Wood Question

[Mike Shoemaker]

Iv'e seen the term "stable wood" a lot. What makes a wood "stable"? I think it has to do with straight grain?? Thanks, Mike

[Mike Henderson]

I can't really answer your question, but my first reaction was that it's wood used to build a structure to house horses.

Or maybe wood that's been chewed on (cribbed) by the horses.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Stable generally refers to material that has come to equalibrium moisture content so that seasonal movement can be predicted. There are some other factors that sometimes bite you however, such as stress caused by how the material grew in the tree and uneven or poorly timed drying. There is no guarantee that "straight grained" material will be stable under the definition above, although it can contribute to it as a side-factor. This is one of the reasons that careful acclimation of wood as well as thoughtful machining is so important in the shop.

[Al Killian]

Other then horse barns I would have to say QSWO comes to mind. I see this referd to a a very stable wood.

[Ted Shrader]

Mike -

The term means to me wood that has been dried (kiln or air) and then has been acclimated to the environment where it will be worked. i.e. There is no longer a "rapidly" changing moisture dynamic occurring.

All wood moves with seasonal (or environmental) moisture changes. This varies by species, the cut of the wood, and other factors such as internal stress from the way the tree grew. When you cut a smaller board out of a larger one, generally the internal stresses are relieved. All you are left with is seasonal movement. It is predictable by species and cut.

What you want is wood that is done adjusting to the shop so after it is cut and during assembly and finishing, it doesn't change dimensions significantly.

Regards,
Ted

[glenn bradley]

I tend to use the term to describe plywoods, MDF or other manufactured products that are less prone to wood movement than solid woods. This is NOT the end-all definition as I'm sure others (and probably me) have used the term to mean other things. Solid wood that has been acclimated to your environment for a few weeks after you bring it home, for example.