# Warped oak boards



## jeeper (Jan 9, 2011)

:help: Hey guys,
I know I am still a newbie here and at wood working. I have bought some oak pieces from Lowes. I have already ripped it into the 2 1/4 width and routered them. I had noticed that they were warped but I worked them anyway. The bow is on the flat side. I am wantin to turn these into cabinet doors but now worried about using them. Is there any secret or trick to flatening these out? Thanks for any help.. 

Larry


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Larry

Just put them to one side and go back to Lowes and pickup some flooring, it's flat and true, like they say junk in junk out..if you have a flooring outlet in your town it's cheaper if they have some close outs on sale..or left overs from some jobs, it's almost always AAA grade wood..

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jeeper said:


> :help: Hey guys,
> I know I am still a newbie here and at wood working. I have bought some oak pieces from Lowes. I have already ripped it into the 2 1/4 width and routered them. I had noticed that they were warped but I worked them anyway. The bow is on the flat side. I am wantin to turn these into cabinet doors but now worried about using them. Is there any secret or trick to flatening these out? Thanks for any help..
> 
> Larry


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

You do not sat what kind of doors you are going for, flush mount, overlay, flat panel or raised panel, Also why the 2 1/4 widths you ripped to?? Finally how bad is the warp and does it have a twist also??

It is critical when when buying from the box store that you go through the stock and pick out the very best lumber you can you can get hold of, after all you are paying high dollar so get what you are paying for. As you do more and more woodworking, you will se why so many folks have a joiner and a planer. You can buy rough-cut 5/4 and prep the wood yourself and get just what you want and pay for the equipment in just a little time.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hey Larry...

Usually a warp, twist, cup etc. is that particular piece of woods 'natural' tendency once dried. You can mill out all of these characteristics one way or the other, but you end up with a board that can be considerably dimensionally smaller. Stable, but smaller. 

you paid a premium price for what was to be premium wood. Take it back and exchange it for what you want.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Larry

I don't think they will take it back but it's worth a try  it's like buying a 4' x 8' plywood and rip it up..
Buy the way you want to rip the stock to 2 7/16" or 2 1/2" wide and than you can use the magic number of 4 to cut the door parts up..it works on any type of cabinet doors you want to make..most R & P bits cut 7/16" deep..and you want to use wider stock for your door parts like 5" wide, than use the router bits on it and than rip it to size.

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/sommerfelds/Catalog/page28.pdf

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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

OPPS.......

just reread your post Larry... "already ripped"....

BJ is most likely correct, very little chance of them taking it back since its already been cut..but who knows, maybe a phone call first.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Larry,
It is suggested that you bring the lumber home and let it set in your shop for a week or so before you use it. This is to allow the wood to acclimate to the humidity (or lack of) in your shop. This will not solve the movement problem completely, but it will make it less of a problem. Also, after cutting the wood to size, you should not let it set around for long before assembling as the wood will have a tendency to move more after being cut. The act of cutting the wood releases the internal pressures in the wood and causes it to move, warp, cup or bend. IMHO you can forget taking the lumber back. Just take this as a learning experience and go on from here


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## jeeper (Jan 9, 2011)

*Pics*

You guys are just great!!! I will be getting some new wood to finish it up. Here is a pic of what it is looking like so far.. Thanks for all the replies.. 

xplorx4,
Thanks again for the wonderful help. I do have aquestion for you.. I have the same Ridgid table saw as you. TS3660 How are you keeping it from rusting? I have alittle problem with the rust, but I have to keep working it to keep the rust off. Thanks again..

Larry


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## jeeper (Jan 9, 2011)

Oh by the way guys, this is the first cabinet and doors that I have ever made... I have always been in the construction side and always buy the cabinets pre made. I hope these are looking good from you experts... Thanks again everyone!!


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Larry...

absolutely...look reallllllll good! 

how ya liking the transition from construction to cabinetry?


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## jeeper (Jan 9, 2011)

Thanks TwoSkies57,
I dont know the name of the way I made the doors. I dont know the slang in Cabinetry yet. The sides are made from the fake oak look shelving that Lowes carries. The doors were from a piece of Oak along with the outer frame. I only attached the wood to it. I love the way my table saw handles the wood ripping. My big problem is that I have had to split my so called shop between the garage and an inclosed patio area. So my tools are never where I really need them. I really am enjoying this compaired to construction. This way I can really see what I have made, but then again I can really see my mistakes too. haha I will be working on the right end of it after I finish the doors. It will have 2 shelves, one for the dinning tv and a door on the bottom. Thanks again for all the help..

Larry


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Group, you can take just about anything back to Lowe's. I used to work in the electrical department. We were not supposed to take back any cut wire, but we did to keep the customers happy. We had taken back the aluminum four-plex wire for mobile home hook-up with mud on it! When I asked a customer, "How much wire do you need?" I cringed when they would say "About......." Right away, I knew they didn't measure. "About" usually wasn't close. I have started a file for all supplies, tools, materials, etc. I use in the shop. Then if I have to return it, I have the receipt. However, I was told Lowe's can backtrack the sale with your phone number.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

jeeper said:


> TS3660 How are you keeping it from rusting? I have alittle problem with the rust, but I have to keep working it to keep the rust off. Thanks again..
> 
> Larry


I have the same but for any cast iron top table saw the key to rust prevention is maintenance.

Green or Red artificial steel wool pad and scrub it down. A dab of mineral spirits helps keep the pad clean. Wipe it down and wax it with floor wax (not car wax with silicone). Let the wax haze up then buff it out.

Alternative to the paste wax (I use Johnson's Wax, hardware store, stuff in the yellow can) is Boesheild T9. It gets good reviews.

Keep the top waxed and clean. Remove excess sawdust as it can trap moisture against the iron.

And don't set your coffee cup on the table saw...


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## CurleyBill (Apr 13, 2009)

Nice work Jeeper! Looks like you jumped right in!


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## jeeper (Jan 9, 2011)

Thanks for the great info rwyoung!! I'll have it looking new again in no time..


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

jeeper said:


> Thanks for the great info rwyoung!! I'll have it looking new again in no time..


The best stuff to use is Rust Off and T9 Both are made by boeing air craft co. Those 2 will keep all the rust off . Here is the link for both. I belive sears has them now 

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more


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## tcozadoh (Oct 2, 2009)

I saw an article about flattening boards. They shimmed and clamped the board and then used a 1-1/4 in. bottom cleaning router bit. There were boards on each side of the boards to be flattened maybe 1/2 in. above the warped board. The router was mounted to another board (sled) and moved over the top of the warped board taking off the high spots. Then the other side was planed parallel and flipped to clean up the routed side.


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## tcozadoh (Oct 2, 2009)

I saw an article about flattening boards. They shimmed and clamped the board and then used a 1-1/4 in. bottom cleaning router bit. There were boards on each side of the boards to be flattened maybe 1/2 in. above the warped board. The router was mounted to another board (sled) and moved over the top of the warped board taking off the high spots. Then the other side was planed parallel and flipped to clean up the routed side.


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## tcozadoh (Oct 2, 2009)

See this post too. I cant post a URL yet or I would.
router planing


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## winm70 (Mar 4, 2010)

Looking real good to me, nice work. Post some finished pics when your done.


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## jeeper (Jan 9, 2011)

Del, I checked that out. It really has some great reviews.. I think I will go and get some tomorrow. Thank you for that info! Tom, Thanks for your input.. I cant wait for you to be able to start posting url's I am a newbie at wood working. But I sure am having fun with it. I couldnt resist getting a new router from Home Depot. For some reason they discontinued the Ridgid Router. So I got the last one from around here for $129.00.. I told them I would also take the demo one, but they said they had to throw it into the crusher. How sad is that... Don, Thanks. I will put up some pics when done. But here is an update. I found myself building new kitchen cabinets for a neighbor and is holding me up on my own. haha I never thought I would be making cabinets and doors. You people are the best here on the forums!! I never could have done this before.


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