Hey Paul,
In ancient times (up to the 1950’s) this often was cured by letting the wood soak with linseed oil (pure, without drying agents) which polymerizes entirely. This was made with table tops of workbenches and also with wooden hand planes of all sizes and of course wooden measuring tools. Young cabinetmakers were taught to Iay their new planes into a bath of linseed oil for a week or until it sinks[1,2]. Drying of course takes very long then.
I have made very good experience with using this, e.g. applying linseed oil on a table top made of lumber so often that the oil comes out on the underside after a certain time. Drying for two monthes, and the table top did never expand, shrink, or warp anymore.
That’s a good idea.
References
- Walde, Profeſſor Th. Hermann: Der praktiſche Tiſchler, 3. verbeſſerte und vermehrte Auflage, Verlag von J. J. Arnd, Leipzig 1905/06, page 54.
- Bieler, Karl: An der Hobelbank, 1. Aufl., Georg Westermann Verlag, Braunschweig 1951, page 69.