Home » Knowledge Base » Knowledge Base Article What's New  |  Site Map 

 

 
   
   
 
 


Today's
Sponsors:


Touch Up Solutions LLC

Tractivity

TradeSoft

Trakware Systems Inc.

TRB Flooring Company

Tropical American Tree Farm

Tropical Hardwoods

Turtle Sun Woodshop

Twin Oaks Mill

UC Coatings Corp.

Unique Machine & Tool

University of Wisconsin

UWMO Auctions

Vacuum Pressing Systems, Inc.

Vacuumpods.com

Vecoplan LLC

Vector Art 3D

Vectric Ltd.

Veneer Systems Inc.

Veneer Technologies Inc.

Vintage Perkins

VortexTool Co. Inc.

VyTek

W. Moore Profiles, Ltd.

W.L. Fuller

Wadkin North America

Wagner Electronic Products

WalzCraft Industries

Webb Abrasives

WEIMA America, Inc.

Weinig Group - USA

Western Dovetail

Williams and Hussey

Wisconsin Knife Works

WMIA

WMMA

Wood and Wood Products

Wood Doctor's Rx, LLC

Wood Tech Enterprises, Inc.

Wood Technology Inc

Wood-Mizer

Wood-Ply Lumber Corp.

WoodCabinetDoors.Com

Woodcraft Supply Corp.

WoodcraftPlans.com

WoodenBoat

WoodFinder

WoodJobs.com Search Consultants

Woodland Dimension Products

WoodLINKS

Woodmaster

WoodPlanet Inc.

WOODWEB

Woodworker's Supply/woodworker.com

Woodworker's Directory

Wright Timber

SK-USA

SlipCon USA, Inc.

SoCalMachinery.com

South State Machinery

South Texas Moulding

Southeast Tool, Inc.

Specialtytools.com

SprayGunWorld.com

Stairguy Stairbuilding Videos

Stefani

Steve H. Wall Lumber Co.

Stiles Machinery

Stiles Shop Solutions

Stor-N-Fold Systems

Super Source Tooling Inc.

Supergrit Abrasives

Surface and Panel Magazine

Target Coatings

Techno CNC Routers

Template Services

Teragren

The Cayce Company

The Reclaimer

The Veneer Store

Thermwood Corporation

TigerStop

TigerwoodDecking.com

TimberKing

Timesavers Inc.

TMS Machinery Sales

Tongass Forest Enterprises

Tooling on the Web

Toolstoday.com



WOODWEB DISCLAIMS any and all RESPONSIBILITY and LIABILITY for the accuracy and application of the information below. Readers agree to evaluate the significance and limitations of the information provided, and accept full responsibility for the application of this information. Read More ...

Would you like to add information to this article?
Interested in writing or submitting an article?
Have a question about this article?



Understanding Drying Stress in Wood       A complaint about cupping in mahogany door stiles after machining leads to a discussion of what causes drying stress and related movement in kiln-dried wood. June 23, 2006

Question
Whilst making some mahogany storm doors, I jointed the face and edge of the stiles as the rest of the stock like normal. Then I sent it all through the planer as normal. The stock was 6/4 and the doors were to finish at 1". When I got to just under 1 1/4", I noticed that some of the stiles had cupped, so I jointed the faces again, not worrying about the edges just now as the stock was still over width. Then I planed them down to 1". It took me 3 passes, so I turned the wood over after the first complete pass so as not to hog all the material off the one side and chance cupping again. Yes, you guessed it - some of them were cupped again when I was done. Is there anything else I should have done to prevent the cupping?

Forum Responses
From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
This wood has transverse drying stress, which is also called casehardening. In other words, the drying stresses were not relieved in the drying process using a stress relief process that is called conditioning. Can you return the material? A reasonable supplier should give you a 100% refund, as the wood is not properly dried. Proper drying includes conditioning.



From contributor S:
For passage doors we try to pull stock several days before milling and stand on long edge with air allowed on both faces. Typically, most movement that was prevented from being flat stacked will occur during this time. Then joint/plane, assemble, leaving 1/16-3/32 more to be taken off during final sanding. Occasionally, you get a board here and there that will be a problem, but luckily never had a whole batch be bad. Hopefully your supplier will man up and replace it all 100%.


From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Moisture content changes take time, so warp that occurs over time is moisture related. Drying stresses are seen immediately.


From contributor S:
Gene, what causes the drying stresses? Is it dried too quick or slow? Or is it some other factor?


From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Drying stresses are normal events in all typical drying processes. The stresses result when the outside begins to dry and tries to shrink, but the inside is still wet and does not shrink. The outside then goes into tension and eventually will be stretched out and dry to a larger size than if it had been free to shrink. This is (in a few words) the cause of casehardening or drying stresses. Such stress can be avoided by extremely slow drying, taking perhaps a year for 1" stock and drying it so slowly that there is little difference in MC between the outside and the inside. Very impractical to do, so we will condition the lumber at the end of drying to remove any stress. Special note: the high humidity at night in air drying and solar drying serves to relieve most of the stresses daily, so AD or solar dried lumber is often free of stress or has very little.


From the original questioner:
Thanks for the replies. The stiles bent immediately, but not all of them. Less than half. The amount of bend was exaggerated because the stiles were together with opposite bends. Still was not as straight as I would like.
Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?
  • KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

  • KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing

  • KnowledgeBase: Primary Processing: Kiln Operation

  • KnowledgeBase: Solid Wood Machining

  • KnowledgeBase: Solid Wood Machining: General

  • KnowledgeBase: Wood Engineering

  • KnowledgeBase: Wood Engineering: Wood Properties




    Would you like to add information to this article? ... Click Here

    If you have a question regarding a Knowledge Base article, your best chance at uncovering an answer is to search the entire Knowledge Base for related articles or to post your question at the appropriate WOODWEB Forum. Before posting your message, be sure to
    review our Forum Guidelines.

    Questions entered in the Knowledge Base Article comment form will not generate responses! A list of WOODWEB Forums can be found at WOODWEB's Site Map.

    When you post your question at the Forum, be sure to include references to the Knowledge Base article that inspired your question. The more information you provide with your question, the better your chances are of receiving responses.

    Return to beginning of article.



    Refer a Friend || Read This Important Information || Site Map || Privacy Policy

    Letters, questions or comments? E-Mail us and let us know what you think. Be sure to review our Frequently Asked Questions page.

    Contact us to discuss advertising or to report problems with this site.

    To report a problem, send an e-mail to our Webmaster

    Copyright © 1996-2008 - WOODWEB ® Inc.
    All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission of the Editor.
    Review WOODWEB's Copyright Policy.

    The editors, writers, and staff at WOODWEB try to promote safe practices. What is safe for one woodworker under certain conditions may not be safe for others in different circumstances. Readers should undertake the use of materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk.

    WOODWEB, Inc.
    RR4 Box 265A
    Montrose, PA 18801

    Contact WOODWEB