this picture is just a quick dry fit, going to sand all of the components before assembly, and please ignore the horrible burn marks, the blade in my track saw is done for, will change it out for a new one tomorrow and trim the top to final size. Mr dkmd's bowl is going to look beautiful on this table :)

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/IMG_20130504_193902_484_zps56d60a76.jpg


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## jimmyjames

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/IMG_20130504_193829_258_zps4de3029c.jpg


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## gvwp

Very nice! This project came out very nice. Can't wait to see a finish on it. Nice job.


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## jimmyjames

gvwp said:


> Very nice! This project came out very nice. Can't wait to see a finish on it. Nice job.



Thanks! It wouldnt be so nice if i wasnt able to acquire such amazing wood from brazil indiana!


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## gvwp

jimmyjames said:


> gvwp said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very nice! This project came out very nice. Can't wait to see a finish on it. Nice job.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks! It wouldnt be so nice if i wasnt able to acquire such amazing wood from brazil indiana!
Click to expand...


Can't imagine who that could be.


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## woodtickgreg

That's a great looking table, and a fine collaboration of many to make it all come together. It's going to look really nice with a finish on it. I also like the way the ambrosia figure is in the legs as well as the top. If that table was mine it would get about 10 coats of my oil n poly blend finish.  A very unique looking one of a kind table. Well done.


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## NYWoodturner

Amazing looking table. The proportions are spot on and the legs are amazing. 
Top notch work 
Scott


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## jimmyjames

NYWoodturner said:


> Amazing looking table. The proportions are spot on and the legs are amazing.
> Top notch work
> Scott



Thanks guys! Its been a long time coming! I do still have 2 more slabs for another coffee table , the next one I was thinking more contemporary with metal frame and legs but this one turned out so nice I may have to go all wood and have another set of legs turned for it. And I can't say it enough that this table wouldn't be anywhere near as nice of Mr. Mike Jones wouldn't have produced such an awesome set of legs and Dave at green valley wood products supplying the awesome lumber :) 

Someday my ultimate goal would be to build an exact copy of this same table in flamed box elder from Mr. Kevin , I would be in absolute heaven if I had this table in flamed box elder! Now just if I can get him to come off of a pair of book matched slabs, some spindle stock and some 4/4 lumber :)


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## jimmyjames

Well i got everything sanded down to 180, decided to final assemble it as well, only thing left to do is finish the edge on the top, basic rounder over?? Leave them square??? A cove?? hmmmm......... i still havent decided what i want to do yet......... 

I decided to leave a little bark inclusion on the edge of the table
http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/IMG_20130505_121601_496_zps189c45a7.jpg


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## Kevin

I was going to suggest you do something for edge treatment. I wouldn't do anything fancy - the design doesn't call for it and I mean that in a good way. Personally, I'd just do a simple round-over. Be careful when you do it so you don't gouge the corners once you start to lose support for the router base. A clean, crisp, simple round-over in 3/4" is hard to beat especially when the corners are perfect. JMO.

Gorgeous table Jim.


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## jimmyjames

Kevin said:


> I was going to suggest you do something for edge treatment. I wouldn't do anything fancy - the design doesn't call for it and I mean that in a good way. Personally, I'd just do a simple round-over. Be careful when you do it so you don't gouge the corners once you start to lose support for the router base. A clean, crisp, simple round-over in 3/4" is hard to beat especially when the corners are perfect. JMO.
> 
> Gorgeous table Jim.



Thanks Kevin, I ended up doing a a basic round over on the top edge and corners, left the bottom edge of the table top square and just knocked off the sharp edge, I think the bottom square edge matches the edge on the rails


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## jimmyjames

A month or so back I dropped off the coffee table to have a finish sprayed on it, my friends shop has a spray booth , turned out pretty nice! 

http://i178.Rule #2/albums/w249/jimmyjames1981/IMG_20130620_115830_195_zps73f4c98f.jpg


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## jimmyjames

The finish is 3 coats of gloss poly then sanded and then shot with 2 coats of satin poly, hopefully it will have a new home soon, I have it being shown at a local woodworking gallery


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## gvwp

All I can say is WOW. Very nice job Jimmy! I will say it again. WOW.


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## jimmyjames

gvwp said:


> All I can say is WOW. Very nice job Jimmy! I will say it again. WOW.



Thanks Dave! Like I said earlier it wouldn't have happened without your amazing wood!


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## woodtickgreg

Not pretty nice, it's very nice! I love it, that table has character in spades. It should bring good $. Hope you do well.


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## Kevin

That turned out gorgeous. Well done!


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## DKMD

That's a beauty! I'm betting somebody takes that home in a hurry.


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## Mike Jones

That turned out absolutely, stunningly, strikingly, amazingly, beautiful!:hatsoff:


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