Making a Mästermyr chest off-grid part2. Assembling the boards

When researching this project, I was repeatedly advised to use dry wood, “a chest like that will always have been made from dry wood, even back a thousand years ago, that has always been the case” I was told. But I figured that I do not have the time for waiting, the gap in my calendar is now, and I am curious about this method of manufacturing. So… I chose to work with wet wood and knew that would potentially cause some problems. Assembling done with dry wood plugs would make the boards crack when they dry. Wet plugs on the other hand would shrink and not hold the boards in place.
I wanted the boards to shrink a little bit, just enough to stick on the plugs. The middle ground was to use dead wood of elderberry that was as damp as wood is when left outside for a few years… and put it into the winter-cut semi dry fir boards made in the previous videos.
The next problem would be that the boards bend and twist uncontrollably when they eventually dry. That is why I made them as thin as I did, about 12 mm, and left them as long as possible in the ends. Then I carried the whole thing back to a barn and weighted the sides down with stones. That way It will dry slowly but evenly for a few weeks while I finish the rest of the chest; a lid, a saw ( and a file to sharpen the saw) some nails ( a tool to make nails in) tar, a brush to apply the tar, containers to keep the tar in… you know, the things needed to make a Viking age tool chest from scratch.
Oh, and also, I put the plugs in at an angle just to make sure they hold the board in.
Another video will be published in about a week, this was the last episode with ice on the water shores, but this is Swedish spring time, the snow will come and go for another few episodes.

[@urbanlumberjack]

Brilliant. One of my favorite builds on KZbin.

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you, it is good to hear.

[@userxtf6313]

I really like that you decided to experiment and do something that other people may think is not feasible. One the most long-standing chairs is made with very rigid joints that were allowed to dry and therefore expand/contract.

[@gustavthane2233]

Thank you, yes, I am thinking that they probably did it this way for a reason back then.

[@goingdurden967]

Time will tell, but I think the boards will not crack or twist too much because you used fir. Fir is loose grained, it can move "within itself" without twisting or cracking much. And even if it does crack or twist a bit, just repair it. Repairs are historically accurate, and imperfections add character to an item.

[@gustavthane2233]

It has been just over a year now and as you said, the boards has not cracked or twisted. Moving within itself, interesting.

[@canobenitez]

care to elaborate how repairs were done without glue?

[@kevindesilva4588]

As I said in my comment in part 1 I do not think that the use of seasoned wood was very common before the early 1800's for most country making . I have looked at thousands of historic boxes and chests the vast majority are made from un seasoned timber. I would like to see the evidence and research of those who told you that using "dry" timber has always been the case

[@gustavthane2233]

Yeah, allways is a verry long time indeed.

[@knittingwithnele]

Just out of interest, how do you recocnize if timber is dried before or after making it to an item?

[@kevindesilva4588]

@@knittingwithnele Most appear to have been made from green timber . Its much easier on your tools and if you use dry wooden pegs to hold it together the wet timber shrinks onto them and holds it firmer.

[@knittingwithnele]

@@kevindesilva4588 thanks!

[@canobenitez]

but using green timber wouldn't corrode your tools faster?@@kevindesilva4588