Breadboard end extreme movement?

[keith micinski]

I built this table I think two years ago exactly and I just happen to see it for the first time today. I told the client to expect the breadboard ends to experience movement throughout out the year and while she is happy I am a little bit shocked at how much the table shrunk this winter. This seems to be easily double what I would have expected what do you guys think?

[keith micinski]

This is the end I believe this summer but I am not exactly sure. It was at least a year after the table was delivered.

[Jim Matthews]

1/16" per foot over a year - how wide is the table top?

[Mel Fulks]

I would guess that the wood was not kiln dried. Air dried is always going to move more.

[John Downey]

Looks like the high side of what I've seen, but not too shocking. I always figured the Greene and Greene business around the breadboard ends was to provide visual distraction from the extremes of movement.

[keith micinski]

The table is 36" wide and is kiln dried crotch walnut. It's an inch and a half thick. I am going to keep an eye on it over the next few months I might have to trim a little off of the breadboard ends.

[Dick Strauss]

Assuming that you go from 10% (kiln dried) to 4% moisture in the black walnut, you should expect 0.44-0.63" of shrinkage over a 36" wide table using the woodbin calculator.

[Jamie Buxton]

Assuming that you go from 10% (kiln dried) to 4% moisture in the black walnut, you should expect 0.44-0.63" of shrinkage over a 36" wide table using the woodbin calculator.

But why would you expect 4% EMC? Hoadley, for instance, shows mid-winter interior EMC in Indiana of 7%.

[keith micinski]

I built it in late winter early spring and was actually worried it was going to go the other way and I was going to have a problem in the summer time.

[Mel Fulks]

Dick, I know the info you referenced was written by an expert, but I think it is too long and yet not completely clear. He says that kiln dried will shrink less and gives a percent range if stored inside. I think Inside OR OUTSIDE UNDER COVER is more accurate. Many of us have had to bring in KD wood stored for long periods outside and start cutting it up immediately , if gluing is needed it might start the next day. Saying "stored inside" implies that the kiln drying will be easily undone. I posted before about soaking KD and AD samples from same board ,and comparing movement . It took a couple of complete soak to dry cycles to undue the superior stability of KD. Some are interested in ,and need to,dry their own wood but for most commercial use the specs call for KD . Observing that spec and buying lumber from a known reliable source prevents most of what OP is concerned about.

[Andrew Hughes]

Seems like a lot of movement to me esp when I see some quarter sawn.What finish is on the table that's allowing the wood to move soo much moisture from the air.Maybe it's just the climate.

[keith micinski]

It's a lacquer finish. I will say I used this wood about a week out of the kiln.

[Stephen Pereira]

This problem is a good reason to bring air dried wood inside and let it "get used to" the environment before using it for projects..esp wide glue ups.

[Brian Tymchak]

Does the table sit near or over a heat vent?

[Dave Cullen]

It might help to humidify the environment. Good for people as well as furniture.