Bookmatched panels + Danish oil and slight bowing... more help please!

[deldridg]

Hello all,

well, another question regarding my cot build underway! I have made 4 bookmatched panels from Aust. Red Cedar to fit into the back length of the cot. These are approx 240 x 480mm and roughly 12mm thick. The display side of each panel has been sanded to 1200 and the back left rough (for posterity... or laziness!).

Yesterday I checked that the sanding was as good as I could get it and gave each panel a coat of Danish oil (Organoil) - but only on the display side. As per instructions, I allowed them an hour and then returned to buff off any residual oil. I must say, they all looked unbelievable - very deep 3D effect with the beautiful figure and way beyond my expectations.

However, returning to them just now (in a warm shed), they have all curled slightly - up towards the oiled surface, no doubt due to my oiling only one side. What to do??

My options as I see them:

1. don't worry, the panel frame grooves into which they snugly fit will straighten them out (scary),
2. go and oil the reverse side of them all (unsanded) and hope they curl back to straight (uncertain),
3. smash the entire thing up in a drunken rage and buy a new cot from Ikea (ummm).

OK, so after buying the timber, making 60 mortise and tenon joints, 18 sanded slats, countless other joinery shennanigans, #3 isn't an option. I like number 1 and am certain the slight curling will easily be managed in the grooves cut into the frame. However this may cause trouble over time - yes??

Number 2 may or may not resolve the issue - so this is my quandry.

Any suggestions will be most gratefully received!

Cheers,
David
PS. I will get some pics together and post shortly!

[Enfield Guy]

My immediate response to this sort of behaviour would be to put the panel down on close spaced accurate stickers/battens face side down. A few battens on top of that and some weight on top of that, maybe 20 kg. Then wait, come back to it in a few days and see what you got. May not take all the cup out but it might be straight enough to give the other/unmachined side a coat or two of the finish. Get the thing in the frame as soon as you can. A good demonstration as to why it is important to have both sides finished.

Your issues may also relate to the moisture content in the timber you are using. When sawing material for bookmatching I usually saw it, sticker it out, weight it down and leave it rest a bit. A couple of weeks or so at least. Then I will plane and thickness, joint the edges and glue up. Just my way.

Hope this helps
Cheers

[deldridg]

Many thanks Mr Enfield (I ride too - or did before building this monstrosity!).

The panels were sanded about 2 months ago and have been dead flat since then - so were beautifully climatised to our house. This is the first sign of cupping they've exhibited.

So I will quickly oil the frame and insert these panels asap - perhaps within a few days. Prior to that I will oil their unsanded backsides to create something of a balance front to back.

Thank you for your help kind sir!

Cheers,
David

[deldridg]

Follow-up...

Late yesterday I took the panels and returned them to the house where they had sat for months, perfectly flat prior to their oiling. Overnight they decided to become flat again and so the problem has resolved itself!

Cheers and thanks for your time,
David