Popular Post Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 Quick update in the battle of the beams. Finally got one with 4 fairly flat faces. Used a flattening jig for the highest spots, then a LAJP and regular jack plane. Pretty slow going. Hoping to start on #2 tomorrow. Also considering just cutting these into smaller segments and using them for the base, and the using maple for the slab. We'll see how#2 goes. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted August 6, 2023 Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 The wood is curly oak. Using hand planes on that is a very tough job. Every 1/2" it changes to going with the grain then against. Vulnerable to chip out. Keep the edge sharp and sharpen often. The good news is curly polished and finished is beautiful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted August 6, 2023 Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 The other option is to find someone to run them through a wide belt sander. It's going to be awesome though however it is processed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted August 6, 2023 Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 I dress them with the joiner and thickness planer. Then I run it through the drum sander. If only one side is exposed I sand just one side. A wide belt sander would be the best choice but I don't have that luxury. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 5:52 AM, curlyoak said: The wood is curly oak. Using hand planes on that is a very tough job. Every 1/2" it changes to going with the grain then against. Vulnerable to chip out. Keep the edge sharp and sharpen often. The good news is curly polished and finished is beautiful. Well you should know! ;) I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of figure once i got the silver patina off. It's pretty curly. Yes, very sharp gets me through the tear out. Some areas I had to start with a scrub plane but for the most part, if the blade is freshly honed it is going well. I've been at the sharpening station often because this stuff will dull an iron very quickly. The thing that's giving me the most trouble is a gnarly knot that runs through to both faces. I've got it pretty well tamed on one face but it was not easy. Going to start on beam #2 later today. It should go a little faster the 2nd time around. @BillyJack the beam shown above is the same one that appeared so twisted in an earlier picture. I think it was sitting on a shim in that earlier pic -making it appear more twisted than it actually was. It's pretty flat now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 6:33 AM, Tom King said: The other option is to find someone to run them through a wide belt sander. It's going to be awesome though however it is processed. I've got a 16/32 drum sander, though i haven't put one these through it yet. I tried to get it through my planer (DeWalt DW735) and while the machine did run it through, these are so big and heavy that they're pretty taxing on the smaller machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 Here's the knot i was talking about. It's now flat but it was difficult. I'm planning to fill these cracks with a 2 part epoxy. This isn't something I've done before. I also haven't really done much reading up on it yet. So maybe I'm premature inn asking but if anyone has advice or pointers for that process, i would love to hear them. Thank you too all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted August 6, 2023 Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 10:51 AM, D W C said: Here's the knot i was talking about. It's now flat but it was difficult. I'm planning to fill these cracks with a 2 part epoxy. This isn't something I've done before. I also haven't really done much reading up on it yet. So maybe I'm premature inn asking but if anyone has advice or pointers for that process, i would love to hear them. Thank you too all. Tape up the bottom and edges then mix your epoxy according to the instructions but to the extent you can you will want a thin mix so it goes all the way in / through. I would use a little TransTint in it as well, probably black. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 12:29 PM, pkinneb said: Tape up the bottom and edges @pkinneb Thanks! Can to explain this further as to why to do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted August 6, 2023 Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 2:35 PM, D W C said: @pkinneb Thanks! Can to explain this further as to why to do this? So if you have cracks and they go all the way through (and you haven't taped the bottom side) you will find your slab epoxied to whatever its sitting on 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 2:40 PM, pkinneb said: So if you have cracks and they go all the way through (and you haven't taped the bottom side) you will find your slab epoxied to whatever its sitting on Ah! 10-4. I thought that might be it, just making sure. Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted August 6, 2023 Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 Are you going to stabilize the cracks before you put a finish on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 3:20 PM, BillyJack said: Are you going to stabilize the cracks before you put a finish on it? Not sure? I usually just use Danish Oil on my benches. Off the top, i would think that i should fill the cracks, let it dry and then prep the surface for finishing by planing and sanding and then apply finish as usual. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted August 7, 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 When you get to that point, I suggest an epoxy with a longer setup time. I'd avoid 5 min epoxy. Also while the epoxy might travel through the cracks to the other side of the board, it might not, so you may choose to flip the board and do a second pour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted August 7, 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 6:48 PM, D W C said: Not sure? I usually just use Danish Oil on my benches. Off the top, i would think that i should fill the cracks, let it dry and then prep the surface for finishing by planing and sanding and then apply finish as usual. You need to stabilize cracks unless you want future problems.. I can’t tell how back the cracks are, but you need to take a syringe with glue and get as much as you can in those cracks.. In furniture, we will eliminate the cracks or stabilize.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 On 8/7/2023 at 9:07 AM, BillyJack said: You need to stabilize cracks unless you want future problems.. I can’t tell how back the cracks are, but you need to take a syringe with glue and get as much as you can in those cracks.. In furniture, we will eliminate the cracks or stabilize.. Thanks @BillyJack. Appreciate the advice. I assume you mean CA glue right? If i can fill the cracks completely with that then i don't need epoxy correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted August 7, 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 You can use any glue you want as long as you can get it in the cracks. can you put a putty knife in between the crack and separate it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chestnut Posted August 7, 2023 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 1 hour ago, D W C said: Thanks @BillyJack. Appreciate the advice. I assume you mean CA glue right? If i can fill the cracks completely with that then i don't need epoxy correct? Epoxy is a suitable way to stabilize. If you are going to fill them with epoxy skip the CA glue. If you have a slow setting epoxy like west system of total boat etc they mix rather thin and will fill those cracks pretty easily. Don't use 5min stuff from a home store as that's thick and won't get down in the cracks. If you stabilize large cracks like that with CA glue it's going to be rather expensive. Couple example products. https://www.rockler.com/zap-30-minute-z-poxy-8-oz https://www.rockler.com/mas-deep-pour-epoxy I bought in a gallon kit of west system wtih 207 clear hardener maybe 10 years ago and still have over half the kit left. I've filled countless knows cracks etc with great results. It works out to about $1.50 per pump mix. A similar volume from a 5 min kit is roughly $12. So expensive up front but pays for it's self in the long run if you plan on using it. West marine is cheaper for west system, system three, total boat, and other epoxies like this as they are used heavily in the boat industry. Another benefit to epoxy is using it as an adhesive, GASP! It works great and allows for long open times and with some mineral fillers can gap fill and has the potential to be stronger than PVA glue in some applications. I've used the above mentioned west system kit for multiple complicated glue ups that would have not be possible with PVA glue. #makeepoxyglueagain 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 On 8/7/2023 at 11:30 AM, Chestnut said: Another benefit to epoxy is using it as an adhesive, GASP! #makeepoxyglueagain This made me chuckle. Thanks for all the great info! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted August 7, 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 It all comes down to whether or not you can get the epoxy into the crack. we don’t wait to see after it is finished, Preparation is everything , miss a step, find the post.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted August 7, 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 I’ll look at old shop photos to see if I can remember what brand epoxy we used 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 Does seasonal movement factor into choosing what to fill cracks with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyJack Posted August 7, 2023 Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 On 8/7/2023 at 4:47 PM, D W C said: Does seasonal movement factor into choosing what to fill cracks with? Depends on how dry it was to start. What’s the moisture content? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted August 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 On 8/7/2023 at 4:56 PM, BillyJack said: Depends on how dry it was to start. What’s the moisture content? No idea. Don't have a moisture meter. It seems pretty dry all the way through but honestly i have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted August 7, 2023 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 7, 2023 If the wood dries enough to crack more, it will probably crack somewhere other than at the epoxy. In which case, it won't matter. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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