Replies

1. 
   Splintie | Dec 16, 2002 06:37am | #1

   Drill over-sized holes through the back of the maple and fasten screws into the zircote from the back side. The oversize screw holes will allow for some movement, which won't be much, assuming the 9" dimension is cross-grain.

   Or use a lap-joint around the whole perimeter of an opening into which you set the zircote from the back. Frame the opening with molding on the back side to hold the zircote in place. (Think of setting a screen door insert into the opening.) This would also work in reverse, if you wanted to frame the opening with molding from the front.

1. 
   DaveHeinlein | Dec 17, 2002 02:51am | #6

   "Drill over-sized holes through the back of the maple and fasten screws into the zircote from the back side. The oversize screw holes will allow for some movement, which won't be much, assuming the 9" dimension is cross-grain."

   This gets my vote as the most simple and effective method. Think of it as screwing a drawer front on a draw box.

1. 
   Splintie | Dec 17, 2002 07:37am | #7

   Yabbut i just changed my mind bec once a decade something really special comes along, and Velcro won its particular time slot. Sawick! out of the park!

1. 
   DaveHeinlein | Dec 17, 2002 07:58am | #8

   Why use velcro?, It seems like an odd solution. Maybe so you can take it out and clean it? Or maybe replace the inset monthly with a different species wood? Hmmmm, could be kind of cool, but velcro? I just don't know.

2. 
   UncleDunc | Dec 16, 2002 08:59am | #2

   The shrinkage rates for sugar maple are 4.8% radial and 9.9% tangential, green to oven dry. http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/shrink_table.htm The rates for ziricote are 4% radial and 7.4% tangential. http://www.righteouswoods.net/ziricote.html

   According to the Shrinkulator home page, http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/shrinkulator.htm the typical moisture content swing in unfinished wood stored indoors in North America is 4% to 14%, or one tenth of the green to oven dry range. The swing in finished wood would be somewhat less, but we'll stick with the 4% to 14%. Assuming that both pieces are plain sawn, the change in the width of a 9" piece of ziricote over a range of 4% to 14% MC will be 9" x .074 x .1 = .067". The change in the 9" section of maple abutting the ends of the ziricote will be 9" x .099 x .1 = .089". The difference is .022", or .0025" per inch. If both pieces are quarter sawn, the difference is much less. The difference will also be smaller for most other maple species.

   I wouldn't hesitate to assume that both woods can absorb a strain of .0025" per inch, which means I wouldn't hesitate to glue it if that was the easiest way to get the look I wanted.

1. 
   Splintie | Dec 16, 2002 10:07am | #3

   The thang is, you get into that problem of even-ply glue up like that. I'm thinking of cupping in box tops i did like this...which showed up a couple months after completion. 

1. 
   UncleDunc | Dec 16, 2002 06:35pm | #5

   If it's a laminating situation, you're quite right and I misread the question. I thought he was asking about cutting a 9" by 40" hole through the maple and filling it with ziricote, so the two woods would be joined only at the edges of the hole. I was planning on using that construction for a maple and wenge box top, with the maple in the middle. Not the same scale as a headboard, obviously.

2. 
   geoffndawn | Dec 17, 2002 09:45am | #9

   Thanks for the great information.  I appreciate all the research on my behalf.  As Splintie mentioned, I wasn't going to cut all the way through the maple headboard but only inset the zircote 1/4" - 3/8" into the 3/4" maple so it would in effect be laminated.  Consequently, gluing has me a little nervous.  I may have to experiment with a couple of options to find what may work.  Ideas are always appreciated.

   Thanks again,  GEOFF

1. 
   crt2cu2 | Dec 17, 2002 11:01am | #10

   Geoff,

   Here is another idea (at the risk of being teased by others reading this thread) Listen up Splintie and Dave-   Perhaps try attaching the Zircote with rare earth magnets inset in the maple and a bit of metal in a corresponding spot on the panel back or vicey versa.  I think Rockler sells the magnets in various sizes and advertises them to be quite strong.  I sometimes use bits of magnet hot glued or epoxied to wood plugs to cover countersunk bolts.  For example, the last mission style bed I built called for draw bolts to attach the head and footboards to the side rails.  The customer revealed that he often gets transferred in his job and insisted that the design would allow for easy disassembly.  So, rather than using dowel plugs which are sometimes hard to remove, I simply turned eight blackwood 'buttons' and glued little magnets on the back to hold the buttons to the heads of the bolts--easy off and easy on.  And as an aside, my daughter had a bit of fun arranging the magnetic buttons in smiley face manner on my jointer.

   Always thinkin not only out of the box but often in another galaxy... lol.  Seriously though, I often 'borrow' ideas from other crafts and apply them to wood working.  One time I used a set of jumars and old climbing rope to use as a band clamp for a round veneered table apron!

   sawick

1. 
   geoffndawn | Dec 17, 2002 11:31pm | #11

   Great minds think alike.  I had given some thought to using magnets to hold the zircote inset.  I may end up going that route possibly.  Thanks a bunch.  Part of the fun of our hobby is figuring out solutions and applying broadbased skills and thinking to specific and seemingly unique problems.  Fortunately, they're rarely unique and often someone else has already solved the dilemma and is willing to share.  Thanks again.  Geoff

2. 
   DaveHeinlein | Dec 18, 2002 02:38am | #12

   I've used RE magnets to attach things like valances and kick boards, as stops for drawers, catches for doors. What you propose would probably work fine provided the wood was stable and would stay flat. I don't know how long these magnets last, but they may need replacement some day. I think screws with enlongated holes are the best bet in that they will hold the inset flat into place, yet allow for seasonal deviation.

3. 
   crt2cu2 | Dec 16, 2002 01:25pm | #4

   Geoff,

   I had a similar movement challenge a couple years ago in a head board and solved it thus:  I mounted the panel inlays using velcro sheets and 3M spray adhesive obtained from a sewing/fabric shop.  This technique worked great since the bed design had a lot of cross/diagonal grain issues. Further, finishing was a snap because all the panels could be stained and finished separately from the bed headboard itself.  Lastly, it was cool (I thought) to not worry about screws, clamps, glue squeezeout and all those other tedious little details I have so much trouble with.

   sawick