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splits in large slabs

6/4/14       
Don Ditmars  Member

What's the best way to avoid or limit splits lengthways in large slabs?

6/4/14       #2: splits in large slabs ...
Dave Boyt  Member

Website: http://www.norwoodsawmills.com

What species? Here are a couple of ideas:

1)End coat the logs to avoid moisture movement out the ends.

2) Stay at least 8 growth rings away from the pith (center of the growth rings). Juvenile wood (formed when the tree was young) has different shrinkage properties than mature wood, and can cause cracks up the center of the slabs.

3) If the wood does split, straight-rip and joint the edges and glue it back together after it is dried. This technique will also help you deal with cupping.

6/4/14       #3: splits in large slabs ...
Rod Hays

I had a big split down the middle of this table top slab. What I did was fill the split up with wood glue,then stained it after the glue dried. Looks to me some slabs spilt and some don't. But coating the whole slab with linseed oil helps alot. I'm a beginner in this slab stuff,so I might be wrong on the best way on what works,

Image

6/4/14       #4: splits in large slabs ...
Dave Boyt  Member

Website: http://www.norwoodsawmills.com

Rod, that's nice work on the table. You bring up an interesting 4th option: make the split part of the design. Epoxy might be a better option than wood glue, though. I have a friend who mixes turquoise powder & epoxy to fill cracks, and it looks like a river flowing through the wood. Folks love it!

6/4/14       #5: splits in large slabs ...
Rod Hays

Dave,I was going to use epoxy till I saw how much it cost. I went with Titebond III for $3.99. Had to put tape on the bottom of the slab to stop all the glue leaking through. They say glue joints are stronger then the wood. Not sure if filling in a 1/2'' gap in a slab is technically a glue joint though.

6/4/14       #6: splits in large slabs ...
Den Socling  Member

Website: http://www.vacdry.com

If you dry enough slabs to justify the investment, a vacuum kiln makes a lot of sense. Instead of drying off the surface with the humidity gradient, a vacuum kiln can dry from beneath the surface with a pressure differential. Results are remarkable.


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6/4/14       #7: splits in large slabs ...
Don Ditmars  Member

Thank you for the replys. This is a 48" red elm with a lot of oddball grain. I intended to stay further away from the pith wood but cut down to within about 4" of the center. I'm going to try to cut about a 4" slab so the back side will be just about on the pith. I think I can stabolize the pith side with some butterfly joints. Any thoughts on that?

6/4/14       #8: splits in large slabs ...
Den Socling  Member

Website: http://www.vacdry.com

I should have mentioned that the 3" Red Oak takes 12 days and the 4" walnut takes 33 days from fresh off the saw.

6/12/14       #9: splits in large slabs ...
rich c.

A little late to reply, sorry. But a 4" thick x 48" slab is going to be HEAVY! Even at 4' long, it's going to be a real job to get in the house. If you put one face on the pith, there will be no way to keep it from cracking. It's highly likely that it will cup as well.

6/12/14       #10: splits in large slabs ...
rich c.

Den had to call my attention to the location of the pith in that slab. My comments are directed more to air drying problems. Wouldn't a vacuum kiln be nice for everyone? Cheez, that's some nice drying!

6/14/14       #11: splits in large slabs ...
Don Ditmars

This slab is 4 ft x 8 1/2 ft.


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