Wide Stock for a Chest of Drawers Top

Article - August 26, 2010

You have probably heard me say in the past that I love wide boards. Despite the fact that there may be an increased risk of cupping, I think its a chance worth taking for the sake of beautiful continuous grain. And I know many of you agree with me on this point. Well, this morning, I pulled out the boards I had set aside for the top of my Chest of Drawers. And wouldn’t ya know it, they were too short. Could have been over-cutting, I could have mis-read the cut list, or it could have simply been temporary insanity…. But until Powermatic comes out with their new board stretcher, it really doesn’t matter. The flippin’ boards are short! So I needed to make a quick trip to my friendly neighborhood lumber store, Spellman Hardwoods.

I specifically asked for the best stock in the place, so I knew I’d be paying through the nose on this one. But its for the top of a chest of drawers! It would be worth it. The stack I was taken to was not all that impressive. But the employee peeled a few boards away to reveal something spectacular! A 12 foot long 14″ wide piece of rough 4/4 walnut. “I’ll take it!!” At this width, my top will have only one seam. That’s good for the soul. And to make the situation even better, the cost was about $5.40/bf. Not bad for the desert!

So once I had the board home, I cut it down and started to visualize the top. Some people shy away from imperfections but I seem to be drawn to them like a Spagnuolo to pasta. And there are some odd knots and growths that are really catching my eye, so I decided to fill them with epoxy just in case I plan on including them in the final piece. I use West System epoxy with a few drops of Transtint Dark Mission Brown dye for the filler. Its essential that you tape off the underside just to make sure the epoxy doesn’t begin to seep out.

I’ll leave these boards overnight and start evaluating the situation tomorrow as I begin the flattening process. My strategy for that? Either use a hand plane to “mostly flatten” one side, then pass it through the planer. Or I can use that trick where you take the guard off the jointer, joint as much as you can, and then attach a piece of ply to the jointed area and run it through the planer. Until tomorrow my fellow wood chuckers! By the way, Lexi says HI!

Discussion

Azmetro August 26, 2010 5:36 pm

And to think I have always avoided Spellman because I was told there was a 100bf minimum…………… shucks. Do you ever thicken the epoxy for better filling capability?

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- thewoodwhisperer August 26, 2010 6:00 pm
  
  Never heard of any minimum. But you might need a business name. Not sure if they work with the general public.
  
  And I do sometimes thicken the epoxy, but only if its a non-visible area. These are areas that I will be able to see later, so the epoxy gives the look of a natural knot or resin pocket. The white powdered filler kinda messes all that up.
  
  Reply
Jimi August 26, 2010 7:12 pm

You could use the router trick to flatten one side, then run it through the planer to flatten the other. I always thought that was nicer than removing the blade guard from the jointer – seems ridiculously unsafe to me.

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- thewoodwhisperer August 26, 2010 8:52 pm
  
  The router method is great if you have it all set up and ready to go. Otherwise, you have quite a bit of work ahead of you getting things set up properly. And while I don’t condone removing the blade guard for normal operation, this is one case where I find it acceptable. The wood will cover 100% of the blade while cutting. By the time the wood is on the outfeed table and the cutterhead is exposed, my hands and body are well out of the way. I can safety turn the machine off, wait for the cutterhead to stop, and then reinstall the guard. Perfectly safe if done properly and with full attention on the task at hand.
  
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theZappa August 26, 2010 7:30 pm

I can’t wait to see how the epoxy turns out. I’m in the middle of making some fat walnut cutting boards, and I have some knotty/voided cutoffs that I would like to use in in a future project if repairable.

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- Frank Kovach August 26, 2010 8:37 pm
  
  The epoxy process works. He’s done it quite a bit, and posted several blogs and videos about it. I’m sure a search of epoxy will bring you everything you need. He even did it on a cutting board recently.
  
  Reply
- thewoodwhisperer August 26, 2010 8:44 pm
  
  Yup, what Frank said. I’ll certainly show the results.
  
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David August 26, 2010 8:34 pm

Marc, since you just got this piece aren’t you worried the board hasn’t adjusted yet to your shop and if you mill it right away it will cup more than it would to mill, let adjust and mill to final. I just had to use the removed guard jointer trick and it worked nicely. Make sure that if you use doublestick tape its not generic and will peal easily back off. I am local in Glendale we should really get together and buy in bulk for discount at spellman. I going to be purchasing about 50 bf of cherry in a couple of weeks.

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- thewoodwhisperer August 26, 2010 8:48 pm
  
  I only wish I still had the room to buy in bulk! When I have the space, you got yourself a deal.
  
  And for the acclimation, I don’t usually worry too much about that. The stuff at Spellman, unless its right off a truck, is usually pretty well acclimated. Also, after a recent blog post by Glen Huey, lots of folks have been rethinking the concept of the acclimation period. The idea is that what really counts is proper milling and taking equal amounts of wood off of each side of the board. Our buddy Rob Bois put this to the test in his shop and confirmed the importance of balanced milling. And the final issue is time. I don’t have any. :)
  
  Put all those factors together and I’m not too worried about it.
  
  Reply
Frank Kovach August 26, 2010 8:38 pm

I’m going to invent a saw blade that adds board feet. I’m going to need to develop a flux capacitor first though…

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- thewoodwhisperer August 26, 2010 8:45 pm
  
  Doc Brown has the plans. Give him a call!
  
  Reply
emmrys August 26, 2010 8:38 pm

So I take it that you can run the epoxy filled boards through jointer and planer knives without damage to the knives? Always good to learn something.

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- thewoodwhisperer August 26, 2010 8:45 pm
  
  You can. But I won’t be running it through there with a big blob of cured epoxy on there. I’ll plane it or scrape it down first. But the little bit of epoxy in the wood won’t really hurt the planer knives.
  
  Reply
Vic August 26, 2010 9:05 pm

Did you add the Trans-Tint just because it’s Walnut, or is that something you’d do on every knot? Tell Miss Lexi hello from me, too.

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- thewoodwhisperer August 27, 2010 8:12 am
  
  Sometimes I’ll spike it with a little red if necessary, but most times I just use the dark walnut dye for knots in any wood. Mixed with the natural amber color of the epoxy it looks pretty “natural”.
  
  Reply
TWWMom August 26, 2010 9:49 pm

Hello Sweet Lexi, I’ll answer you since all these woodworkers don’t seem to care that you said Hi to them, my cute little grandpup!

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Javahound August 26, 2010 11:41 pm

I learned about West Systems epoxy and Transtint dyes from one of your podcasts, I must say that as pricey as West Systems is, it’s an excellent system! Your method worked perfectly, but one tip is to check on it and make sure you pop any bubbles and of course refill thirsty holes.

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Mike August 27, 2010 4:25 am

I dont think you will find Spellman Hardoods in the telephone directory but I did get a chuckle out of it ;]

Thanks for the info. I will have to check out that store next time I am on the west side of the valley.

Reply
BedrockBob August 27, 2010 4:50 am

For me removing the guard on the jointer for this technique is not any more dangerous than using a dado stack on a table saw. The blade on the jointer will be completely covered by the board as it is passed over and only a thin layer of material is removed on each pass.
I always treat my jointer with respect and plan out how the board will pass over the jointer and where my hands and feet will be.

But any time you feel something is unsafe you should not do it.

Of course hand planes are safer than the jointer and the router. I don’t know of anyone who lost a finger using a hand planes, you don’t have to wear hearing protection and I have never seen anyone cough up a shaving from a plane.

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Paul Loney August 27, 2010 7:31 am

Marc,
If cupping of a single large board or a one-seamed panel is a worry, could you not stabilize it with a couple cleats and secure them with screws and put elongated holes to allow for movement? I have done that on large panels before. In the case of your dresser, room above the uppermost drawer boxes may be too limited for this “fix.”

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- thewoodwhisperer August 27, 2010 8:10 am
  
  Well this top will be attached to the top web frame, so essentially its like having cleats on the bottom. And that should help keep the panel flat over time.
  
  Reply
  - paul January 1, 2011 12:31 pm
    
    i love to use wide planks for tops ,my solution to prevent cupping is to run kerf cuts down the underside of the panel not blowing through the ends but stopping them just shy of the side or end rail ,i make them about 1/2 the depth as the thickness of the top this way it is much easier for the screws to hold the top flat ,i also like to use the side of the board closest to the ctr of the tree up so the panel will want to lift in the middle rather then on the ends thanks paul halifax nova scotia
    
    Reply
Claude Stewart August 27, 2010 7:44 am

What everybody said, what a back and forth.

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Matthew Hills August 27, 2010 7:46 am

“like a Spagnuolo to pasta”– like it.

Also, agree that the wider-than-jointer situation is one of the best reasons to keep a plane on-hand.

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Sac August 27, 2010 7:46 am

I would really like to see that jointer trick you are talking about. For some reason I cant picture it in my head. I have heard about it before, but just thought that it was crazy and that it wouldn’t work. Please take some pics if you decide to do it. Thanks yo!!! By the way, the CoD looks great..

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer August 27, 2010 8:05 am
  
  Hey Sac. Aren’t you a Guild member? I showed this exact process in the last video.
  
  Reply
mark williams August 27, 2010 8:18 am

Marc,

Alright,
I am about to show my ignorance of all things woodworking. (Maybe we should have a forum room for me labeled “short-bus.”) What are you fillign with epoxy? Cracks? Can you show us what it looks like afterwords? Why do you do this? You know that I struggle to keep up :-)

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- thewoodwhisperer August 27, 2010 8:28 am
  
  No sweat Mark. The epoxy is used to fill a knot hole. The reason I do this is to “save” that part of the wood. Knots and other growth flaws create some really interesting-looking wood. Problem is, the knots can be lose and in some cases wood is missing. So using epoxy to fill the gap stabilizes it and fills it so that the surface can be made smooth and flat. And the epoxy’s resinous appearance is perfect for filling a knot. It can look relatively natural when its all said and done.
  
  Reply
  - mark williams August 29, 2010 10:42 pm
    
    I have often thought that knots would be a good addition, I usually cut around them because they have voides holes etc…..this is awesome thanks!
    
    Reply
Jay August 27, 2010 10:21 am

Spellman has 14″ wide walnut for $5.40/bf??? Now that’s a deal!

Woodworker’s Source on this side of town wants $8.99 for 4/4 Walnut. Not sure what Timber’s price is, but they aren’t open on Saturdays anymore, so it’s hard for me to get there to shop. Maybe I need to make a trek across town to check out Spellman one of these days…

I finally found out what happened to Powers Wood Source. They moved to a new location on Arizona Ave, between Warner and Ray (about a mile and a half South of Woodcraft). However, last I heard he’s not officially open for retail business yet (some hassle with the city regarding fire sprinklers or something like that). I’ll be interested in seeing how competitive his prices will be compared to the other dealers on this side of the valley.

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- thewoodwhisperer August 27, 2010 10:37 am
  
  And that’s exactly why I don’t buy my lumber at Woodworker’s Source. They are nice folks there but I don’t enjoy being gouged. :)
  
  And good to know about Powers. I know when they were Chandler Hardwoods, before the new owners, their prices were insanely good. I knew that couldn’t possibly last forever…but I have high hopes. Its a long drive for me but if the prices are good enough, I’ll make the trip.
  
  Reply
  - Jay August 27, 2010 10:50 am
    
    I normally only shop the sales at Woodworker’s Source, as sometimes you can get a decent deal. But, clearly there are currently better options for hardwoods on your side of town.
    
    I’ll let you know when I find out that Powers is officially back open for retail business.
    
    Reply
rick August 27, 2010 1:24 pm

kick anyone in the nads yet?

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- thewoodwhisperer August 27, 2010 1:31 pm
  
  Haha yes! My foot is getting sore. :)
  
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tom August 28, 2010 9:05 am

When I have a wide board for my 6″ jointer and 12″ planer, I do the jointer without fence and hand plane the rest. Then take it to the drum sander which you can flip it without worring about grain direction to do the other side. I usually don’t have that wide of boards, but I was doing a slab with a natural edge that its width wasn’t straight or consistant.

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John August 29, 2010 1:11 pm

I am fairly new and have been buying quality power tools but I have run into situations like this where a hand plane would work better. There are so many to choose from I am lost. Which brand and type should I start with? I want one to plane long boards and a smaller one for when I cut the top off of a box.

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- Frank Kovach August 29, 2010 6:22 pm
  
  Yes, this is something that has been driving me crazy lately as well.
  
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  - Peter Bierma August 29, 2010 10:36 pm
    
    My father-in-law swears by building his own. He gets his blades from hocktools.com, and prefers wooden bases over metal. Plus, he seems to enjoy the bragging rights of building a very high quality plane for $100-150 when a prefab costs two times that. If you’re interested I’m sure he’d be glad to forward you his plans & info.
    
    Reply
Lone_Wolf August 30, 2010 2:01 pm

I love your epoxy method. I have started using it a great deal. Even when I’m not sure if the knot will make the final project, I epoxy the knots during the lumbar prep. Works great. Just ordered some dye, I can’t wait to see how well the knots look with dye in it.

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Nick August 30, 2010 3:01 pm

This epoxy trick works GREAT!!! I used it on an 8′ cherry trestle table. Filled the knot hole and kept the visual interest of the “defect”. The dye was a great idea, I wish I thought about that a year ago… Nice post Marc!

I’m a few guild videos behind on the C.O.D. but its progressing nicely and I’m stealing some of your ideas for a shaker style buffet that I’m working on.

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Jonathan Link August 30, 2010 3:31 pm

Marc,

I’m new to the hobby/craft. I’ve been acquiring some tools. I recently purchased a planer, to do my jointing I shimmed and hot-glued my stock to a piece of 3/4 wood that I had a friend joint for me. I’d imagine you could use plywood, and it is a quick and dirty method for getting the job done without building an actual sled.

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Dave August 30, 2010 7:39 pm

Thanks for sharing these epoxy tips. I am looking at many of my naughty… I mean knotty pieces of wood in a new light!

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Justin August 30, 2010 9:11 pm

I really like how you take wood many would toss and use it to your advantage to make wonderful pieces. I never stop learning from you!

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Barry August 31, 2010 10:58 am

I’m always using narrow boards because that’s what I usually get from my cabinet shop buddies. Seeing where this is going, I definitely think you made the right choice to get the bigger board. And on that jointer “trick,” no worries – it is safer than lots of other woodworking operations. Wear eye protection for when you turn the jointer on just in case there are any flying pieces. Otherwise, it is a safe action for any decent jointer and competent user.

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David August 31, 2010 1:27 pm

Sometimes the knotty boards can really add flare to your piece. After watching your video on fixing knots with epoxy, I’ve salvaged several pieces of redwood that have turned out great with the knot in them.

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Doug Heacock November 3, 2010 6:13 pm

Reminds me of a cherry log my dad bought, roughsawn into 4/4 and 8/4 slabs, about 15 years ago–between 8 and 10 feet long, the whole log was nearly flawless and about 17 inches wide. There were two big 8/4 boards that were just perfect, end to end.

After my mother’s death a couple of years ago, my dad remarried and used most of the cherry to build all-new bedroom furniture for his new wife–the wood was still in great shape, and now it’s been fashioned into a headboard, two nightstands, and a chest of drawers. All from a single log.

Thanks for the great blog!

Reply

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Wide Stock for a Chest of Drawers Top

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