Replies

1. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Sep 07, 2007 04:52am | #1

   Don't knowif this will work for you, but it might be a start: http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/shrinkulator.htm

   You know for certain that it's going to shrink.  Plywood may not be as bad?

   Regards,

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

    

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

2. 
   oldusty | Sep 07, 2007 07:13am | #2

   Hi Ernie ,

              You do have cause for concern . This will be a challenge of your design skills . Knowing the wood will dry out and want to move no matter what screams out for stability and all the precautions possible to anticipate the inevitable movement.

            solid design in all projects should be a staple of the process and built in to our thinking , make sure your design is bullet proof.

                                    regards    dusty

1. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 18, 2007 12:38am | #3

   Thanks to OldDusty and others who replied to my request re damp to dry.

   Since I work in South Louisiana, I wonder if anyone working along the Gulf Coast has had experience with clients who live in arid or semi-arid places.

    

   Thanks,

   Ernie

1. 
   mapleman | Sep 18, 2007 06:00am | #4

   Ernie,

   Where y'at? How's ya mom and dem?

   What part of southern LA do you live? I was born and raised in Slidell and live just across the state line in Picayune, MS.

   Good to see some local  guys on the forum.

   Lee

1. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 18, 2007 09:34pm | #6

   Hi Mapleman,

   Good to hear from you. It seems there are not a lot of people making handcrafted furniture in LA. I work my day job in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, for 6 months then to Lafayette LA and spend just about every waking hour in my shop.

   I got some feelers from guys here who work with me in law enforcement who like the idea of a hand made, solid wood gun cabinet (not a safe). I think I can turn this first order into some recurring orders if I can get the wood to stay stable after it's up here in 10 to 30 percent humidity.

   Do you work full time in wood? I don't know many who can afford it, since it seems that people like to spend $1200 on a small cabinet made in China out of MDF and plastered with a few coats of black plastic and some synthetic carving glued on the front. Also lots of guys doing it as a hobby and producing stuff much better than I can make like Queen Anne, etc.

   I started about 6 years ago after teaching for 25 years and working for the Dept of Interior here in Colo. But before that I was just a carpenter in summers and part-time.

    

   Best,

   Ernie

1. 
   mapleman | Sep 19, 2007 06:26am | #8

   Hi Ernie,

   6 months a year in Colorado? Sounds like heaven. Hope it's in the middle of summer! I agree, doesn't seem to be a lot of people making handcrafted furniture in LA, and MS either. That's why you won't find a woodcraft or rockler locally. Heck, it's even hard to find a great selection of lumber at good prices.

   I do make my living working wood, I build kitchen cabinets. I had been building furniture as hobby since about 1993, and quit my job in the printing industry almost 3 years ago to do cabinets full time.

   Oh yeah - and the people who buy those Chinese made MDF pieces are the ones who want their kitchen cabinets from home depot! Luckily I have gotten some good word of mouth advertising, from people who are very satisfied. That's the best way to get good, paying customers.

   Good luck with the gun cabinet, keep us posted on how it turns out.

   Lee

2. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 23, 2007 07:00pm | #9

   Hi Lee,

   Yep, it's in the summer; I'm pretty spoiled--have not spent a summer in La since 1984. I work here from May until November, then head home to the bayou.

   I got some oak samples from Paxton in Denver and to my surprise my client (buddy) like the plain sawn best. So I'll do some homework on shipping from Denver, where I can hand pick, or getting it from Hogan in Ruston and shiipped to their Lafayette store, which--as you noted--doesn't carry quarter sawn anything, not that that's a problem in this case.

    

   Best, Erne

3. 
   [email protected] | Sep 23, 2007 10:41pm | #10

   I would be hesitant about shipping to CO in the winter from LA,   the winter is the driest time in the mountains.  And, the relative humidity inside will be less than outside. 

   Delivering it in person, when you go back in the spring might work better. 

   The thrift stores in Vegas were always full of things that had destroyed themselves due to the huge drop in humidity from where ever people moved there from. 

4. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 25, 2007 01:17am | #11

   Forgive me if this appears twice; I don't think it sent the first time.

   Yeah! How could I be that dumb? Spent enough winters here and Wyoming I should have thought of winter dryness.

   Thanks for the reminder.

   Just one more point: This is really the first time I've engaged in a discussion on the forum and I think you guys are great for taking the time to help.

    

   Ernie

2. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 27, 2007 04:05am | #13

   Hi Lee,

   Just looked at the map of MS. You are about as close to the marsh as I am. Maybe I can look you up if we go to the beach. OK?

   Ernie

1. 
   mapleman | Sep 27, 2007 06:26am | #14

   Hi Ernie,

   Yes please do! You and your family are welcome anytime.

   Lee

3. 
   JohnWW | Sep 18, 2007 07:29pm | #5

   Sure you can, here in New England, and a lot of other places, the local humidity moves over that range every year. To build furniture that won't self destruct you have to use good design: avoid rigid cross grain joinery, float your door panels, allow for movement of table tops, etc.

   John W.

1. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 18, 2007 09:42pm | #7

   Thanks John. I think (being self taught I'm never sure if I'm doing everything right) that I use the time tested techniques--floating panels, buttons instead of Kreg screwed in tight, mortise and tenon joints, etc.

   I've only been to NE once, in the summer, and I found it delightfully "dry" after South Louisiana, but your advice encourages me. I'm going to build the gun cabinet and ship it up here in January or March. I'm guaranteeing it (do that with all my stuff) and think it's worth the chance.

   Think I can build some orders for this as this first client (a co worker) knows lots of people in law enforcement who might like it. BTW he's a retired Marine who's with the county sheriff and soon to enter training to be  a commissioned Park Ranger. Same age as me. Whew! I can't even keep up with him in the office.

   Thanks for your note,

   Ernie

4. 
   ErnestBeslin | Sep 27, 2007 04:02am | #12

   Just used the shrinkage calculator at wood bin. It shows a sample shrinkage of a qtr inch in a 10 in wide white oak board moving from 80% to 10% humidity. Wow! An eye opener for me.

   Again, thanks for the suggestions and support.

   ERnie