Flat or sideways?

[myxpykalix]

I have a slabbed red oak tree i just got back from the kiln and made a nice wood rack out of 2x6's and plwood and leveled it up as best i could however over time it may sag a bit and i don't want this lumber to bow so i have stacked the slabs sideways upright instead of flat to try to keep it from bowing if it ever does.

Has anyone stacked lumber sideways and had any issues?

[coach]

I was going to suggest wait until Jack sees this post.........How big is the slab?
I left 2 pcs of 4/4 mahogany on the edge and it twisted along the length. But,,,it was stored for over a year. Some of the same material left flat was perfect and was there the same time. These were about 6" to 9" wide on average.

[tmerrill]

Seems like all the answers and links you need are in your thread of 2 months ago. Recommend you review it first, then ask any follow up questions.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/312/42052.html?1244164744

[beacon14]

Stacking flat lets the weight of the stack keep the bottom pieces flat, so put the best pieces near the bottom. Weight on top, and/or ratcheting straps as suggested earlier keep the top pieces flat.

If the rack might sag, fix the rack first.

[dlcw]

Hi Jack,

If I remember correctly you live in the high humidity belt of the country?

For starters I would suggest not having a plywood shelf to stack the wood on. This will stop air flow on one side. One of the big contributors to wood warping, cupping, etc. is uneven airflow all around it.

If stacking on concrete, lay down a layer of plastic to keep moist air from rising up into the bottom board from underneath. Since the wood is kiln dried versus still green I would lay down the 2x6's about every two feet and then lay the first board(s) down. Then put stickers at least 1" thick ( I rip 3/4" plywood into 1" wide stickers. Plywood seems to eliminate staining that can occur when using solid woods as stickers) then another board(s). Keep the stickers lined right over the 2x6's. Keep going through this process until you get all the boards stacked up. Then put a final set of 2x4's on top and use eyebolts in the bottom 2x6's and in the top 2x4's and strap the stack down. This should keep the boards flat. When you're ready to use the wood, simply remove the straps, pull the boards out you want, the restack and restrap.

The other option is to use the saran wrap method of wrapping your boards up. This keeps them sealed from the outside air thus eliminating humidity infiltration into the wood. The only part of the board exposed to the outside air is the ends and it's OK for the ends to wick and release moisture. You can also seal the ends with shellac. With this method, you can stack the boards anyway you want and shouldn't have any problems.

I hope this helps.

Don
www.diamondlakewoodworks.com (http://www.diamondlakewoodworks.com)

[myxpykalix]

I live in virginia which is not that humid, in fact this has been the coolest summer i can recall (so much for global warming!). I built a rack out of 2x6's with osb shelves under a shed roof that i am enclosing 2 sides leaving one open and covered with a tarp. Some of the wood is sitting stacked on its side and some of it is flat. I was somewhat disappointed because the boards from the pith of the tree split. Has anyone ever had to handle a 2" thick 36" wide 10 ft long slab of oak by yourself? Oh my achin' back! Thanks David(s) and Don for the info...

[gc3]

try posting here also...
www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/forums/comdry.pl (http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/forums/comdry.pl)




GC
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[fsrdoug]

Jack
Try a slab of walnut 2.75 thick 45 wide and almost 11 feet long. That was badly cupped and twisting when I got it and now 5 years later it is as flat as the table on my bot. What is required is good air flow around the slab, a solid flat base under it and plenty of weight on top. I used lots of concrete blocks and all the weights from an old dumb bell set, a couple of cylinder heads etc.
Doug