Laminating wood cores from lumber...

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Bambi
Posts: 117
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:01 pm
Location: Boston

Laminating wood cores from lumber...

Post by Bambi »

I am about to laminate my wood cores and had a question - I have bought the lumber which has been smooth cut and is dimensionally pretty repeatable. However there is enevitably some warping (aprox 2-3mm over the 1.8m length) and I was wondering if I can ignore that and laminate the planks as is or if I should really plane them to be totally flat?

My worry is that if I laminate them as is then when I cut the planks to make my cores then they could warp a little as the in built stress relieves.

Has anyone got any opinions in this area?

B.
MLReed05
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:12 pm
Location: Western MA

Re: Laminating wood cores from lumber...

Post by MLReed05 »

Bambi wrote:I am about to laminate my wood cores and had a question - I have bought the lumber which has been smooth cut and is dimensionally pretty repeatable. However there is enevitably some warping (aprox 2-3mm over the 1.8m length) and I was wondering if I can ignore that and laminate the planks as is or if I should really plane them to be totally flat?

My worry is that if I laminate them as is then when I cut the planks to make my cores then they could warp a little as the in built stress relieves.

Has anyone got any opinions in this area?

B.
I am not sure if I am reading this right but it sounds like you are laminating planks together??? Keep in mind you can take a completly flat board, rip it in half and it will warp. I believe this is one of the reasons for not making solid cores. There is alot of stored tension in wood. Just someting to keep in mind
Bambi
Posts: 117
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:01 pm
Location: Boston

Yes you are right

Post by Bambi »

... I have got 6" X 1" planks which I was going to try to laminate. I had not considered that the wood would move considerably when cutting it.

Would I be best off ripping them into 'strips' first and then laminating them?
MLReed05
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:12 pm
Location: Western MA

Re: Yes you are right

Post by MLReed05 »

Bambi wrote:... I have got 6" X 1" planks which I was going to try to laminate. I had not considered that the wood would move considerably when cutting it.

Would I be best off ripping them into 'strips' first and then laminating them?
Yeah, I would suggest ripping them into strips then laminating them. Where you going to laminated the boards together then rip blanks off a large beam?

I just ripped strips from a completly straight board and every one of my strips is warped...some of them warping in different directions. Cutting a board into strips first will get rid of some of that "stored" tension.
Bambi
Posts: 117
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:01 pm
Location: Boston

Post by Bambi »

Thanks for the advice. - Yes I was going to try laminating the planks first and ripping laminated planks out of the resuling 6 inch square beam. I was a bit concerned at the prospect of such a dramatic cut hoever, so ripping first is quite appealing!

If you pick your strips strategically can you balance out the warping of the different pices when laminating or is lamination with warped strips just a waste of time?

A second question (given that you are in Mass) do you know of any places locally where I may be able to get cheap i beams for constructing my press (my ski construction is running ahead of my press construction!).

Thanks, B.
MLReed05
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:12 pm
Location: Western MA

Post by MLReed05 »

Laminate strips..it will come out much better that way. don't worry if they are warped. Just plane them down after.

There is a salvage steel place down on the South shore...I will try and fine the name for you. I have a piece of 12" U-channel if you want it. I think it's 6.5' long
kelvin
Site Admin
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Location: Jackson Hole

Post by kelvin »

Are your boards warped or are the surfaces not flat? There is a difference. If they are warped, but the surfaces are flat, just glue and clamp and it should be fine. I try to arrange the pieces so the warp is not all going in the same direction. If the surface is not smooth, you will get pockets of glue and that creates weak points. Run your boards through a planer and it will flatten the surface, but the board could still be warped (bowed).

-kelvin
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