Waiting for wood

[Christopher Horner]

I'm in Southern California and SWMBO has prodded me to stop acquiring tools and gadgets, and start actually building something useful. In that vein, I need to ask a question about wood and weather.

I understand that wood needs to 'acclimatize' when brought home, to stabilize in other words. My question is where should I let it acclimatize? In the workshop, which is an uncontrolled environment (read: a detached garage with no HVAC), or inside the house where the finished wood product (decorative face frame for cleated alcove shelves) will be used?

Thanks,

Chris

[Toller]

Good for her! Woodworking is more fun than tool collecting.

The important thing is that the wood is all the same. You don't want to glue a panel out of a board that been in a dry place with one that has been in a humid place. Since your workshop (and presumably the lumber yards) are uncontrolled, that is what you want.

My wood usually stays in my basement for a while between being purchased and used, but I have used wood the same day when I have run short and I can't see where it has ever mattered. There are bigger issues to worry about than waiting for wood.

[Leon]

YMMV but I have always kept it in the location that I will be cutting and building. You are never going to be able to completely control the environment. Keeping it in side and building in another with a different climate may be a waste of time as typically it is in the work environment long enough that it will start moving again. Plan ahead for wood movement on your projects.

[dondone]

My wishes it were true, but realizes I don't believe it. The one with the most tools at the end, wins!

[Joe Barta]

You could start a group rec.woodworking.tool-collecting. And I'd have to disagree with you, tools are the means, not the end.

I had this boss years ago who would always say "It's better to do the right thing wrong than the wrong thing right." I've found it to be one of the most valuable little bits I've ever run into, and it has adjusted my thinking on many many occasions.

Along those lines, it's better to focus on building with the tools you have than to focus on building your tools.

Joe Barta

[Teamcasa]

"Christopher Horner"

Here in SOCal, using lumber purchased locally, the humidity is stable. Wood movement is minimal. You should still plan on it when planning and building your projects, but I have found no need to acclimatize it. Also, as a hobbyist, the wood does in fact sit during the process anyway.

Dave

[George]

That's it. Anything you store or construct in the garage is going to have some heavy-duty drying done to it when it comes inside an air-conditioned space. That is, unless you actively control humidity indoors, then acclimate to your controlled humidity for a couple of weeks prior to using purchased lumber.

The reason woodworkers frame panels and finish both sides even when they see only one, and practice a number of other subtle joinery tricks is to plan for future movement.

[Dave Jackson]

Maybe a moisture meter will be a good addition to your tool collection? It would help with knowing that the wood is acclimated. --dave

[George]

Not really. It'll let him know what the approximate MC of the wood is. Then he still has to take into account the current average or anticipated RH of his surroundings to see if it has equalized or how far it has to go.

[Bugs]

Wood is going to move as long as the weather changes . . . forever! Stickering it under cover outdoors works as well as anything to stabilize it. Bugs

[Scott Lurndal]

Except the OP is in southern Cal. There is seldom humidity above 50% there.

scott