Have you ever been defeated by wood movement?
Furnished content.
(from WoodNet.net)


A year and a half ago my neighbors (friends of mine) asked for a dining table in cherry. They didn't want anything fancy - just a simple design, roughly 4' square. I did edge-glued 6/4 panels on top with breadboard ends. The wood was dry (7%) and everything was perfect when it left the house. The humidity in my house is fairly constant for what it's worth. It went literally one mile up the road to their house, where it expanded apparently more than the figure 8 fasteners could take. The breadboard ends are much narrower, and the top is slightly warped on one end (having broken the loose tenon, perhaps). They don't care and have been using it daily, but it bothers me every single time I'm there.

I allowed for something like 3/8" of expansion. I thought cherry was pretty stable. I have done breadboard ends in walnut (just fine, never really moved in NJ) and in sapele here (might move about 1/32" or less over the year). I am still surprised that their house is that much more humid than mine. It's entirely possible they left it wet or something, but I still find it extremely frustrating.

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