Gutted

[mick hearn]

I wanted to build a twin neck lap steel a la National Console so went on the hunt for some nice timber. I came away from a wood store with a nice lump of Tulip wood, nicely planed so there was just cutting to size to do and having marked out the parts found there was enough left over for another small single neck steel.

I stored it in my den which most of the time would have been the same humidity and temperature as the store - but was gutted a week later to find cracks all over the place and spreading. This timber had seriously moved although some of the cracks you would be hard pushed to get a hair in the crack.

Now for my problem - Is it possible to get any glue into these cracks and clamp them up, if so, what? And overall is it worth doing for fear of these opening up once constructed. I know nothing about wood and woodworking techniques although willing to have a go and wonder whether or not I have spent £40 on an expensive piece of firewood.

HELP!!!!!!

[slimbo]

Hi Mick, your wood has not dried out fully and will continue to move until it is.
When I want wood for turning if I get a bit that's not fully dried I paint some roofing pitch over the end's, this makes the damp go out thru the sides, if you omit to do this it will always go the quickest rout, thru the end's, mind, in a fresh piece depending on size it can take quite a while.
The other piece needs to be done the same, as it will continue to move even after you have built your steel, get a damp probe, it has a spike and a meter and will give you a good idea how much damp is left in the timber.
Put the wood outside in a dry but not where it can get very cold so as to freeze the water in the wood or it will split big time, the conservatory or out house will be ok, hope this helps. Slim.