Twisted Seat

[IanDB]

Here's a couple of pictures of a problem I have with a pine bench seat. The wood has twisted/warped and there's now a 3/4" gap at the right hand side.

Anybody any ideas how I could go about straightening it or would it just be easier to get a new top?

(Watch out, I've finally cracked how to post images - thanks for the advice B-A-S!!)

 

[big-all]

i think youll find its fairly terminal

all i can suggest you put a block under the other end about 25mm
sit on it to try and even out over time but i am not expecting this
to work

other ideas are if there is enough of a lip underneath put a 76mm
brass bolt underneath [they are 25mm wide but by putting one side
off the bolt between the top and side youll get away with 20mm lip]

or drill a hole in the side insert a brass screw through a cup
through the side into the top

or of course laminate a new top

big all

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

Have you been stealing from churches????

I suppose the top is a lid which opens for storage?

If you dont need the storage, you could screw the thing shut? Just a thought...

 

[Dewy]

It looks to me as if it has warped because the floor wasnt horizontal.
It can also have moved that way if someone always sat at one end leaning against the end pieces.
Apart from that it looks a nice seat.

 

[breezer]

(Watch out, I've finally cracked how to post images - thanks for the advice B-A-S!!)

hate to say this, but most isp's you get x amount of webspace, and how to post pictures has been in the forum information section for months.

that aside your seat, can you not take the seat off and turn it around so that front is at back? but i suppose the back is not as neat as the front edge? (sorry dont know technical term)

 

[masona]

Anybody any ideas how I could go about straightening it or would it just be easier to get a new top?

It would be easier to have a new top but I doubt it will be very flat and may do the same thing again plus finding to match the wood colour.

Why not try this first as you have nothing to lose, try and find a piece of wood to match your wood grain (you maybe able to find an old bed headboard somewhere to match as it a very common wood colour) then cut a wedge shape where the gap is and screw underneath the seat, it may looks okay because you have hidden the black gap but then again it may not

 

[Dewy]

It looks to me as if someone has been sitting on the red cushion end with their weight on the sides.
Get them to sit on the light cushion end in future and it may move the timber back to its original shape.

 

[Jasonb]

Have you stored anything damp in the end under the red cushion, the moisture from this may have caused the underside of the seat to swell which has caused the cupping at one end.

Only way I can think to cure the problem would be to kerf cut lengthways at regular intervals almost all the way through from the underside. Then screw about four cleats to the underside to pull it flat. The kerfs could be filled with a matching colour epoxy filler or just left open as they will only be seen when the seat is open.

Jason

 

[IanDB]

Thanks for the replies.

If you dont need the storage, you could screw the thing shut? Just a thought

No, I need the storage.

It looks to me as if it has warped because the floor wasnt horizontal.

The floor's quite level (I should know, I laid it!)

It looks to me as if someone has been sitting on the red cushion end with their weight on the sides.
Get them to sit on the light cushion end in future and it may move the timber back to its original shape.

Thank you for that.

kerf cut

Can you tell me how to do this? If it's possible to salvage the current seat I would prefer that route because it will save having to match the colour - difficult with pine as it changes over time anyway.
Having thought about it a bit I'm also going to give the original manufacturer a bell and see if they can do anything.

Thanks again.

Ian.

 

[IanDB]

I've just read the other posts in this section and I now know what a kerf cut is. I'll think about that one - it could be a challenge in this case!

 

[masona]

To be honest I don't think it will work.

Just a another thought, not sure if it will work. A metal box section and screw it underneath which may pull in, 2" angle iron may do it but will be heavy to lift

 

[big-all]

how much pressure does it take to get it 95% flat
im thinking along the lines of a double action catch
[click to open click to shut type]

 

[Jasonb]

masona, I have used the kerfing method several times on cupped and warped boards and have seen it used by furniture restorers to flatten the upper leaf of gate leg tables. This method has the advantage of preserving the original top surface.

Jason

 

[masona]

Yes I agreed but I think it depends how deep the kerf cut is going to be as it may weaken the seating area if people sitting on it with weight. I suppose you could strengthen it further by glueing a couple of bearer underneath.

 

[Jasonb]

Thats why I said fit four cleats to the underside, both to pull it flat and give some strength.

I would leave about 5mm uncut and use a CMT ITK (industrial thin kerf) or De Walt thin kerf blade and run half a dozen kerfs at 50mm cts.

Jason