Official Luthiers Forum!

hi all
I need advice on buying timber.
I know “longer is better” - but
What is the minimum time for seasoning tonewoods before you would be happy working with it.
Assuming it’s from a reputable dealer and “properly stored”

1: Soundboards/ bracewood - softwoods etc. (airdried)
2: Backs/Sides necks F/boards etc.
thanks
Geordie

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I am not one to really give an detailed answer to this but I will say " in regards to seasoning prior to resawing I don't personally belive longer in its self is better. Long enough is just right." Aging goes on even after the billet has been resawn in to sets. Getting to a stable point and desired moisture content would seem to be the goal.

Everything from places like LMII are ready to go immediately. Most vendors will let you know if the wood still needs more time to dry. That said, I personally wait at least a month just to make sure that it is stable. And with certain species like Cocobolo, Brazilian RW, Ziricote, and the Ebonies - I like to have these in my wood room for at least 1 or 2 years to make sure they are stable. That is overly cautious but is a way to avoid some cracking issues.

So there is an advantage to having sets in your possession for a long time - you KNOW they are stable. But it isn't necessary from most of the tonewood dealers because they dry the wood before they sell it. As an aside, comb thru every set you use very carefully and make sure to flex it as it gets thinner. There can be hidden cracks or fractures that are easy to miss. In an unfinished state, these are very easy to repair.

--
Simon

The rule of thumb is one year per inch of thickness. So 3/16" thick tonewood should stablize in a couple of weeks, at least in theory. I like to give it a little longer.

I guess I miss took the question I assumed you were talking buying green timber and drying/seasoning it prior to resawing. If buying pre serviced set such as top and back sets at 3/16" thick then I would at minimum sticker it in your shop for 30 days 90 even better and of cource you can keep it and age it as long as you wish with proper RH levels.

Maybe you should define if you are refuring to timber or sets.

hi all
Thanks for you knowledgeable input, I appreciate it (and need it).
Michael my apologies for being unclear, what I am asking about is typically what one would purchase from tonewood suppliers - pre-cut timbers.
Here are two specific examples of details from suppliers which prompted my asking about “what is dry enough” and I know that without feeling and tapping the pieces it’s a generalised opinion.
1. “The spruce tops are dried approx. 2 years after that sawn into sets”.
2. ”The (maple) tree was cut down in the winter season 2006/7, so it is stored for almost 1.5 years”.
I had thought this 2 years for spruce and 1.5 years for maple was a bit on the short side especially the maple for cello backs 20mm to 50mm wedge.
Hope this clarifies my questions.
I would like to hear anyone's opinions/ experiences on how soon we can use our woods.
yours
Geordie

_________________
some tunes on acoustic and guitar synth.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGeordieAdams
http://www.myspace.com/geordieadams

I bought some nice Ovangkol and mahogany sets from a great European supplier sometime last year, and the damp "doggy" smell that emanated from the package upon opening revealed the "green-ness" of the wood even before I felt it!!

Because I build at such a slow rate, wood gets a chance to acclimatise and dry anyway.

Tonewood from the US seems to react within hours after opening in my locality, so I tend to give it a month before using.

my miss read, my bad

A good moisture meter is a great tool to have and they are all not that expensive.

hi all
many thanks for your valued thoughts and experience,
I’ll order up some 3+ year sets and stock which should be useable after acclimatising and settling.
Oh Sam I sourced some maple from “THAT TREE” as opposed to “The Tree”.
yours Geordie

_________________
some tunes on acoustic and guitar synth.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGeordieAdams
http://www.myspace.com/geordieadams

*passes out*

You'll have to post pics.......

I'm with Simon!

Get as much wood as you can afford -sticker it and walk away !
Weigh it if you can every 3 months or so!
Record the weighs!
Keep it away from any heat or moisture source!

Most suppliers are honest about their woods seasoning!
They want you to keep buying from them and NOT telling everyone that they sent you wet wood!

But really -get the woods you want -let them acclimate -use them!
Just be vigilant about their condition when you get them in your shop!


Mike

_________________
Mike Collins

1.5 years is not enough time for 50 mm maple. If it is air dried, it should have 3 years or more.

Here's a marketing idea: "A Tree" (say it quickly). All my wood comes from this amazing source.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

hi all
many thanks again, I’m getting a better grasp of what's “usable” thanks to you.
Sam I’ll get a picture to ya.
Howard, I had a felling that 1.5 would’nt be long enough, thanks for the advice.
Oh and I said "A Tree" (quickly) and my wife said “bless you”?
yours Geordie

_________________
some tunes on acoustic and guitar synth.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGeordieAdams
http://www.myspace.com/geordieadams

For air dying wood it totaly depends on thickness.
but the rule of 1 year per inch isnt allways accurate.
the best way to tell if the wood is suitable is with a moisture meter etc.
also you can tell if a peice of wood is dry when you come to use it.

most tonewood dealers will sell kiln dried wood when it comes to hardwoods but spuce tops will cut wet and then air dried.
a year is usualy what you would expect from a euoprean spruce dealer.

if you bought wood that you are planning on resawing then you can resaw a little wet and then dry the sets as this will take less time for the sets to dry.

If you are in no rush to use the wood its allways good sticker an stack for as long as poss as wood can pick up moisure in transite especialy when shipping internationaly.

feel free to contact me if need any in depth advice,

Joel.