As you can see from the photos I have a problem. What you are looking at is the top to a blanket chest that I am making for my parents. Note the amount of light visible at each corner. It wasn’t like that when I first cut the material, which in this case is 3/4” Red Oak plywood from Home Depot. I cut the pieces for the carcase at the beginning of summer. About a month later I assembled the carcase and set the top aside until I was ready for it. Now, that Christmas is almost here, I am ready to attach the top. I want to make the top flat again but am unsure of how to do it. I’d thought about using a glue up of two 3/4” solid Red Oak to create a beam that would be about 1 1/2” thick, 2” tall, and almost as long as the inside of the carcase. What do you think? Would that be enough to flatten the top so I can attach it to the carcase with a piano hinge?
-- Doug - Make an effort to live by the slogan "We try harder"
6 comments so far
a1Jim
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87181 posts in 1746 days
#1 posted 525 days ago
This can happen because your wood was not dry enough to start with or just that you left it in a position where one side was drying out more than the other. you can turn it over for a couple days and see if it straightens out or you can mist the concave side with some warm water and see how that works .If that doesn’t work mist the concave side with water an clamp it on some shims aka stickers with enough shims to over compensate for the bow and let it set at least over night.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
racerglen
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1694 posts in 950 days
#2 posted 525 days ago
Doug, is the top H/D plywood or is it just the carcass ?
a1Jim’s got it for solid wood, but plywood shouldn’t have warped like that ?
Plywood can warp, but that’s a wack of movement that I wouldn’t have expected…
:-(
-- Glen, Vernon B.C. Canada
Bertha
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13111 posts in 862 days
#3 posted 525 days ago
I would have never expected banded plywood to do that. Is it the banding that’s drawing the plywood up?
-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog
pintodeluxe
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1744 posts in 982 days
#4 posted 525 days ago
I would screw cleats to the underside of the lid. Attach the cleats around the perimeter so you won’t lose any storage space. 1-1/2” high x 3/4” thick will be sufficient.
Best of luck!
-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush
mafe
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8056 posts in 1258 days
#5 posted 525 days ago
Auuch.
If all fails you can plane the chest to fit the lid.
Best thoughts,
Mads
-- Mad F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect. Democraticwoodworking.
willie
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413 posts in 623 days
#6 posted 525 days ago
Put the lid out in the sun with the inside to the sunlight. Or you could put a fan blowing warm air on that side. The outside seems to have dried out and shrunk while the inside has retained its moisture. If this straightens it out put some kind of sealer on all sides to prevent this again. Plywood will still move just not as much as solid wood.
-- Every day above ground is a good day!!!
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