Warped box lid

[baldkev]

I decided to make a wooden jewellery box for the mrs for valentine's
I had a couple of decent sized offcuts which have been lying around for a long time ( in a shipping container workshop ) . I made the box and it's been in the workshop for a week, however last night i brought it home and stuck it in the cupboard..... the lid has now warped

The box body is still flat, but the lid, being thin, is i guess more prone to movement. Any ideas??
For the time being i have clamped the box together with a thin shim in the centre to encourage it to return flat. It seems both sides of the lid have slightly cupped, in the same direction, so when the centre of the box is touching, theres a 2mm gap at each side. From centre to each edge has its own cup. I'll claim its character, but I'd like to fix it.

Should i introduce water and steam, then clamp or just try to leave it under pressure for a week?

Thanks, kev

 

[MARK.B.]

If you manage to get it flat i fear it will warp again once it dries out, if it stays something like flat could you use those mini magnets to hold the lid in place ?

 

[thetyreman]

not much you can do to be honest, the only suggestion I can make is try and use quartersawn stock, it's less likely to move as much, and make sure you finish both sides equally.

 

[baldkev]

Thanks, mark thats a good idea, a couple of 6mm rare earth magnets set into the 2 sides would be good if it settles back.

Thetyreman, yep, unfortunately I was just using what i had around. I naively thought it would be fairly stable because both bits have been there for a couple of years.... after i cut the lid off, i left the pieces sit for a couple of days before running them over the planer. I thought that would do it

 

[Jacob]

Best to plane it flat if you can - now it's bowed you know it's dry and probably won't bend any further.

 

[Chippysu]

Thanks, mark thats a good idea, a couple of 6mm rare earth magnets set into the 2 sides would be good if it settles back.

Thetyreman, yep, unfortunately I was just using what i had around. I naively thought it would be fairly stable because both bits have been there for a couple of years.... after i cut the lid off, i left the pieces sit for a couple of days before running them over the planer. I thought that would do it

Very thoughtful & a pretty result. Your workshop humidity will always be different to a central heated house, so for future projects if you can store the timber for a week in a similar climate to where it will end up, in this case a warm house, you will see what the wood will do, cup, twist even split. In this case as has been said, now it's reverted to its natural shape as wood wants to do, if there's enough meat on it you could reshape? I think planing will be mighty awkward but if you have a linisher then that would take it down pretty quick. When I hang doors I always insist they be laid flat in the customers house for a week before I hang them. I once made an Oak stair bulastrade & from one measurement to checking a few hours later before cutting it had changed 5mm! My workshop was so damp & cold first thing until the weather dried the air. Now I have a wood stove & it all stays alot more stable, & I'm very toasty! Good luck & please let us know the outcome.

 

[baldkev]

Thanks for the replies. The top has a pair of dowels to locate to the box, so i would need to remove the dowels to plane the top flat again.... linisher is a good suggestion. Currently I have a bobbin sander and a 4" belt sander, neither would be ideal. I do however have a spare bench grinder and I was considering making a set of drums and an adjustable jig on a bench to take different width and length belts..... i will update when ive had to to fix it.

Thanks again for the replies
Kev

 

[baldkev]

Ok, update.....

The lid is now flat..... and I didnt do anything
I went to take it with me today ( was going to use a very sharp low angle block plane ) but it had settled back down! A suprise, but a welcome one.
Thanks to all who responded