Do all carved panels cup real bad?

[Rob Boursaw]

I did 3 practice carvings on one .75 inch thick panel.
Noticed today the panel was cupped really bad. The wood
was Aspen. And had been glued into a panel atleast two years
ago. The carvings are .25 inch relief. Just wondering. If I wanted to
carve panels for a blanket chest or something, that would be abit upsetting...hehehe

A two week greenhorn here.

Rob B.

[Jim Underwood]

Just depends the piece of wood, and on the grain orientation. Some wood has inherent tension because of the way it grew or was dried, or both. Once you relieve the tension by carving out one side, then the panel may cup. Also if you have flat sawn boards, they'll move more than quarter sawn boards.

As for how to solve the problem, I have no idea. I've fought with panel glue-ups too many times to think I can even get one flat, much less keep one flat after carving.

[Tom McMahon]

All wood expands and contracts when exposed to changes in relative humidity. Winter growth and summer growth (the anular rings) expand at different rates. Plain sawn lumber has different amounts of exposed anular rings on each side of the board. When the board is exposed to increased or decreased moisture one side will expand or contract at a different rate and cup. Quarter sawn lumber has a more equal amount of exposed annular rings on each side and expands and contracts at a more even rate hence it warps less. All this assumes that the board is unrestricted and exposed to equal moisture on both sides.

[Darren Ehrlich]

Best way to combat the problem is use properly dried stock, don't use wide boards, plane slowly so it can adjust, like 1/4" then wait a couple days, then plane again, wait, then carve. Most likely it will move before you carve it. If you remove a lot of material with your carve on one side without letting it adjust it will move for sure. Also depends on your climant. More humidity, the more it moves.

[Rob Boursaw]

yes, it was plain sawn. Hmmmm. So , just carve a little bit each day, if I want a chance at keeping a panel flat.
So , something like the top of a small box, say 6in by 8 in may not be so bad?
I will make the small box lid twice as thick, remove the background. Wait a day or so , then
do the carving....

Thanks

[randall rosenthal]

on thicker carvings you can take stock off the bottom to equalize it some what. kind of hollow it out.