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Ive seen here and there on various builders websites creative ways to store selected sets of wood, wood that a client has picked and you pull it and set it aside. Id like to make a rack for this purpose. I'm wondering, is it smart to put the wood on edge? I'm thinking book-shelve style, with wooden dowel separators for each bay. That way, I could slide in the top, backs and sides and maybe even a selected fretboard blank, etc.
Id like it to hang from the ceiling, so its up and out of the way.
Here is a quick and dirty drawing. I guess my question is basically, is it safe to store wood like this? On Edge that is.

Thoughts?
Thx

LanceLanceK38539.3319791667

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Lance,
It's always a good idea to separate a client's wood and I think you've hit on a great idea. My only suggestion is to try and keep the wood as flat as possible regardless of how the wood is stored. You shouldn't have any trouble with keeping the wood on its side so long as you have a tight fit.
just my 2 cents.

Or, you could buy a cheapie cabinet, and install a bunch of flat 1/4" shelving units about every 1.5" apart and then just stack up the wood inside. Top first, then back, then sides, figerboard, bridge, headplate etc.

If you didn't secure the shelves and simply let them set on dado cuts you could slide the shelves in and out when you wanted access.

I know this doesn't put it on the ceiling like you wanted, but it would let you store the wood as joined up and thinned plates as well.

Just another approach.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks Steve,
Brock, I like that idea too, I didn't consider the plates after they were joined.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I have stored some wood on edge as you were thinking Lance. It doesn't seem to have any ill effect, but flat is probably better. I have seen some guys do the cabinet thing and that seems to work great.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
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Consider small (perhaps 8"w x 24"h x 24"d) storage bays, that you can store all the parts for the guitar before, and during the construction phase. It's a way to make sure you have everything you need when the time comes to start the instrument.

As far as storing plates go, a good system is the one that Martin (and others) use. Pegboard above and below, with 1/4" wooden dowels as spacers every 1". Rough plates, braced plates, etc can be neatly organized on their sides.

If the wood has been stickered/stored/acclimated to your space, there shouldn't be any need to keep it tightly constrained. In fact I would say it's counter-productive. If it's going to misbehave (ie. cup/twist), let it do so early on, instead of as you start the building process. It's never been an issue over several years and many dozens of instruments.

In other words, you should have a system for seasoning wood and ensuring proper moisture content and stability. Move to the storage rack only after the wood is acclimated.

Here's an idea I stole from Harry Fleishman for storage of in progress work. One of the reasons that I like this kind of building mold is that it doubles as a shelf. Or for flat stuff like tops and backs you just use a flat workboard/shelf. It's a nice system because you can glue stuff up on the workboard and then stash it away and get it off the bench while it's drying. It's not great for storing longer stuff like unbent sides and neck blanks. I probably need to add in a bunch of other shelf rails so can get more efficient storage for flat things like tops and backs. I plan on incorporating this type of storage into other tool stands, and my main workbench when I build it.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

I built a "dry box" complete with a two 150W bulbs and small circulating fans that I put in my [non-environmentally controlled] shop. I stored all of my wood in it and also stored guitars in it during construction.

Wood was stored (stickered) in the cabinet and I also let it normalize for several months before building with it. I built an EIR dred and shipped it to TN. 3 Days later the lady called and said the back had SUNK in. She shipped it back and in a few days the back popped into normal position. This is fine if the guitars will live in your locale but if you plan to ship them around the US then you will have similar problems.

Lesson learned was that the cabinet will only stabilize at the RH of the shop. Now all of my wood and projects are stored in a sealed temp/humidity controlled room. This room ended my problems, well... maybe some of them ;)

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Tim, there must be something else going on. If the back sunk, it went from a "damp" environment to a "dry" one. Did you build the guitar in the summer and ship the guitar in the winter? Did the customer have a wood stove? Any idea of the changes the instrument experienced?

Several of us have been back and forth with this, but I've had great results with my dry box (cabinet with light bulb). The guitars have been through years of New England's drastic seasonal changes in perfect condition.

I can't say it's an ideal solution, but it has worked very well for me. I use it in the Fall & Spring, where only small adjustments are needed to keep the RH in line. In the winter I humidify. In the summer, I don't see how it can work.

Right now, I'm dealing with 60-70% RH @ 72F and I can't drop the RH to 40% with heat alone. Even if I could, there is just too much moisture in the air. Shortly, I am going to climate control the whole shop, or at least a small room.

This will be expensive and unrealistic for somebody working on instruments part-time. In that case, I'd still recommend the "dry box" with the above caveat.

Steve:
The dry box worked well for me as long as the guitars were sold, given away, etc.. to folks who were in my same basic locale. I only experieneced problems when I shipped a guitar several states away.

Yes, I did build it in the (humid) summer and shipped it the same (dry) fall. I would suspect the guitar arrived in a much drier enviroment (in their home) and shrank rather quickly. I still keep tabs on that guitar (which is here local) and it remains fine).

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com