Beech

[david123]

Can anybody help?
I am thinking of making a cheese press using dovetail joints. I would like to use beech but have read on the web that can shrink. My concern is that the dovetails would get loose. Am I right in assuming, that if I buy it from a good source that that problem would not be an issue?

Many thanks

 

[Chrispy]

It's all about design really, ask why should in come loose and design a way round the problem.

I think you need to produce a drawing of what you are thinking so that we can see it and then give advise based on some known facts.

 

[marcros]

buy kiln dried stuff and I doubt that you will have an issue.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

It's unlikely to be an issue. The moisture content of the wood you buy will depend a bit on where and from whom you buy it, but you can reduce the small possibility of problems to almost negligable if you rough out the components for the cheese press a little bit oversize, then allow them to condition for a month or so in conditions similar to those the cheese press will ultimately live in. Then when you do your final sizing and fitting, the wood will have done all the shrinking and moving it's likely to do.

 

[marcus]

It will be absolutely fine so long as the timber is seasoned. No need for special precautions. If you think about it both parts will shrink (and expand when it's humid) about the same, including the joints, so it will all stay tight — one reason dovetails are such a good joint.

 

[david123]

Thanks guy's

You have eased my mind. I will be getting it from a retail wood yard ( thorogoods) so I will check with them that it is properly seasoned.

The press is going to be along the lines of this. http://www.milkme.co.nz/?p=1031