I'll say that from my extensive woodworking experience, that the probability of a carving such as these in the sizes most will produce within the limitations of the Carvewright, that cracking from expansion/contraction is highly unlikely. Regular yellow woodworking glue(polyvinyl acetate) is somewhat elastic as well.
Now, the littleboxshop may have a point, but so far, my multiple wood carves have shown no sign of cracking. I even have one small one outside under an eave and it's been good for over a year.
The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.
My last word on the subject. I agree that in some parts of the country you can get by with glueing solid wood together in different grain directions...New Mexico for instance, where I would be surprise if the RH ever gets above 65%. Here in Minnesota the RH range can go from 90+% in the summer to 5% in the winter. Your outside project would last about 6 months up here.
IMHO everyone needs to consider the environment that the project will live in when crafting. Many times this is not possible, so I tend to craft my projects using certain guidelines and rules so the result has the best chance of being around for a long time. This makes for happy customers and gift reipients regardless of their climate. Also, many, many people do not control their living environment with humidifiers/dehumidifires and the wood movement can be seveare! This is why "throw away" furniture (the kind bought at the big box stores) is so popular. Relative low cost (compared to custom furniture crafted of solid wood) and using an enginerred subsrate for its' strength and stability (moisture resistance). In the case of plywood, it is often manufactured using marine glue and used almost always as a substrate for furniture (with a veneer applied).
If you have a chance to walk into a home that has invested in solid wood fixtures and furniture (like some upscale ranches in New Mexico) my guess is, is that that homes' environment is consitantly controlled.
I am not trying to force anyone to agree with me...just saying there is much more to woodworking than slapping some wood together with glue and calling it a day.
Doc Wheeler is an big asset to this forum and has come up with a great project. Just tweak the project with respect to the home it will reside in if you can and YOU will be happier.
I've been waiting for Chris to weigh in (y'know, the man never without an opinion ), but I'll give my 2 cents worth in the meantime...
Been watching the thread, and I agree with all the points being made. There is no doubt that different woods move at different rates, given density, moisture content, etc. Even like woods will move differently, given moisture content.
But it's all a matter of the size of the project - that's why we use bread board edging on long table tops, or allow a table top to be attached to it's base so it can "float" - the movement along, say, a 6 foot top is pretty impressive.
The movement along, say, a 12" board isn't nearly as impressive. It'll move, sure, but not so as you'd be able to measure it.
I believe (sorry, can't prove it, except there's something in the back of my mind I learned from one of Norm's shows) that the work we do with the CW - pieces no wider than 14", and usually no longer than the same - with inlays much, much smaller, that we really don't need to worry about movement. It'll move, but I'm willing to bet that we'll never see negative results from the movement.
Could I be wrong? You bet. Will some of our projects eventually crack, warp, etc? Of course - especially those out in the elements. But will movement in one of Doc's projects result in the horses' legs splitting without the rest of the project splitting at the same place? I'd bet not.
Unless we can see some projects that have failed (that aren't 40 year old high school projects) I think this is all academic.
But that's just me.
By the way - here are some pics of a jewelery box my Dad made in High School - I keep it on my desk at the office. Simple butt joints, glue and nails. Not a crack anywhere.
I have acknowledged before that Rollie has a valid concern, and that I made no mention as to either the advisability of not turning the grain direction or my reason for doing that in the December T&T. I do not feel the need to add anything to the discussion but wanted to post a link to something that was relevant that I just read about a week ago.
Unfortunately, I can not find it, but found a pdf and another link that address what I was looking for.
As a Ca. state licensed cabinetmaker and millwright in my early days I would like to say that the bigger the wood surface is the more it will tend to move.
look at old table tops that are designed to move for a good idea of what to do. for doors, raised panels inserts need some movement.
The small carving will not be a major issue at all.
I have more concerns about Doc's sleds design being some what light duty, having small cross rails, tape and wood placement indexing.
LG
Last edited by liquidguitars; 12-19-2008 at 12:01 PM.
Reply With Quote
), but I'll give my 2 cents worth in the meantime...
