unruly cherry wood

[johnson1942]

i was unaware of the wetting, so far the wood i glued has remained bonded. i know your not supposed to clamp hard with it either but i rub the glue in real good to both surfaces and then clam pretty good. it has worked so far.

[waksupi]

i was unaware of the wetting, so far the wood i glued has remained bonded. i know your not supposed to clamp hard with it either but i rub the glue in real good to both surfaces and then clam pretty good. it has worked so far.

Yes, read the instructions on it. It used to say to wet the surface before applying. I haven't used it in about ten years, so they may have changed the formula.

I got curious, and looked it up. Interesting.

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...re_Gluing.html

[nekshot]

about 15 years ago I used gorrila glue for some shelves in our pantry and I noticed a few years ago the glue was turning soft and fuzzy where some did not get cleaned off on bottom. Is this stuff self deteriorating or what is it?

[LAGS]

Plain old Elmers I what I always use.
I am taking apart a table to refinish it that was built with Elmers back in 1964.
The glue is still holding tight, and actually peels wood off if you try too much force to seperate the old glue joints.
The table also was stored and used outside for about ten years.

[Blackwater]

Nekshot, I have a friend who's a Guild member knifemaker, who'd LOVE to have that cherry wood to use on his custom knives. If you want a good price, I'm sure he'd be glad to pay pretty much whatever you want for at least some of it. You can contact him at dennisbradley.com. I just ordered a couple of his knives for this Christmas for my grandboys. I gave their Dad one with elephant ivory scales for his 21st birthday, and he's never taken it out to use it! I intended for him to use it, but .... it's his now. Dennis makes some really elegant and sort'a minimalist knives. He's located in the N. Ga. mtns, and his work very much reflects his personality, values, and the land that is so full of those neat mountain streams, with their round, smooth stones, worn in parabolic curves. He does everything by eye, and he's a really talented maker. His knives, for the most part, are pretty minimalist, and he grinds away everything that doesn't need to be there, and makes sure that everything that DOES need to be there, is there, and in just the right amounts and contours. He's a real artist. He's played with engraving and scrimshaw, but now that ivory of any kind is so rare, hard to get and expensive, I think he pretty well dropped that. He did one of a tiger that really impressed me. And he's one of the finest men I know, too, so it'd go to a really great guy who'll value it and knows how to make the most of it. Just a thought, if it fits your desires for the wood. Tell him Dennis down in SE GA. sent you there.

[nekshot]

My son has "taken ownership" of this cherry stuff for a 7 day bedroom cabinet but there will be plenty left over or too warped to use other that knife handle or hand gun grips. I will keep your buddy in mind for sure.
Jay

[Blackwater]

Thanks. I just ordered a pair of his knives for my grandboys' Christmas this year. He told me he's getting some really pretty curly paple from the guys who build muzzleloaders. They trim off big, usable sized sections from some really beautiful wood, and he says he'd have a very hard time finding prettier wood than he gets from them. I love curly maple, and almost went with that for their knives, but I gave my son one with elephant ivory scales for his 21st birthday (long ago now) and at least the ivory micarta they will have will "look like" the one their Dad has. He's one talented maker! His photos on his website really don't do his work justice, and you have to handle his blades to really appreciate them. I think that comes from his "mountain ethics," wherein he really cares most about an implement's utility, while also appreciating beauty, whenever and wherever they can find it. Some really beautiful fiddles and many other implements can be found up there in the hands of some mighty humble folks. Their values are about whatever WORKS, and works BEST. He'll always be my knifemaker as long as I live. I think my grandboys are gonna' really be impressed with his work. And, I think, it's good for the young today to get acquaited and have some examples of uncompromised and uncompromising quality. It plays a part in forming those ethics within themselves, over time. And maybe I'll be able to get them up there to meet Dennis one day? They really don't understand the mountains, or the mountain folk yet. It'd be good if everyone did in today's world. It might even make a difference in many's lives, if they did.

[bedbugbilly]

I've used cherry for a number of gunstocks (muzzle loaders - half and full stock) in both straight grain heartwood and curly cherry and have never had an issue with stability. I have also made many many pieces of furniture and case goods from that species without any issues. You say you found a plank - under what conditions? Was it wet or was it where it was protected and dry? What is the moisture content of it? If the moisture content is too high due to the conditions you found it in - they set it aside and let it air dry. I have stock blanks that I have had for many years that are still awaiting use - some I've had as long as 50 years - several are cherry and they are just as stable today as they were 50 years ago as I have kept the stored properly.

On any gun stock blank, one has to be able to "read" the grain and utilize it to the best advantage - and not every blank is one that should be used. The problem arises when you "laminate" such as you have as you have two pieces from the same plank - but from different areas and with different grains. Even if the pieces are within moisture content parameters, you are laminating two pieces that are going to "work against" each other if the moisture content changes to any great degree. While not impossible to do a laminated stock - curly or burled grain is going to "fight" more than straight grained pieces will. Your pieces might be better used in grips, knife handles etc. as suggested and if you are going to want make a cherry stock, find a stock blank that is well seasoned and thick enough to do what you want to with it.

Of course much lumber is "kiln dried" to get it to the correct moisture content. "Pushing" the kiln drying can cause defects in many species such as checking, etc. I had a custom cabinet/millwork/furniture shop for many years. While I often had no choice but to use kiln dried hardwoods due to supply and demand, I often purchased and stored species such as walnut, maple, cherry, tulip, ash, etc. that I knew to be are dried and which was air dried correctly over years as to me, it often had more "life" to it. I often would save choice pieces in 4/4, 6/4, 8/4 and thicker to use on high quality special order case goods. I did a lot of raised panel work and often had wide pieces suitable for the floating raised panels that had been are dried and stored for years - some straight grained and some burled/curly in species such as cherry, walnut, maple and ash and the panels never gave an issue as far as changes in the weather in the Michigan climates.

Good luck with your project and keep your tools razor sharp!

[44man]

I used Gorilla glue with furniture and I defy you to see a joint. I have used Elmers and Tite bond too. They all work when used right. Glue is not a "Filler". Wood must be fit tight with no gaps. Got bad, use epoxy.

[Blackwater]

FWIW, if anything, I once read that cherry wood was used as spacers in some of the earlier printing presses, because of its stability dimensionally. How they "cured" it I have no info on. Anyone heard of this?