Storing sides and backs

[93Jrh]

I have a question for all you professionals. If I thickness all my materials to workable dimensions, can I store them without any problems. I am in the process of thinning my materials for bending. I may not be to actually bend them for three to four months. Will this be a problem?

[Skarsaune]

I'm not a professional; I'm interested to see what they say. I'm an amateur a dozen guitars in, but I don't do it. I store backs/sides after resawing, stickered and occasionally with some weight on them. I thickness them down to spec when I'm ready to start bending sides, assembling the back, etc.

I'd guess a lot will depend on the climate control of your proposed storage space.

[redir]

If you have the RH in your shop controlled then no it won't be a problem. Like Skarsaune said if I resaw then they get stickered and weighed down. After a year they can be stacked in the shop.

When you say 'workable dimensions,' as long as you don't mean thinned to spec then I'd say you will be fine, again, if your shop is controlled. It's best to have some wiggle room so that you can use the wood on various model/size instruments when it comes time to build them.

[Fathand]

About 5 years ago, I took maybe 5 guitar and uke sets and tops that I had resawn to a friend's drum sander and thicknessed them all. I think I used the last set a few months ago. They all seemed to turn out ok. Didn't store them special, just put them on a shelf.

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by 93Jrh

I have a question for all you professionals. If I thickness all my materials to workable dimensions, can I store them without any problems. I am in the process of thinning my materials for bending. I may not be to actually bend them for three to four months. Will this be a problem?

Yes, you can store them with no problems. What's important to do is to have each face either equally exposed to air by stickering them or to have each face covered, otherwise they will tend to cup.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I store my tonewood on end, with the end grain sealed, and not so crammed together that air cannot circulate. I rarely do any thicknessing until I’m ready to build. How could I, not yet knowing what I’m building nor what the tonal goals are?