Warped Dymondwood

Kumdo

Kumdo

Joined
Mar 7, 2000
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A few months ago I bought some 2-color Dymondwood that I was thinking about using for scales. Both pieces arrived fairly warped. Since by then I had basically decided on not using this glorified plywood, I simply tossed it on the shelf. Now I'm reconsidering trying it out. My question is how does one flatten this sort of thing? Is it possible? These are smallish pieces (~6" X 10").

Thanks!
 
TRY TO GET ONE SIDE PERFECTLY FLAT. THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY USING A PLANER, JOINER, OR SANDING MACHINES. IF YOU DONOT HAVE ANY OF THESE TOOLS, TRY A LOCAL CABINET SHOP OR TRIM MILL.
KEN (WWJD)
 
Do not use a planer or joiner on this material. Not if you like the tool that is. Any type of plywood will destroy the knives on these machines. Trust me, I have spent many hours rebuilding planers that someone put plywood through (no not me, I know better). The best way to flaten the stuff is to use a sander with a good flat platen. You could also use a belt fed or radial arm drum sander.
 
John,You can flatten it just like you would any scale on your belt grinder...
You would be better off to leave this stuff for the inexpensive knives that you see at the flea markets.
The best thing I have found to use this stuff for is kitchen knives or cut it up into pieces and make spacers for in front of stag pieces,since it is layered when stacked showing the edges only you get a neat spacer from this stuff.
Just my 2 cents worth on the tacky plywood that I loved when I started making knives...
Bruce
 
John,if you dont have access to a belt grinder,hop over the hill and you can use one of mine to flatten them.
 
use spray adhisive to glue a piece of sandpaper(use 80grit) to something flat (a heavy glass plate, a machine top etc) work the piece back and forth across the sand paper. the key is to not be skimpy with the sand paper. For a piece 6 x 10 you might want to have 2 pieces side by side say 18x 11.
 
Thanks for the info guys! I don't have a belt sander yet, so maybe I'll take Mike up on his offer (that's a very kind offer!). Otherwise, I may have to actually use some elbow grease. Still not sure about the using Dymondwood, but I thought it would be interesting to play with.

I hate to have to sand it down because I don't want to loose too much material (it's quite warped). Is there no way to actually straighten the wood?

Thanks for all the great tips!!
 
Kumdo,

I've used quite a bit of dymondwood but I've never had any warped, I don't know if this will work but I would try putting it in a vise like you would to straighten a blade and heat it up real slow with a heat gun. It won't absorb water so theres no reason to soak it, heat would be my only suggestion.

Good Luck
Bill
 
It actually can absorb small amounts of water,what you might try is soaking it in water as hot as you can get,tap not boiled,soak a few minutes,place it on a hard flat surface,like a driveway,in the sun and place a heavy object on it that will keep it flat as it dries,it might work.You want to be careful applying heat to dymondwood without a respirator as it will off gas phenol and fomaldehyde.I have a few sheets of dymondwood,3x4'and it is all warped to some extent,so I guess that it is not all that unusual.
 
Mike,

I'm afraid it won't absorb enough water to do any good,and I don't believe the plywood will absorb any into the grain unless you would soak it for several days.I've taken scrape pieces and soaked for 2 to 3 days and then cut and water penetration wouldn't even be 1/32".
Now I was told by the guy that I buy my dymondwood from, he makes bow grips and knife handles, and he said they make different types of dymondwood that have different resin amounts, wood carvers and turners dymondwood isn't as high in resin so it would be more water absorbent. I don't know but the Dymondwood I have sure won't.
Heat will move and loosen just about anything, if your concerned about the gas just move to an open air area and heat real slow so as not to burn or melt the resin.You might even try putting it in a toaster oven outside on a real low setting, put some weight on it and let it lay in it for a while. Just be careful and if it starts smoking turn the darn thing off.This is just a idea.
Like I said before, I don't know if it will work or not, but I would try it, if its warped so bad that you'll lose to much material by sanding.

Good Luck and be careful if you try to heat it. I'm dumb enough to try anything,but I'm a fast runner too.:D

Bill
 
I've bent phenolic, if dimond wood is phenolic reson impregnated, then it can be flatend. you wood have to heat it evenly to 350 degrees. At that temp you will be able to form it. (forget the water)

you have to heat it evenly and all the way through. It is best done in an oven. Then clamp flat. BE CAREFULL some phenolics when over heated will explode. (big boom, pieces everywhere!!!):rolleyes:
 
I've been trying to flatten some dymondwood and I ended up putting the sheet in the oven at 400 for 10 minutes then put it under a lot of pressure and left it for 5 days. I just took it out of the clamp and it's just as warped as it was to start with.

Chris
 
I can't believe you haven't contacted the seller. Dymondwood is not supposed to warp. I have never seen it have more than a few degrees of arc. Call or email the seller, and I bet a new set of wood will be on the way soon.
Stacy
 
Not everything sold as Dymondwood is the real thing. The brand name is an excellent product. There are others that are good as well, but I got some samples from South Asia that I just gave away with a warning and disclaimer. :rolleyes:

If it's the real thing, anything more than a a tiny bit of warp should be replaced.

Rob!
 
I buy the stuff oversize so I can mill it down to the correct thickness anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal, but it's the first time I've gotten any that was warped. I got it from Jantz.

Chris
 
goneflyin said:
I buy the stuff oversize so I can mill it down to the correct thickness anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal, but it's the first time I've gotten any that was warped. I got it from Jantz.

Chris
Click to expand...


Have you noticed that this thread is 9 years old?:rolleyes:
 
Well, I'll be.
I never noticed the start date, either..... and I made a comment about this just the other day.
Stacy
 
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