I’m using blue gum eucalyptus planks to make a raised-panel wainscotting in a dining room here. We milled a tree about three years ago with a Woodmizer saw, then air-dried it. The wood dried beautifully. Especially the butt log remained very stable, with no checking, buckling or warping.
We were fortunate to also have milled the burl of the tree. That is the most beautiful of the wood, most of it I cut at 4 quarter, planning to use it for the panels. While cutting and planing out panels from it, I find that It is so lovely, in fact, that the possibility occurred to me of resawing it to get double the number of panels.
They are now at 7/8″ thick and 14″ wide. resawing them in half (1/6″ thick blade) I would end up with just a hair over 3/8″ thickness.
While this is appealing, my concern is that this might make the panels unstable. I’m housing them in 1/4″ groves on all four sides, like panels doors. I would be resawing eight of the best pieces to get what I need for the room.
Anyone have some advice for me on this?
After resawing, I will need to glue onto the backs along the edges to get the thickness needed to fill the 1/4″ slot. And in top and bottom I would fill with a loose strip.
I do have enough other planks to get the panels out of, but not nearly as lovely.
Another factor is that in a few years we will likely heat treat the building for termites.
thank you.
Replies
Kauai,
I would try and slice as much out of each panel as thinly as possible and then use it as a veneer. The burl at any thickness as a solid will probably end up breaking apart over time or twisting and cracking. I have attached a photo of an 18th century solid burl top tea table that will serve as a good example why burl veneers are best.
J.P.
this is very risky. resawing dry wood is not as easy as wet wood, And it is highly unlikely that you will get through 14" without incident. 1/4" gum burl will most likely deform at some point. I would definitely pursue the veneering idea. I would also think about ripping these to 7" before resawing and then re-joining the veneers. Be extremely careful on your bandsaw feed rate as the blade can bow inside the kerf and blow out the side. Also, keep the temperature very cool when sanding the final pieces or you will heat check this wood beyond repair.
Good luck.
" good judgement comes through experience,,,,, experience comes through bad judgement"
I, too, got the feeling that this would be a risky way to go after mulling it over.
I've never done any veneering before. What is the maximum thickness. Sounds like I might be getting in over my head, with so many panels to make.
Kauai
Getting in over your head is what it's all about! sawn veneers need to wind up well under 1/8" to avoid problems associated with solid wood. You will need to do some basic research unless someone here wants to jump in and write that book, Glueing up panels is not a big deal and the end result is both beautiful, and will hold up well if done properly.
Good luck.....
Kauai ,
I would avoid gluing stock behind the thin panels , as this may cause or restrict the panels from shrinking and growing while they float .As you have said 3/8" is too thin for raised panels . Perhaps you can best utilize the figured grain for drawer fronts or some other high priority area of the job , maybe the dinning room will need a china cabinet or a buffet / hutch . The veneering of one side only can cause problems of its own as well .
good luck dusty
Hi Kauai,
Myself and Don are probably some of the few that have actually seen Blue Gum in furniture.
3/8" may stand up in use - how wide is the door? My concern is that Burl doesn't really have any structural strength and may break with the first knock, but, on narrow(ish) doors, it could survive OK.
You could always put one or two thin rails behind the burl panel and pin/glue the centre of the panel to the concealed rail to stiffen it up and provide a level of structural support
Best regards,
eddie
My concern when using thin panels is that I want to avoid visible warping. This is more of a risk when the panels are wide or high, and the stock is prone to movement. I've had no problem with 1/4" flat panels made from canarywood (a kind of rosewood), but I have no experience with your wood.
Ripping the wood to 7" widths and resawing is the way I would go (and have done so before), as I don't have a big resaw bandsaw. If you have a good resaw blade, a well tuned bandsaw, and patience when feeding the wood, you should do OK. The better cut you can make, the less planing you will need and the better the book match will be.
If movement is a concern, you might try backing the panels to a 3/8-1/2" ply panel, and securing the hardwood to it with a single screw at the center, through the back panel and into the hardwood (but not through the hardwood). This would pull the hardwood flat against the plywood, helping to keep it flat, while allowing for seasonal movement.
Good luck. I have a wainscoting project waiting for me in my house, but I also have 200 sq. ft. of curly cherry veneer. Want to trade wood?
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