Wood acclimatization

[tonysands]

Hi,

I was wondering, if you have acclimatized some wood for a few weeks in the house, then take it to my unheated workshop ( Garage) for a week to make some furniture, then back into the house, would this not have a negative effect on the wood and the acclimatization process you just went through? :shock:

Hope i explained myself ok.

Regards
Tony

 

[TrimTheKing]

It really depends what the humidity differenctial is between its indoor location and the garage. The bigger it is the worse the 'potential' for problems.

Ideally you would take it back indoors after each session, not leaving it in the garage over night, but whether you would see any major effects is debatable.

You will get both sides of the argument here so it's really a case of suck it and see, but to be on the safe side bring it in each evening.

HTH

 

[Dibs-h]

Or better still have nice pieces of furniture in the workshop! :wink:

I'll get my hat & coat!..........

 

[TrimTheKing]

Or better still have nice pieces of furniture in the workshop! :wink:

I'll get my hat & coat!..........

[smug mode]

Well when your workshop is an attached double garage like mine, running off the house central heating, then the temp and RH are the same in both the house and 'shop, so no need to worry about this for me

[/smug mode]

 

[Digit]

I'm with Mark. Works for me.

Roy.

 

[woodbloke]

Or better still have nice pieces of furniture in the workshop! :wink:

I'll get my hat & coat!..........

[smug mode]

Well when your workshop is an attached double garage like mine, running off the house central heating, then the temp and RH are the same in both the house and 'shop, so no need to worry about this for me

[/smug mode]

I'll say it before Tom does...flash git :lol: - Rob

 

[TrimTheKing]

I'll say it before Tom does...flash git :lol: - Rob

Moi?

 

[Dibs-h]

Or better still have nice pieces of furniture in the workshop! :wink:

I'll get my hat & coat!..........

[smug mode]

Well when your workshop is an attached double garage like mine, running off the house central heating, then the temp and RH are the same in both the house and 'shop, so no need to worry about this for me

[/smug mode]

Don't worry - I'll be joining that smug mode at some point! :wink:

 

[OPJ]

If the timber has been properly acclimatised indoors (as you say; several weeks or more) then, at this time of year, I don't think one week in an unheated workshop is going to do it much harm. You may find it moves slightly, perhaps more so in the winter but, wood is going to do that anyway!

Whatever happens, one week won't be enough to "undo" weeks of acclimatisation. If it's taken several weeks to lose all that moisture then, it's going to take several weeks more (maybe even months!) before it's absorbed it all again.

Try not to worry about it too much and just enjoy your woodwork!

 

[wizer]

Or better still have nice pieces of furniture in the workshop! :wink:

I'll get my hat & coat!..........

[smug mode]

Well when your workshop is an attached double garage like mine, running off the house central heating, then the temp and RH are the same in both the house and 'shop, so no need to worry about this for me

[/smug mode]

I'll say it before Tom does...flash git :lol: - Rob

Actually I can't comment this time. I also have an attached garaged with plumbed in heating!! Try it. It's the FUTURE :lol:

 

[9fingers]

The most important thing for me about acclimatisation is to cut the wood to near final size early on in the process. This allows any inbuilt stresses to relax before cutting and planing to final size.
I cut each piece to rough size, plane two adjacent faces and mark them as references so I can see what movement there has been at the end of acclimatisation.

Bob

 

[Ironballs]

That advice is all pretty sound and works for me too. One thing to be aware of though is extremes, for instance you can leave what you thought was seasoned wood in your car with the windows up on a hot day and come back to find something that looks like corrugated iron. Similarly don't leave your wood in a damp draft

 

[woodbloke]

The most important thing for me about acclimatisation is to cut the wood to near final size early on in the process. This allows any inbuilt stresses to relax before cutting and planing to final size.
I cut each piece to rough size, plane two adjacent faces and mark them as references so I can see what movement there has been at the end of acclimatisation.

Bob

Depends on how dry the stuff is to begin with...fine if it's pretty good. If it's got a higher MC, you wouldn't want to cut it close to the finished size and then watch it warp :evil: - Rob

 

[9fingers]

The most important thing for me about acclimatisation is to cut the wood to near final size early on in the process. This allows any inbuilt stresses to relax before cutting and planing to final size.
I cut each piece to rough size, plane two adjacent faces and mark them as references so I can see what movement there has been at the end of acclimatisation.

Bob

Depends on how dry the stuff is to begin with...fine if it's pretty good. If it's got a higher MC, you wouldn't want to cut it close to the finished size and then watch it warp :evil: - Rob

True but I had assumed that the acclimatisation referred to was just that -not part of a drying process.

Bob

 

[tonysands]

Thanks for all the advice guys, guess i will just take it back in the house.

Regards
Tony

 

[woodbloke]

The most important thing for me about acclimatisation is to cut the wood to near final size early on in the process. This allows any inbuilt stresses to relax before cutting and planing to final size.
I cut each piece to rough size, plane two adjacent faces and mark them as references so I can see what movement there has been at the end of acclimatisation.

Bob

Depends on how dry the stuff is to begin with...fine if it's pretty good. If it's got a higher MC, you wouldn't want to cut it close to the finished size and then watch it warp :evil: - Rob

True but I had assumed that the acclimatisation referred to was just that -not part of a drying process.

Bob

To my mind Bob, it's all part of the same process. I suppose the 'acclimatisation' bit might be the final bit to check that the timber is fully dry (or at least to the required MC) before work commences.
I've got some oak cut at the moment which is a whisker away from the finished size so I guess that's acclimatising - Rob