Figured wood storage?

[Matt Bach]

Hi guys

I'm slowly amassing some figured bits of various timbers and was wondering if there's any "better" way to store it. At the moment everything sits on shelving, stickered but not really clamped down, just sitting there. Some of it is a bit cupped, and I expect still drying. Thick stuff intended for electrics, none thinner than 20mm, random sizes, for random plans. Should I cut the more desirable bits up and store them in a "proper" rack to keep them straight, or just deal with it when time comes to actually start work? None of it is particularly rare or special, but I'd still like to do the right thing.

I'm also wondering about a large hunk of burl I have, I know it's good to seal the endgrain while it dries, but it's ALL endgrain haha. Should I literally cover the entire piece in wax or something? It seems to shrink daily!

I'm moving my workshop around a bit and figured (hehe) now was the right time to ask. I've seen some of your very cool storage solutions but since it's thicker stock I have I'd be keen to hear if there are any other ways of doing it.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[EricDownunder]

I am not sure if this will work for you but I am about to cut some ironbark logs up mostly 150x 50x5mtrs they will be stored on 4 steel tressles 1" sticks between small steel I beam on top directly inline with the tressles on both sides I will be strapping between each tressle and I beam with a normal nylon struck winch just the cheap ones, this allows me to keep the tension on the timber s it drys checking the tension every couple of weeks I will do this for about six months before I use it.
To stop timber curling and twisting it must be kept under load during it's drying process either with straps as above or heavy weights, I hope this has been of some help.

[curly]

There are no real general hard rules for what is going to work for drying timbers , and of course figured timber has it's own difficulties . What i find to help with timbers that are durable and dont mould or taint readily is to really slow down the drying .As you say to weight and sticker the stack thoroughly is crucial . If you then dry the timber indoors and perhaps even under hessian or shadecloth , you can really slow down surface checks in burl , or distortion in wild figured boards . Also we tend to mill down close to final size as it's generally easier to dry timber in smaller sizes , though in kind you need more stickers and closer together . For instance we will sticker figured timber in 6mm rough size for back and sides with 10mm square stickers on 50mm spacings , a lot of stickers ! The stacks are then weighted or bound with rubber straps .
As for storage , once your timbers are dry , you can simply block stack them and weight them . The timber should be dry , treat it with insecticide yearly , keep it dry . Another trick for drying whole burl is that we simply bury them in wet band saw dust off the sawmill , takes years to dry to be sure but they come out flawless .
Pete

[Kim]

For lutherie, i.e back and sides sets, headstock overlay, even fingerboards etc, your probably best forgetting about traditional practices and just resawing any green wood if you have any asap. Then sticker it under weight and run a small fan on low over the stack. Doing this will be easier in your bandsaw, you will have usable wood much more quickly and you will convert much more usable wood from the billets because @ app 5 to 6mm per slice, surface checking will not be an issue as the moisture can move out very quickly without case hardening the surface and risking cellular collapse. Just be sure to wax the endgrain to avoid end checking. The same goes for burl, slice close to what you will use it for and then layer it up with bits of poster board between each slice in packs of a dozen or so and then tape the stack firmly. Pull the stacks apart after a few weeks to check for mold and then replace the poster board with fresh stuff and retape until ready for use.

Cheers

Kim