I'm building a ruobo bench inspired by Christopher Schwarz and I'm using Doug fir boards that are 2 inches by 6 inches and 8 feet long. Since I'm laminating them together, I was wondering if I should be concerned about twist in the boards while working on this project. I'm thinking I might not need to break out the winding sticks or plane out any twist, right? Is it just the overall laminated result that matters?
5 Answers
It depends on a lot of factors. Personally, I'd flatten the boards first if they're dry enough. Better safe than sorry!
If you can get the twist sorted during the lamination, you should be fine. Just check your boards—if you have multiple twisted ones, try placing them opposite each other in the lamination to cancel out the twist. But be cautious if you planing out the twist, as it can create uneven thicknesses. Also, hunting for straighter boards is a good idea if you can do it!
I built a small crate without removing the twist from my carcass boards. I just clamped everything flat and assembled it, but it turned out wobbly because of tension in the wood. So yeah, I learned that it’s better to address twist before assembly. Just some friendly advice!
Good joinery starts with properly prepared boards. If you've seasoned your 2x6s for a few months, they shouldn't twist on you. Trying to clamp down twisted boards just stores energy that will come back to haunt you later.
To get a nice laminated product, you definitely need to take the twist out of each board. It might seem like a hassle now, but it's worth it for structural integrity in the long run.
Thanks for the heads up! I'll make sure to flatten them out.