Hello,

I'm in the process of making a table top of curly maple (36x15). It's
an extra wide board (about 17in), which has about a half inch twist.
Have any of you use a kerfing technique for making the board more
flexible. I have access to a big jointer, but I'd like not to lose
the thickness.

Thanks.


Curt Blood
Connecticut, USA

Curt:
If some of the "twist" is just cup, have you tried wetting just the
concave side a bit then laying it down on that side awhile to reduce
or eliminate the cup? It's always amazed me how much you can get a
board to move this way. In fact, if you lay it on the lightly dampened
concave side in direct sun a board may move so much and so fast that
it'll cup out the other way, so check it frequently or you'll have to
flip it to get the cup out of the other side. Lay it concave side down
on dewy grass in sun and you won't have to wet it at all.
Kinda fun actually.
Ralph

On Jan 11, 7:42*pm, dustyone wrote:
Hello,

I'm in the process of making a table top of curly maple (36x15). *It's
an extra wide board (about 17in), which has about a half inch twist.
Have any of you use a kerfing technique for making the board more
flexible. *I have access to a big jointer, but I'd like not to lose
the thickness.

Thanks.

Curt Blood
Connecticut, USA

On Jan 11, 7:42*pm, dustyone wrote:
Hello,

I'm in the process of making a table top of curly maple (36x15). *It's
an extra wide board (about 17in), which has about a half inch twist.
Have any of you use a kerfing technique for making the board more
flexible. *I have access to a big jointer, but I'd like not to lose
the thickness.

Thanks.

Curt Blood
Connecticut, USA

I've never personally tried but did see the almighty do it on one of
his shows. He kerfed the board so he could make it flat then filled
the kerf with some type of epoxy. Sorry, I don't remember what kind
of epoxy it was or the show.

If you search through here you may find it
http://www.normstools.com/
or try pinging LRod, he may know what type of epoxy.

I've fixed it by ripping the board then gluing it back together.
Barely noticeable.