freedhardwoods Posted November 17, 2018 Report Share Posted November 17, 2018 I am long on book learning and short on experience in some areas of woodworking. A shop that I install for is planning to glue up 8/4 walnut into a 3' wide top, plane it down to 1 1/4" thick, and immediately finish and install it with the end against a granite countertop. Shouldn't it be allowed to acclimate for a couple weeks at 1 3/8" (or more) before taking it on down to final thickness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 17, 2018 Report Share Posted November 17, 2018 Depends on the dryness of the wood and the conditions in the shop. Kiln dried walnut at 7% moisture that's been stored in a heated dry shop should behave fairly well. Air dried walnut stored in a unheated shed then taken into a heated shop will move a lot more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted November 17, 2018 Report Share Posted November 17, 2018 I agree with Steve. A nice touch would be to add a bread board end especially where it meets the granite. Water will get down there and end grain will wick. Add extra finish to the ends if no breadboard. A potential long term problem...And I like the look of breadboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freedhardwoods Posted November 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2018 Thanks for the quick replies. It is kd, but I am leery of lumber that I didn't dry myself, especially thick lumber. The breadboard end sounds like a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted November 17, 2018 Report Share Posted November 17, 2018 I would consider planing the boards to about 1 1/2" and letting them sit for a few days, then glue, wait a day and plane to 1 1 4". This exposes more surface area for equalizing the moisture content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 17, 2018 Report Share Posted November 17, 2018 A breadboard end on a thick glued up counter which will be mounted on a cabinet isn't that necessary. Mounting the counter to allow for expansion & contraction is very necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freedhardwoods Posted November 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2018 I think letting it letting it sit a few days is the thing to do, but it isn't me doing it. I passed on the info. I'll find out tomorrow what they decided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 18, 2018 Report Share Posted November 18, 2018 I've beeen in a similar position before. Someone is planning to do something and they seem unaware of the risks. Warn them, offer a better safer path then sit back and watch it unfold. As just the installer your risk ends with allowing for the wood to move . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freedhardwoods Posted November 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 I stumbled onto my old Delmhorst R2000 moisture tester that I used 10 years ago while running my lumber kiln. I had put it on a shelf and forgot about it. I tested the 8/4 lumber this am and it is showing 6.5 - 7% on the outside and 10% at the core. I told them I would plane 1/4" off each side and let it sit in the shop a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 I would rip slightly oversized and sticker the walnut until the center was 7.5 or 8%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freedhardwoods Posted November 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 I went on a short run for a couple hours. When I got back it was planed, cut, and glued up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 You spoke up so that's all you can do. They took the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 Even if the material is uniformly dry, planing can release some internal stresses in the material, it isn't a bad idea to do the removal in two steps as you've suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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