▼EXPAND FOR LINKS TO THE TOOLS▼ 🎥 Watch Next - 99% of Beginners Don't Know This Woodworking Trick ruclips.net/video/1nYDBL7Xv1o/видео.html 🛠 Tools In This Video: DeHumidifier I Use - amzn.to/3JqcRJ9 Bora Wood Rack - amzn.to/3JnrCN4 Mini-Split Heater and AC - amzn.to/3jjslnz Husky Shelves - homedepot.sjv.io/P0eEMY Hardwood Suppliers I Use: You'll receive wood that's dry and ready to use from these dealers: Ol Loggin Sawmill Walnut Lumber Kit - www.ollogginsawmill.com/store/p/4-walnut-dimensional-kit Live Edge Slabs, Charcuterie Kits and More - www.ollogginsawmill.com/store WTG Hardwoods - www.wtghardwoods.com/products-4 Other Tools/Equipment I'm Asked About Often: Ryobi Tools in Background - homedepot.sjv.io/a1qKRj Boots I'm Wearing - amzn.to/3HkUl3y Where I get my t-shirts (mostly) www.kerusso.com Toolbox in Background - homedepot.sjv.io/x9B2xy Tool Wall over Miter Station - amzn.to/3ZgWq7B Digital RUclips Sign - amzn.to/3GL2a2e Tripod for my phone - amzn.to/3D1hohm Ball Head for Tripod - amzn.to/3QSv6c5 Phone Adapter for Tripod - amzn.to/3kvIeaQ Camera Gear I Use - kit.co/731Woodworks/camera-gear-i-use Computer Equipment I Use - kit.co/731Woodworks/731-woodworks-computer-equipment (If you use one of these Amazon and other affiliate links, I may receive a commission) Other useful links: Daily Tool Deals on my website: www.731woodworks.com/tool-deals Subscribe the 731 Newsletter: mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter Check out our easy-to-follow woodworking plans: www.731woodworks.com/store use code 5NEWTOOLS to save 20% off your order. Outlaw's Board Butter - So Good it Should be Outlawed: www.731woodworks.com/store/boardbutter
You said in the beginning of the video you have your hard wood shipped since you have a lack of local sources. Im in the same boat was curious how you get your hardwood then
@@jacobnichols7762 links in the pinned comment to the suppliers I buy from. I use a lot of 4/4 walnut, 8 inches wide and 4 feet long is the size I ask for most of the time.
Thanks! Just cruised their website and its awesome how they have photos of pieces you can buy. That was my worry about ordering online is not getting what you were hoping for
Us poor folks use a bucket of rock salt, a fan and a bucket to catch the water when the salt is saturated. It's not ideal, but damn it works! Just make sure the fan can blow through that sale, sucks the water right out of the air. Desiccants would work (wood work?) , not sure how much they cost though.
@@731Woodworks hello I have kiln dried red oak that's about 6 inches wide by 10 feet long. If I put them in the attic of a not so wall sealed or temperature controlled garage, will I have any issues storing it up there in the winter time? And is there anything I can add to keep it from warping or bowing? The floor up there seems pretty flat
I know I'm not the greatest woodworker around and have an awful long way to go, but I tell you what, when it comes to sitting around and doing nothing while the wood acclimates, I'm the best you'll ever see.
I liked that you mentioned a dehumidifier. Once I was at my local lumber yard and noticed an odd unit if utility 1 X 4 Douglas fir that was of exceptional quality (all heart, vertical grain with very few knots) and less than 15% of the cost of clear heart, VG, kiln dried. My wife and I both LOVE Douglas fir. I picked out a lot of it. Put it in a room, stacked it with stickers, bound it with straps and turned on the dehumidifier for several weeks. The result was fantastic. We trimmed our guest cabin with it and it looked fantastic. It cost us less than $300 to trim a cabin with wood that would have otherwise cost almost $2,000. Thanks for the video Matt !!!
I recently purchased redwood 2x4's and clamped them together to prevent warping as they dried. It worked and were good to go when I was ready for the project.
I bought 3 bumper dragging loads of 16' pressure treated 2 bys "cull lumber" from Home Depot for a cabin I was building, about $100 a truck load. Seriously twisted up junk. I stacked them all in a block of sorts and ratchet strapped them tightly together and left them in the woods for acouple of months uncovered. They all straightend out perfectly.
Really good advice I have a mill just under a mile away (I know what a blessing) and the fella who runs it has become one of my best friends. when wood a couple of years ago was skyrocketing he was selling me 1 1/4 " by 12" by 14" pine and poplar for $ 10.00 a plank and has been doing the same up to today I remolded our ranch home with all wood walls and floors and it turned out great I made wood hangers in my garage I have a 12 ft slab to joist so plenty of room for the 250 planks to dry out in. After serving in the Army in the 70's I started a small flat work concrete company and a small drywall one as well after 30 years of hanging drywall and pouring concrete I worked in a mine for a few years done a lot of trades but this retirement is by far the hardest work I've ever done but it's also the most fun I've had here deep in the mountains of TN/NC my wife and I are having a blast I put in a 3000 sq ft raised bed garden for her and we have 40 egg layers neighbors are far and few but great folks. we just celebrated our 40th and this old Christian is enjoying every day I refuse to retire when working on our little ranch is so much fun. Blessings :)
I totally agree with the dehumidifier. I have had one in my shop for several years. It was initially there for MY comfort, but I soon noticed that the wood was acting nicer as well. Of course in the winter I am running a small humidifier instead, again for MY comfort. (I am up in central Maryland, so the air does get cold and dry.) At the start of the day the humidity may be as low as 20%, but even after running all day it only goes up to 30% so I'm not too worried about that.
Here in South Jersey same weather, we are only 3 hours away but question about humidifier. I do need to up humidity from 20% also, running humidifier won’t rust table tops? I’m getting a lot of warping with construction lumber. Even after doing everything in video other then something weighing it down.
Thanks for the video! Storing beams and planks directly on the concrete floor was exactly the mistake I was doing so far! No splits and cracks but slight twisting.
Very true. I made a desk for my son, I bought the lumber about a year before I even decided to build him the desk. The lumber was from Home Depot, when I used it the pine 2X10s were so dry and light weight. Much easier to work with. I know that 1 year is a very long time but letting it dry does make a big difference. I think you see more of the twisting and bowing on projects that call for longer lengths. I build a dinning bench for a buddy that was 8 feet long and the top twisted within a week… I used the lumber right away after I bought it…. Lesson learned
Great tips, especially for a beginner like myself. I have been accumulating pallet wood and needed some place to put it all. So, I used some of the wood and long, narrow pallets to knock together a couple of racks. It all works and only cost me buying screws for it. I know the south is humid, but here in the Pacific Nortwest, I've got an actual Rain Forest just a short drive up the coast, so good info to have!
Excellent topic ol boy. As a new woodworker I had an oak nightstand with Brazilian cherry top split after 3 months...both of them. Wood movement is a huge factor and one not discussed enough, not even close imo. One technique I've used with success is clamping boards together.
I have the exact same dehumidifier. Been watching your channel for a while now and it is by far my favorite wood working channel without question. My wife is dragging me into her new Etsy shop so I've had to learn a lot, very quickly to get things done.
When I buy construction lumber, not only do I stack it off the ground supported as you suggest. But I stack it tightly together and wrap it every 4 feet or so with ratchet straps. It takes longer to dry/acclimate, but all the warping forces cancel out and my lumber stays arrow straight. This works especially well with that dripping wet treated lumber.
I had thought of doing this if I needed to. I would add though instead of just putting stickers or fillets (the spacer boards) on the horizontal I would put them vertically too so all edges have air flow and it will dry out quicker
Over the years I’ve seen all kinds of storage. I worked in a production shop for a long time, where we ran thousands of feet of poplar. That stuff came in, and went right into flat unstickered piles in the cutoff room. We never even checked moisture. Rarely had a problem with movement. These days I’m in a small craft shop with varied storage. Some vertical, some flat on Bora racks. I have to say, the vertical is my least favorite. It’s fine for very short term storage. But long term, the lack of gravity so to speak, allows the wood to move more. Great video! I always enjoy your content.
Great information! I typically store my wood elevated off the floor, not subject to sunlight. I normally am building with it right away, but I'm also only a few miles away from the lumber store. Once I finally build a storage rack, I will probably "stock up" on certain types, and let them sit for weeks until I figure out what I'm going to build with it.
Knowledgeable, interesting, easy to understand and easy to follow. You're not afraid to let your light shine and I love that about you. I noticed your shirt before I ever opened up one of your "extra bonuses". Thank you.
I use those exact wood storage racks. Personally I think anything you can store “overhead” you should. It not only protects your wood, but it really clears up space in the shop as well👍🏼
I wish my garage had over head 😂.. single garage low asf roof and half the Mrs friends and families crap stored in there I have portable benches and the few things I've started building are outside in the driveway with wood I bought that day cause if I don't use it that day it's in the way
Another great video, thanks. I appreciate your comment about the A frame for wood storage since I plan to do that as well. I have some lumer from a tree that had to be taken down from our property that I plan to store on racks like you have used - they are long so probably will need 4 racks instead of just 2. Appreciate your response to my question, nice to know people read these comments.
Thank you. These tips make a lot of sense. I appreciate it when you share your experience. The biggest takeaway that I had never really thought about was buying well in advance. I will now think about what I want to buy for use later this year. Thanks again.
Here's a tip for you: If you accidentally get an unwanted hammer mark in your wood, as long as it doesn't break or splinter, you can use a damp cloth with an iron to pull out the mark 😉
You know those hammers with a ball on the other side instead of a claw? Wet the dent and tap it with that ball. The dent comes out. I’ve never known it not to work
I’m an novice, but a little tip I picked up to help prevent wood from shape-shifting is to always try and do the same thing on both sides on it; don’t just plane one side, or seal one side, etc.
I live in a desert, and it is code for any wood (2x4's mostly) that touches the concrete slab (especially in a basement) to be treated. Even here where humidity is in single digits, moisture from concrete is still an issue. Definitely get the wood up off the ground. Great suggestion!
You may have already thought of this but I bought two bora racks and put them side by side so there would be more areas supporting my lumber to help prevent bowing. I love all of your videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Very nice video. Entertaining and informative. “Stickering” the wood is paramount. It is especially important with treated lumber which has a much higher moisture content and is not cut as closely to dimension as white wood. Anybody building an outdoor project should buy their wood as far in advance as possible as most treated lumber (except at Lowe’s and Home Depot) is stored outside at the lumber yard. Take it home. Sticker it and let it dry completely. I will be adding to my deck this summer and my treated lumber is now in my barn drying out.
I want to put a clamp bar into the wall, but I smiled when I saw your husky shelves. I was lucky enough to have those for a long time before I figured they were perfect for stacking wood. I put rectangles of lauan behind each shelf with zip ties so stuff can't get knocked and fall behind it. I also eventually figured out that those shelf supports make a good enough clamp rack for now. Just had the light bulb go off 2 or 3 days ago haha
Thanks for the info, enjoy your channel. I'm following most of these tips but it's tough in a 1 car garage space --especially when you need to move a car into the space (I always stress when I park my rain covered Jeep next to my expensive hardwood lumber). I'm totally for waiting days, if not weeks, for material to acclimate and dry out. I'm on Cape Cod and humidity wreaks havoc here in the summer. Board cupping is something I deal with all the time.
When I was cleaning out my grandfather's garage I found this perfect piece of 2x4 pine It has to be the straightest piece of wood I've ever seen (at least compared to home Depot) especially for 200lbs of scrap wood sitting on it
I have zero experience in wood working but want to get into it. I’m a carpenter and love building things. These videos specially this one is very informational. Thank you
My problem is that my local Home Depot and Lowe’s is so careless with their products that I can’t seem to buy any pieces of wood that aren’t already bent and twisted. It’s really frustrating how badly they care for their lumber. Also, gone are the days of actual local lumber yards. I used to work for one when I was a kid. They’re all gone now. The big box stores put them all out of business. 😢
Yes, and the Big box stores buy wood from Canada, New Zealand in bulk, nothing locally sourced these days. American lumbers to expensive due to labor fixed costs. Plus with foreign suppliers, their moneys cheaper and so it’s more profitable for the US lumber retailers to source them from outside country.
The shipping of that wood in containers is what causes so much warpage. It sucks cause the lumber sits in those containers soaking in sea air. Once the containers opened, the wood starts drying and warping.
This very much depends on where you are. Here in the Hudson Valley region there are several excellent hardwood suppliers. My favorite is very near our local Homie’s Depot. The BigBox stores definitely changed the market, but not always for the worse.
You have to be wealthy to have nice, straight boards. Or risk your life using a terrifying jointer with it's enormous spinning blades of death. I can't believe in 2023, there hasn't been a machine made that can actually straighten a board. We can make a cell phone, but we can't improve the jointer that was developed in the 1880's?
The large corporations pre-buy and buy in bulk; it's a commodity market with a whole bunch of speculation involved. Lumber usually runs at a low margin or at a loss - it's primarily offered in order to get contractors and DIYers in the door to buy high profit items. They don't care about quality, because they're all run by boards of executives with MBAs, not experienced tradespeople.
I'm about an hour outside of Toronto but it does get really humid here in the summer months. I built an insulated lumber shed with a de-humidifier and it's been great. I can get freshly cut maple slabs that have not been dried out for cheap, keep them flat in my shed for a year or so and then work them and get hardly any warping.
The last 3 years, I've been doing several projects with treated, or ground ready lumber. I have impeccable timing, and seen to always order my product, right after a truck has delivered it to the lumberyard. I often get treated lumber that is practically dripping wet. I tried storing a small amount, in a small area with a dehumidifier. The rest I set up on my driveway, with stickers as needed. As long as I cover the lumber on the driveway, when it's going to rain, the sun helps immensely, in the time it takes to dry. The wettest of it has dried in as little as 45 days. The pieces that I've put in the enclosed area, with the dehumidifier, have taken up to 8 months to dry. I'm not good enough, nor do I have the room, to take possession of my lumber, a year ahead of the project start date. I live in Iowa, 8 months is the whole outside working season for me. I don't have the room, yet, to order in the Fall, for projects the next Summer.
OTher saying be careful with treated stuff, the chemicals used off gas for months to years even after fully dry, sounds about right. only thing to watch with solar drying is it does not dry down to fast to avoid checking.
I don't use treated lumber for furniture projects. But I def use it for outdoor projects. What works best for me is finding the lightest dry out wood that is straight. Cuts down on the waiting time for paint or stain
Almost forgot! I HATE notifications so I either disable them or silence the ones I want but don't want to be bothered with spam noises throughout the day. You're my only Sub and I definitely left the notifications on!
I am a single mom of a 15 year some who has started woodworking as a hobby/business. Thank you so much for your great example as a Christian man and the great tips for woodworking. I have been binging your videos to help him out. 😅
Be careful using a tarp outside. Water may get inside the tarp and actually accelerate rot if left for an extended time. I wasn't paying attention like I should and lost some good wood that way. Thumbs up.
I live in southern New England and had a guitar shipped from MD and I had to leave in box for 2 weeks to acclimate, it was like torture waiting! I have basement shop and fight wood movement year around. Thanks for tips!
I picked up a set of the wall wood rack system. Great suggestion and right now, they’re down 43% at just under 40 bucks! That’s a steal!! I have prime so shipping is free. Can’t speak to price with shipping. 🤷🏻♂️
Great info. Some things I've learned on my own, but some are new, any explanations help understand better. Great video, especially for someone new who hasn't had to experience the growing pains.
I’ve got some wood in my garage that’s been acclimating for a few years now. Someday I’ll get around to building those shelves! 🤪 nice video! Appreciate the tips
Just an fyi, if you HAVE to store wood with only two racks, make sure the racks are 1/4 in from each end of a board. This will balance out the load and reduce bowing. For example, for 8' lumber place your racks 2' (1/4 of 8') in from each end. Each rack will then support 2' on each side.
Since the internet is forever it might be best to edit your comment to say a 1/4 of the way in from each side. Until I read your example I seriously thought you ment a 1/4 inch in. thanks for the sound advice!
You are absolutely correct about staying off concrete floors but something you would not expect is that at any fixed temperature the higher humidity air is lighter than the lower humidity air. But because the moisture in your space is relatively constant the humidity near the floor will be the same as at the ceiling and there will not be any buoyancy effect.
It's a good idea to seal the end grain of timber if it's to be stored for long periods, as moisture loss from the end grain causes splits along the grain. Thanks for a great vid :)
I've always stored my sheet good flush against a wall and use 2 sash weights hanging by a cord fastened to the wall above my plywood (you could use anything weighing a few pounds). No worries of any bowing, even if they're there a long time and the weights insure no tipping over.
I bought 6 2X4x10 a few months back for a train table project. I did the wood cutting on my porch, and after I had the right fit that wood was put in my house at the spot where it was to be screwed in place. Started around 8:30 AM and finished up around 2 PM. By the time I was about to screw this all together in my house, almost all of the long 2X4's had a twist in them. I did the best I could despite the twist. The problem is not so visible and it is built but they are not as strong as I hoped. The table part is about 3.5 feet by 9.5 feet with 5 of these as the main cross supports. I was hoping to avoid having to have a center support for the 9.5 span but almost right away I had to have a temporary one if I was going to put any kind of weight on it. Yet with older 2X4X8 I had almost no problem with strength or twisting in the past years using only 2 for the 8 foot span. About 6 years before I bought 4 of the 2X4X10's from the same local hardware store for a 2 foot by 10 foot shelf and they were fine and still are, with a span of about 8.5 feet, but even then I felt it wise to have at least one middle post where I could. (3 foot span and 5 foot span) I would guess I have at least 600 to 800 pounds on that shelf with no twist or bending. Wood can be weird!
I learned this one the hard way for sure. I made a really nice base for a project, glued it on and screwed it in, only to find it the next day to have pulled the main unit apart (it ripped other screws out it was so strong).
The reason I got a new sawmill and started sawing my own lumber for my wood shop is because the last time I bought lumber from the big box store for a project, the wood was all warped and useless by the time I got it home. It was sunny and warm out and the wood was in the back of a pickup truck. I mill my own lumber now and treat it right. Wood from the big box stores is almost always quite wet and has to be stacked with pressure on it till it dries.
Great video, very informative but I have a question. Once the timber is perfectly acclimatised to your own environment and you then spend a week crafting a beautiful piece of bespoke furniture for client who lives in an area which has a different climate. What would happen to that beautiful piece of furniture once it arrives in that new location with a very different climate? Surely due to differences in moisture the timber would either shrink or expand again thus ruining the piece. Please clarify. Thanks
Short answer - yes. Longer answer is, if you are going to make something for use in a very different climate, you need to get your timber (and ideally your shop) to similar conditions as where the furniture will reside.
One thing I do that wasn't mentioned, is to really assess whether you need all those off cuts. I got so tired of all the spare wood I burned it all a few years back, and since then I really haven't ever thought to myself "gee I wish I had a 3 inch piece of walnut". If the scraps don't meet certain minimum dimensions, it goes in the burn pile.
You didn't mention one thing I noticed you do that I have just started doing. When helpful label the end of the board. I am blessed with 10' basement ceilings so even though I am 6'5", the boards I have stored on higher fully shelved units might be hard to see when it comes to length and sometimes species. I have started labeling the end with the length and, if helpful, species. That way I don't have to keep pulling things out to see how long they are. If I cut a piece off I just remeasure and relabel the leftover. It also works great for other stuff, especially piping. You can easily store multiple smaller diameter pipes within larger ones and find the length you need without pulling a bunch out. I like storing things up high, it keeps my wife from thinking I have stuff all over the place
Hi! Love your videos and your t-shirts (wear the colors, brother!!)! Question: I have had occasions where I needed to buy some bulk deck boards that were, unfortunately, still wet with the rot-resistant treatment fluids. I knew that I the outer boards would dry on the exposed side quickly and warp, so I strapped them together with ratcheting tie-downs - not tight, but enough to keep them from major warping. It may have slowed down their drying overall, but it kept them straight and flat for the 1-2 weeks that I needed to store them before installation. Smart? Foolish? Better options? Keep up the great work and great videos!
I run a small wood business. When I started, I had no ideal how much sheet metal and ratchet straps I would have to accumulate to store my wood. Good rule is a support every 12 inches for hardwoods under them. I ratchet strap every pile I have now and check them especially while still drying to keep them tight. Every pile gets covered by sheet metal because tarps do not last at all. If anything they are good to protect the sides of your stack. As far as storing lumber vertical, I never do. It has to be dry, in a controlled environment or very dry one and can not move around at all or you will have bad results. Some may be OK with this method but because I normally have lumber that is still drying or recently out of the kiln, I never store it this way. Once you get into the thousands of board feet laying around, storing vertically becomes a challenge lol. Biggest thing is to keep the climate maintained. Doesnt matter if the wood is 150 years old and never seen sunlight, if moisture is around it will move even being so old. Thats the biggest misconception i hear from my customers. They think older wood won't be affected by movement but it does.
I live in Coastal Georgia, and high humidity is a year-round thing. Lol I use part of my garage for woodworking and the other part is storage of sorts. I have a nice dehumidifier that's luckily vent free that's on the woodworking side of my garage. Unfortunately I have to set reminders on my phone to remind me to check it on a regular basis because especially during the summer, it can get pretty humid in there. Lol
New subscriber. The episode title drew my attention, but your t-shirt got my subscription! 🙏🏻 I do have to store much of my longer pieces outside (my wife wasn’t willing to give up her half of the garage in the New Hampshire winters), so I can attest to up off the ground, covered well with tarps if not under cover in a pole barn or such, and stickered close together. I’ll try to cut my pieces when I bring them in and then let them acclimate before a build. It just requires less space that way. Time wise it’s equal. Good video. Especially sense I hear that little rodent is callin for 6 more weeks of winter!😖 I ain’t ever gonna get the wife’s half back at this rate!
There are some woods that are more sensitive to acclimation than others. For instance, Monkey Pod really dislikes large temp swings. it will warp and twist, etc. However, if you work in a climate controlled environment and the project will live in a similarly controlled climate ... and you spline the joints (45 degrees in my case) ... it will help a great deal. KNOW your wood. The other issue is how it was dried and how fast. Naturally dried wood that will be used in the same environment as the project (say, maple seasoned in the same general area as it will be worked and used). This will likely do very well with some thought as to expansion/contraction. Harsher environments in which it was cured? Letting the wood sit and acclimate for a few weeks to years may be in order just to let it breathe and do what it's going to do. Also, kiln-dried wood has a tendency to be wetter in the middle, which will cause a good deal of wracking in any direction ... twists, cups ... Just be sure you know how the wood was dried before purchase. I like the idea of a dehumidifier, but where will the piece end up? Good for shop work, but not necessarily for the environment in which it will eventually live. GREAT info about sunlight. I noted that you have purple heart. Okay, so ALL colored woods will turn some shade of brown eventually because the sun oxidases the oils in the wood, which turns everything brown. This will always happen eventually, even if you account for UV by coating with a UV or Marine (preferred) varnish. The trick to using colored wood (purple heart, tiger wood, pink ivory, bloodwood, etc) is keeping it out of the light. So, to preserve the wood color, coat in a UV resistant finish, and then keep it out of direct sunlight. In a few years to 50 years (depending on where it's kept), you'll have to sand and refinish, but that's always going to be the case with any exotic, highly colored wood. I never, ever, store wood (even ply) vertically. Yes, it saves space, but it won't keep it flat over time. It will always deform. The only thing I've never seen deform when stored vertically? Melamine. Honestly, if wood is going to bow, twist, or especially, split, it's going to anyway. Just let it sit for a few weeks to a few months and it will tell you what it will do. Then, don't trash, but compensate. The most important thing you can learn is to let the wood tell you what it's going to do, and then listen. Accommodate for what it's telling you it wants to be, choose projects it's good for, and let the wood be what it will be.
Great advice, thanks. Now for the big challenge, wet pressure treated lumber. How do you keep it from twisting/bowing/cupping as it dries. I’ve had several fence jobs turn bad only a few months after install.
Awesome information! Love it. Haven’t unpacked yet and still have a ton of tools at my mom’s house. Been remodeling her house for years so she can keep warm. Just got a house that has a 2 car metal garage. Can’t wait to bring the toys home and get it set up. Still got all my moving boxes there from early last year. Thanks. New subscriber. Just happened upon you. 👍
Thank you, I buy from wtghardwoods.com but shipping can be pricey. But, I always get top quality boards from him. You can also look at Woodcraft.com Woodpeck.com and Rockler.com as they all sell hardwood too.
I throw in my two cents on my VERY long term experience with dehumidifiers. I have been through probably 10 and over pretty much the whole price range $150 to $1800. The bottom line seems to be they are all basically mechanically the same (compressor, condenser, limit switches) with each company throwing on their electronics package. So don't think because you spend more you get the same multiple increase in quality as you pay in price. I won't go into my experience with the big Sante Fe unit I had but suffice to say that for the cost and aggravation you are better off using the money to buy 4 or 5 cheaper units over the same time. Sure it had a warranty...for parts mainly..and it weighed 165 lbs. So even if you can get it back to the factory for free it is a big hassle. Take it local and your bill would pay for 2-3 cheaper units. Nobody, not even the "upscale" producers seem to put charging ports to add refrigerant. They are all pinched off copper tubes only. Aggressive DIY doable? Yes. Anywhere worth the time and aggravation? IMHO no..not if you ascribe to the paragraph below. If you are using it in a basement (cooler area) make sure the operating temp goes down to what it will be used in. The plan finally settled on is: Buy a well-rated unit from Amazon and .....even though I never think it is a good idea anywhere else....buy the 4 year extended warranty through Amazon. If it makes it 4 years past the warranty and you paid $250 to $350 for the unit and $50 for the warranty consider it the cost of not having to deal with wood changing shape and tools rusting. And who knows, maybe you get lucky and you get one made by angels and Santa's elves that will last more than 5 years. If it doesn't make it 4 years, all you have to do is follow the simple procedure for the warranty claim and Asurion credits your amazon account and you move on to the next unit. Yout cost is just the difference in cost in the units and the warranty. No finding repair people, no sending it anywhere, no hassles. Except finding a place to drop off the old one. And, as mentioned, these things are chatGPT. If you are handy there is a chance that you might be able to do a simple cleaning of a sensor or other simple fix (check RUclips) and end up with a working unit as a backup to the replacement you just got. Just don't make my mistake and try that before you submit the warranty claim as you will probably need pics of the error code on the unit's display. I cleaned some sensors and had to wait a while for it to implode and show the error code again. If I can save anyone the time and aggravation I have gone through it is worth it. Maybe some one will buy me a beer someday:) And we will all have more time to make stuff
Great content man. Just want to correct something you said: "Moisture is heavier than air"; actually 'moist air is lighter than dry air' because hotter air is more boyant than cold air; and hot air can hold much more moisture than cold air; so the moistest air is typically found near the ridge of your roof or attic, not your slab. That being said the slab is typically way too moist to leave wood on top of it because of the subsurface moist conditions of that slab even if 6mil poly was laid down prior to slab conc placement.
So living in the UK we suffer from swings in humidity and lots of cold damp weather. Most kiln dried timber shipped from the states is at about 12% and wrapped in vacuum packed polythene…..as soon as you open it to the environment it starts absorbing moisture from the air and it moves….I have seen American Poplar and American Cherry bend like a banana. There is only one option. Patience. Let the wood sit. For a long time. You need a stock of timber. And big enough pieces to accommodate machining out the twist, warp, cup and bow. I have a pile of English Oak in my loft ready for a project. But before machining it I will let it sit in the downstairs cloakroom for a few months before I use it so the moisture content of the wood matches the environment it will be used in. In my opinion all a dehumidifier will do is dry out the wood…..if a piece of furniture is made and moved to a house that doesn’t have a dehumidifier then that wood will take on moisture and swell….and potentially move…..I have hung kitchen cabinet hardwood doors and had to revisit customers to fix warped doors because of the humidity in a kitchen. All part of the job unfortunately.
I do bush crafting woodwork so I don't get to choose my environment too much and the stuff I make always gets wet eventually, even though this is generally not a very humid area. I just choose to use pieces of wood for things based on their character to bend and split. If the piece is too hard to work with, I can always use it for firewood. Many times, though, the natural bend of the wood itself gives me an idea of a way I could use it and I enjoy that aspect. I definitely don't enjoy it when the wood splits after I've made something though but that's life. Even if I have to make it again, maybe I'll make a better version the next time.
"Moisture is heavier than air, so a lot of times, it's going to fall and settle on your concrete..." No. Look up "hygric buoyancy" --- humid air rises. That being said, unsealed concrete WILL absorb water like a sponge from the ground. It'll even absorb moisture from the air, but most of it will be from the concrete-dirt interface.
I remember my first project was a nice table and benches that I built of Douglas fur from Homedepot. It must have been fresh wood because a month latter my table was a warped twisted Pringle chip.
I very rarely watch RUclips or use ANY social media whatsoever. I dont even know how to use Facebook! When I do watch videos, I generally watch what I'm looking for and then stop. Your videos have become my go-to and you've literally became my first AND ONLY person I subscribed to! After watching your vidoes randomly over the past year, I knew i needed to see your new vidoes when they post. Highly appreciate the great info!
Please don't think less of me because at this point, my shop is the back patio as well as, all my wood storage is currently outside as well. I'm mostly concentrating on making small craft the items, knik knacks, wall art, only just getting started. I use pallets/crate wood from the heavy duty body repair facility I work at. Today, I built 2 assembly/work tables out of free crate wood from work. They're not ideal, but they're perfect for where I am right now. Tomorrow, I'm going to make a version of that entryway shoe bench rack that you started out with. It's gonna be 4 2"×4"s wide cause I don't currently have enough 2"×6" material to build it exactly as you did. Again, my spin on a great idea. I may add some vertical supports with a top shelf on top, a coat-rack underneath the shelf and a mail basket on the side.😅😎. It's what the wife wants. I'll try to send you the a picture after it's painted and stained.
Absolutely would never think less of you for that! That's amazing that you are building great projects on your patio. You're using what you've got! Keep at it!
I have a dehumidifier similar to yours in size in my basement. Mine is black. Works good. Just have to check it once every five days making sure it's OK and clean the filter.
Matt 20 years ago due to the staggering prices of lumber especially hardwoods I opted to buy my own band saw mill more importantly I can control the cut like rift or quarter sawn for maximum stability (something you should address), of course milling your own lumber is another topic all in itself but its a complete circle and ultimate gratification when my projects are complete from my own lumber.
Well, I don’t have a shop, yet, so I’m working off my deck where I’ve set everything up, I have my wood laid out and separated with wedges off the deck, so I really have zero choice at the moment, I do have some tarps wrapped around the railing to prevent rain and direct sunlight from coming in.
When those pieces are supported on Bora wood rack or any two point support, it is ideal to put supports at 20 percent from end of board. This means deflection at centre of 60 percent board length will equal deflection at end of cantilevered 20 percent of board.
I stored some 2X6 and 2X4's in my garage on hot summer for just a few days , they really bent and twisted and basically the movement was so bad that they moved out of the garage and could never find them again -Greetings from Lexington KY
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You said in the beginning of the video you have your hard wood shipped since you have a lack of local sources. Im in the same boat was curious how you get your hardwood then
@@jacobnichols7762 links in the pinned comment to the suppliers I buy from. I use a lot of 4/4 walnut, 8 inches wide and 4 feet long is the size I ask for most of the time.
Thanks! Just cruised their website and its awesome how they have photos of pieces you can buy. That was my worry about ordering online is not getting what you were hoping for
Us poor folks use a bucket of rock salt, a fan and a bucket to catch the water when the salt is saturated. It's not ideal, but damn it works! Just make sure the fan can blow through that sale, sucks the water right out of the air. Desiccants would work (wood work?) , not sure how much they cost though.
@@731Woodworks hello I have kiln dried red oak that's about 6 inches wide by 10 feet long. If I put them in the attic of a not so wall sealed or temperature controlled garage, will I have any issues storing it up there in the winter time? And is there anything I can add to keep it from warping or bowing? The floor up there seems pretty flat
I know I'm not the greatest woodworker around and have an awful long way to go, but I tell you what, when it comes to sitting around and doing nothing while the wood acclimates, I'm the best you'll ever see.
😂😂😂
Everyone is good at something. Don't let anyone tell you different
Man, do I resemble that remark!
Ha ha keep up the good work.👍
Know thyself…lol.
I liked that you mentioned a dehumidifier. Once I was at my local lumber yard and noticed an odd unit if utility 1 X 4 Douglas fir that was of exceptional quality (all heart, vertical grain with very few knots) and less than 15% of the cost of clear heart, VG, kiln dried. My wife and I both LOVE Douglas fir. I picked out a lot of it. Put it in a room, stacked it with stickers, bound it with straps and turned on the dehumidifier for several weeks. The result was fantastic. We trimmed our guest cabin with it and it looked fantastic. It cost us less than $300 to trim a cabin with wood that would have otherwise cost almost $2,000. Thanks for the video Matt !!!
I recently purchased redwood 2x4's and clamped them together to prevent warping as they dried. It worked and were good to go when I was ready for the project.
Somebody share this video with Home Depot and their suppliers. They need it desperately.
Someone once said to me that if I ever find straight wood at HD it will be bow before I make it to the checkout lol
Youd try to find someone to give it to and no one would be around to help you.
I bought 3 bumper dragging loads of 16' pressure treated 2 bys "cull lumber" from Home Depot for a cabin I was building, about $100 a truck load. Seriously twisted up junk. I stacked them all in a block of sorts and ratchet strapped them tightly together and left them in the woods for acouple of months uncovered. They all straightend out perfectly.
Really good advice I have a mill just under a mile away (I know what a blessing) and the fella who runs it has become one of my best friends. when wood a couple of years ago was skyrocketing he was selling me 1 1/4 " by 12" by 14" pine and poplar for $ 10.00 a plank and has been doing the same up to today I remolded our ranch home with all wood walls and floors and it turned out great I made wood hangers in my garage I have a 12 ft slab to joist so plenty of room for the 250 planks to dry out in. After serving in the Army in the 70's I started a small flat work concrete company and a small drywall one as well after 30 years of hanging drywall and pouring concrete I worked in a mine for a few years done a lot of trades but this retirement is by far the hardest work I've ever done but it's also the most fun I've had here deep in the mountains of TN/NC my wife and I are having a blast I put in a 3000 sq ft raised bed garden for her and we have 40 egg layers neighbors are far and few but great folks. we just celebrated our 40th and this old Christian is enjoying every day I refuse to retire when working on our little ranch is so much fun. Blessings :)
I totally agree with the dehumidifier. I have had one in my shop for several years. It was initially there for MY comfort, but I soon noticed that the wood was acting nicer as well. Of course in the winter I am running a small humidifier instead, again for MY comfort. (I am up in central Maryland, so the air does get cold and dry.) At the start of the day the humidity may be as low as 20%, but even after running all day it only goes up to 30% so I'm not too worried about that.
Here in South Jersey same weather, we are only 3 hours away but question about humidifier. I do need to up humidity from 20% also, running humidifier won’t rust table tops? I’m getting a lot of warping with construction lumber. Even after doing everything in video other then something weighing it down.
Thanks for the video! Storing beams and planks directly on the concrete floor was exactly the mistake I was doing so far! No splits and cracks but slight twisting.
Very true.
I made a desk for my son, I bought the lumber about a year before I even decided to build him the desk. The lumber was from Home Depot, when I used it the pine 2X10s were so dry and light weight. Much easier to work with. I know that 1 year is a very long time but letting it dry does make a big difference. I think you see more of the twisting and bowing on projects that call for longer lengths. I build a dinning bench for a buddy that was 8 feet long and the top twisted within a week… I used the lumber right away after I bought it….
Lesson learned
Great tips, especially for a beginner like myself. I have been accumulating pallet wood and needed some place to put it all. So, I used some of the wood and long, narrow pallets to knock together a couple of racks. It all works and only cost me buying screws for it. I know the south is humid, but here in the Pacific Nortwest, I've got an actual Rain Forest just a short drive up the coast, so good info to have!
Excellent topic ol boy. As a new woodworker I had an oak nightstand with Brazilian cherry top split after 3 months...both of them. Wood movement is a huge factor and one not discussed enough, not even close imo. One technique I've used with success is clamping boards together.
I have the exact same dehumidifier. Been watching your channel for a while now and it is by far my favorite wood working channel without question. My wife is dragging me into her new Etsy shop so I've had to learn a lot, very quickly to get things done.
When I buy construction lumber, not only do I stack it off the ground supported as you suggest. But I stack it tightly together and wrap it every 4 feet or so with ratchet straps.
It takes longer to dry/acclimate, but all the warping forces cancel out and my lumber stays arrow straight. This works especially well with that dripping wet treated lumber.
I had thought of doing this if I needed to. I would add though instead of just putting stickers or fillets (the spacer boards) on the horizontal I would put them vertically too so all edges have air flow and it will dry out quicker
Over the years I’ve seen all kinds of storage. I worked in a production shop for a long time, where we ran thousands of feet of poplar. That stuff came in, and went right into flat unstickered piles in the cutoff room. We never even checked moisture. Rarely had a problem with movement.
These days I’m in a small craft shop with varied storage. Some vertical, some flat on Bora racks. I have to say, the vertical is my least favorite. It’s fine for very short term storage. But long term, the lack of gravity so to speak, allows the wood to move more.
Great video! I always enjoy your content.
Great information! I typically store my wood elevated off the floor, not subject to sunlight. I normally am building with it right away, but I'm also only a few miles away from the lumber store. Once I finally build a storage rack, I will probably "stock up" on certain types, and let them sit for weeks until I figure out what I'm going to build with it.
Knowledgeable, interesting, easy to understand and easy to follow. You're not afraid to let your light shine and I love that about you. I noticed your shirt before I ever opened up one of your "extra bonuses". Thank you.
I use those exact wood storage racks. Personally I think anything you can store “overhead” you should. It not only protects your wood, but it really clears up space in the shop as well👍🏼
I wish my garage had over head 😂.. single garage low asf roof and half the Mrs friends and families crap stored in there I have portable benches and the few things I've started building are outside in the driveway with wood I bought that day cause if I don't use it that day it's in the way
Another great video, thanks. I appreciate your comment about the A frame for wood storage since I plan to do that as well. I have some lumer from a tree that had to be taken down from our property that I plan to store on racks like you have used - they are long so probably will need 4 racks instead of just 2. Appreciate your response to my question, nice to know people read these comments.
Thank you. These tips make a lot of sense. I appreciate it when you share your experience. The biggest takeaway that I had never really thought about was buying well in advance. I will now think about what I want to buy for use later this year. Thanks again.
Here's a tip for you:
If you accidentally get an unwanted hammer mark in your wood, as long as it doesn't break or splinter, you can use a damp cloth with an iron to pull out the mark 😉
I have heard that multiple time but it’s been a long time. Thank you for thr tip that I’ll make sure to implement!
Does it work for end grain as well?
I've tried this, didn't work for me.
You know those hammers with a ball on the other side instead of a claw? Wet the dent and tap it with that ball. The dent comes out. I’ve never known it not to work
I’m an novice, but a little tip I picked up to help prevent wood from shape-shifting is to always try and do the same thing on both sides on it; don’t just plane one side, or seal one side, etc.
Learning all time. Every day is a school day
I live in a desert, and it is code for any wood (2x4's mostly) that touches the concrete slab (especially in a basement) to be treated. Even here where humidity is in single digits, moisture from concrete is still an issue. Definitely get the wood up off the ground. Great suggestion!
You may have already thought of this but I bought two bora racks and put them side by side so there would be more areas supporting my lumber to help prevent bowing. I love all of your videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I love my bora's!
I was thinking of getting the Triton wood rack which seems to similar to the Bora one mentioned.
Very nice video. Entertaining and informative. “Stickering” the wood is paramount. It is especially important with treated lumber which has a much higher moisture content and is not cut as closely to dimension as white wood. Anybody building an outdoor project should buy their wood as far in advance as possible as most treated lumber (except at Lowe’s and Home Depot) is stored outside at the lumber yard. Take it home. Sticker it and let it dry completely. I will be adding to my deck this summer and my treated lumber is now in my barn drying out.
I want to put a clamp bar into the wall, but I smiled when I saw your husky shelves. I was lucky enough to have those for a long time before I figured they were perfect for stacking wood. I put rectangles of lauan behind each shelf with zip ties so stuff can't get knocked and fall behind it.
I also eventually figured out that those shelf supports make a good enough clamp rack for now. Just had the light bulb go off 2 or 3 days ago haha
Thanks for the info, enjoy your channel. I'm following most of these tips but it's tough in a 1 car garage space --especially when you need to move a car into the space (I always stress when I park my rain covered Jeep next to my expensive hardwood lumber). I'm totally for waiting days, if not weeks, for material to acclimate and dry out. I'm on Cape Cod and humidity wreaks havoc here in the summer. Board cupping is something I deal with all the time.
Great video. I got some wood I need to move around. I was getting stewed about all the warping and twisting. Now I know why!
When I was cleaning out my grandfather's garage I found this perfect piece of 2x4 pine
It has to be the straightest piece of wood I've ever seen (at least compared to home Depot) especially for 200lbs of scrap wood sitting on it
I have zero experience in wood working but want to get into it. I’m a carpenter and love building things. These videos specially this one is very informational. Thank you
Thank you, glad it helps!
My problem is that my local Home Depot and Lowe’s is so careless with their products that I can’t seem to buy any pieces of wood that aren’t already bent and twisted. It’s really frustrating how badly they care for their lumber. Also, gone are the days of actual local lumber yards. I used to work for one when I was a kid. They’re all gone now. The big box stores put them all out of business. 😢
Yes, and the Big box stores buy wood from Canada, New Zealand in bulk, nothing locally sourced these days.
American lumbers to expensive due to labor fixed costs. Plus with foreign suppliers, their moneys cheaper and so it’s more profitable for the US lumber retailers to source them from outside country.
The shipping of that wood in containers is what causes so much warpage. It sucks cause the lumber sits in those containers soaking in sea air. Once the containers opened, the wood starts drying and warping.
This very much depends on where you are. Here in the Hudson Valley region there are several excellent hardwood suppliers. My favorite is very near our local Homie’s Depot. The BigBox stores definitely changed the market, but not always for the worse.
You have to be wealthy to have nice, straight boards. Or risk your life using a terrifying jointer with it's enormous spinning blades of death. I can't believe in 2023, there hasn't been a machine made that can actually straighten a board. We can make a cell phone, but we can't improve the jointer that was developed in the 1880's?
The large corporations pre-buy and buy in bulk; it's a commodity market with a whole bunch of speculation involved. Lumber usually runs at a low margin or at a loss - it's primarily offered in order to get contractors and DIYers in the door to buy high profit items.
They don't care about quality, because they're all run by boards of executives with MBAs, not experienced tradespeople.
I'm about an hour outside of Toronto but it does get really humid here in the summer months. I built an insulated lumber shed with a de-humidifier and it's been great. I can get freshly cut maple slabs that have not been dried out for cheap, keep them flat in my shed for a year or so and then work them and get hardly any warping.
Great video. I found your channel this morning and I’m a builder/contractor & wood enthusiast
Appreciate the tips! Picking up the hobby and the tips you and others share are invaluable!
The last 3 years, I've been doing several projects with treated, or ground ready lumber. I have impeccable timing, and seen to always order my product, right after a truck has delivered it to the lumberyard. I often get treated lumber that is practically dripping wet. I tried storing a small amount, in a small area with a dehumidifier. The rest I set up on my driveway, with stickers as needed. As long as I cover the lumber on the driveway, when it's going to rain, the sun helps immensely, in the time it takes to dry. The wettest of it has dried in as little as 45 days. The pieces that I've put in the enclosed area, with the dehumidifier, have taken up to 8 months to dry. I'm not good enough, nor do I have the room, to take possession of my lumber, a year ahead of the project start date. I live in Iowa, 8 months is the whole outside working season for me. I don't have the room, yet, to order in the Fall, for projects the next Summer.
OTher saying be careful with treated stuff, the chemicals used off gas for months to years even after fully dry, sounds about right. only thing to watch with solar drying is it does not dry down to fast to avoid checking.
You also have to really be careful about dust control when cutting treated lumber, couple of coworkers have serious lung problems from it.
I don't use treated lumber for furniture projects. But I def use it for outdoor projects. What works best for me is finding the lightest dry out wood that is straight. Cuts down on the waiting time for paint or stain
Great Information; thanks so much! Nice shop! I LOVE your t-shirt. ❤
Almost forgot! I HATE notifications so I either disable them or silence the ones I want but don't want to be bothered with spam noises throughout the day. You're my only Sub and I definitely left the notifications on!
I am a single mom of a 15 year some who has started woodworking as a hobby/business. Thank you so much for your great example as a Christian man and the great tips for woodworking. I have been binging your videos to help him out. 😅
Be careful using a tarp outside. Water may get inside the tarp and actually accelerate rot if left for an extended time. I wasn't paying attention like I should and lost some good wood that way. Thumbs up.
Thank you I'm wanting to get into woodworking and I could use all the advice I can get
Lucky to have a very good family owned lumber yard in our area in Pennsylvania, that actually treats customers a ok ,
I live in southern New England and had a guitar shipped from MD and I had to leave in box for 2 weeks to acclimate, it was like torture waiting! I have basement shop and fight wood movement year around. Thanks for tips!
Thanks! I didn't think about any of this before!
I picked up a set of the wall wood rack system. Great suggestion and right now, they’re down 43% at just under 40 bucks! That’s a steal!! I have prime so shipping is free. Can’t speak to price with shipping. 🤷🏻♂️
Thanks, for the video, bro. So helpful for beginners like myself; god bless.
Great info. Some things I've learned on my own, but some are new, any explanations help understand better. Great video, especially for someone new who hasn't had to experience the growing pains.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve got some wood in my garage that’s been acclimating for a few years now. Someday I’ll get around to building those shelves! 🤪 nice video! Appreciate the tips
Thanks for the tips!
Nice video. The way they all should be done !!
Just an fyi, if you HAVE to store wood with only two racks, make sure the racks are 1/4 in from each end of a board. This will balance out the load and reduce bowing. For example, for 8' lumber place your racks 2' (1/4 of 8') in from each end. Each rack will then support 2' on each side.
Since the internet is forever it might be best to edit your comment to say a 1/4 of the way in from each side. Until I read your example I seriously thought you ment a 1/4 inch in. thanks for the sound advice!
You are absolutely correct about staying off concrete floors but something you would not expect is that at any fixed temperature the higher humidity air is lighter than the lower humidity air. But because the moisture in your space is relatively constant the humidity near the floor will be the same as at the ceiling and there will not be any buoyancy effect.
It's a good idea to seal the end grain of timber if it's to be stored for long periods, as moisture loss from the end grain causes splits along the grain. Thanks for a great vid :)
But how can you know that it doesn't do it when it's cut and assembled to furniture? I'm seriously curious.
Your dedication to your audience is commendable. Keep inspiring others!
I've always stored my sheet good flush against a wall and use 2 sash weights hanging by a cord fastened to the wall above my plywood (you could use anything weighing a few pounds). No worries of any bowing, even if they're there a long time and the weights insure no tipping over.
Actual helpful information. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Hola! 🖐Really good info, thanks for sharing. Take care and have a good one, Adios!👊
I bought 6 2X4x10 a few months back for a train table project. I did the wood cutting on my porch, and after I had the right fit that wood was put in my house at the spot where it was to be screwed in place. Started around 8:30 AM and finished up around 2 PM. By the time I was about to screw this all together in my house, almost all of the long 2X4's had a twist in them. I did the best I could despite the twist. The problem is not so visible and it is built but they are not as strong as I hoped. The table part is about 3.5 feet by 9.5 feet with 5 of these as the main cross supports. I was hoping to avoid having to have a center support for the 9.5 span but almost right away I had to have a temporary one if I was going to put any kind of weight on it. Yet with older 2X4X8 I had almost no problem with strength or twisting in the past years using only 2 for the 8 foot span. About 6 years before I bought 4 of the 2X4X10's from the same local hardware store for a 2 foot by 10 foot shelf and they were fine and still are, with a span of about 8.5 feet, but even then I felt it wise to have at least one middle post where I could. (3 foot span and 5 foot span) I would guess I have at least 600 to 800 pounds on that shelf with no twist or bending. Wood can be weird!
I learned this one the hard way for sure. I made a really nice base for a project, glued it on and screwed it in, only to find it the next day to have pulled the main unit apart (it ripped other screws out it was so strong).
Hey thanks for posting this. It helped me.
your sharing is very good
The reason I got a new sawmill and started sawing my own lumber for my wood shop is because the last time I bought lumber from the big box store for a project, the wood was all warped and useless by the time I got it home. It was sunny and warm out and the wood was in the back of a pickup truck.
I mill my own lumber now and treat it right.
Wood from the big box stores is almost always quite wet and has to be stacked with pressure on it till it dries.
Great video, very informative but I have a question. Once the timber is perfectly acclimatised to your own environment and you then spend a week crafting a beautiful piece of bespoke furniture for client who lives in an area which has a different climate. What would happen to that beautiful piece of furniture once it arrives in that new location with a very different climate? Surely due to differences in moisture the timber would either shrink or expand again thus ruining the piece. Please clarify. Thanks
Short answer - yes. Longer answer is, if you are going to make something for use in a very different climate, you need to get your timber (and ideally your shop) to similar conditions as where the furniture will reside.
One thing I do that wasn't mentioned, is to really assess whether you need all those off cuts. I got so tired of all the spare wood I burned it all a few years back, and since then I really haven't ever thought to myself "gee I wish I had a 3 inch piece of walnut". If the scraps don't meet certain minimum dimensions, it goes in the burn pile.
You didn't mention one thing I noticed you do that I have just started doing. When helpful label the end of the board. I am blessed with 10' basement ceilings so even though I am 6'5", the boards I have stored on higher fully shelved units might be hard to see when it comes to length and sometimes species. I have started labeling the end with the length and, if helpful, species. That way I don't have to keep pulling things out to see how long they are. If I cut a piece off I just remeasure and relabel the leftover. It also works great for other stuff, especially piping. You can easily store multiple smaller diameter pipes within larger ones and find the length you need without pulling a bunch out. I like storing things up high, it keeps my wife from thinking I have stuff all over the place
Yo! Nice t-shirt bro.
Hi! Love your videos and your t-shirts (wear the colors, brother!!)! Question: I have had occasions where I needed to buy some bulk deck boards that were, unfortunately, still wet with the rot-resistant treatment fluids. I knew that I the outer boards would dry on the exposed side quickly and warp, so I strapped them together with ratcheting tie-downs - not tight, but enough to keep them from major warping. It may have slowed down their drying overall, but it kept them straight and flat for the 1-2 weeks that I needed to store them before installation. Smart? Foolish? Better options? Keep up the great work and great videos!
I run a small wood business. When I started, I had no ideal how much sheet metal and ratchet straps I would have to accumulate to store my wood. Good rule is a support every 12 inches for hardwoods under them. I ratchet strap every pile I have now and check them especially while still drying to keep them tight. Every pile gets covered by sheet metal because tarps do not last at all. If anything they are good to protect the sides of your stack. As far as storing lumber vertical, I never do. It has to be dry, in a controlled environment or very dry one and can not move around at all or you will have bad results. Some may be OK with this method but because I normally have lumber that is still drying or recently out of the kiln, I never store it this way. Once you get into the thousands of board feet laying around, storing vertically becomes a challenge lol. Biggest thing is to keep the climate maintained. Doesnt matter if the wood is 150 years old and never seen sunlight, if moisture is around it will move even being so old. Thats the biggest misconception i hear from my customers. They think older wood won't be affected by movement but it does.
I live in Coastal Georgia, and high humidity is a year-round thing. Lol I use part of my garage for woodworking and the other part is storage of sorts. I have a nice dehumidifier that's luckily vent free that's on the woodworking side of my garage. Unfortunately I have to set reminders on my phone to remind me to check it on a regular basis because especially during the summer, it can get pretty humid in there. Lol
New subscriber. The episode title drew my attention, but your t-shirt got my subscription! 🙏🏻
I do have to store much of my longer pieces outside (my wife wasn’t willing to give up her half of the garage in the New Hampshire winters), so I can attest to up off the ground, covered well with tarps if not under cover in a pole barn or such, and stickered close together.
I’ll try to cut my pieces when I bring them in and then let them acclimate before a build. It just requires less space that way. Time wise it’s equal.
Good video. Especially sense I hear that little rodent is callin for 6 more weeks of winter!😖
I ain’t ever gonna get the wife’s half back at this rate!
Nice work Matt! Very informative your videos are really great to watch thank you!🇺🇸
There are some woods that are more sensitive to acclimation than others. For instance, Monkey Pod really dislikes large temp swings. it will warp and twist, etc. However, if you work in a climate controlled environment and the project will live in a similarly controlled climate ... and you spline the joints (45 degrees in my case) ... it will help a great deal. KNOW your wood.
The other issue is how it was dried and how fast. Naturally dried wood that will be used in the same environment as the project (say, maple seasoned in the same general area as it will be worked and used). This will likely do very well with some thought as to expansion/contraction. Harsher environments in which it was cured? Letting the wood sit and acclimate for a few weeks to years may be in order just to let it breathe and do what it's going to do.
Also, kiln-dried wood has a tendency to be wetter in the middle, which will cause a good deal of wracking in any direction ... twists, cups ... Just be sure you know how the wood was dried before purchase.
I like the idea of a dehumidifier, but where will the piece end up? Good for shop work, but not necessarily for the environment in which it will eventually live.
GREAT info about sunlight. I noted that you have purple heart. Okay, so ALL colored woods will turn some shade of brown eventually because the sun oxidases the oils in the wood, which turns everything brown. This will always happen eventually, even if you account for UV by coating with a UV or Marine (preferred) varnish. The trick to using colored wood (purple heart, tiger wood, pink ivory, bloodwood, etc) is keeping it out of the light. So, to preserve the wood color, coat in a UV resistant finish, and then keep it out of direct sunlight. In a few years to 50 years (depending on where it's kept), you'll have to sand and refinish, but that's always going to be the case with any exotic, highly colored wood.
I never, ever, store wood (even ply) vertically. Yes, it saves space, but it won't keep it flat over time. It will always deform. The only thing I've never seen deform when stored vertically? Melamine.
Honestly, if wood is going to bow, twist, or especially, split, it's going to anyway. Just let it sit for a few weeks to a few months and it will tell you what it will do. Then, don't trash, but compensate.
The most important thing you can learn is to let the wood tell you what it's going to do, and then listen. Accommodate for what it's telling you it wants to be, choose projects it's good for, and let the wood be what it will be.
Great advice, thanks. Now for the big challenge, wet pressure treated lumber. How do you keep it from twisting/bowing/cupping as it dries. I’ve had several fence jobs turn bad only a few months after install.
Really informative video! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
oh boy just got my first batch of hardwood and it's been sitting on concrete for 3 days... time to fix that!
Awesome information! Love it. Haven’t unpacked yet and still have a ton of tools at my mom’s house. Been remodeling her house for years so she can keep warm. Just got a house that has a 2 car metal garage. Can’t wait to bring the toys home and get it set up. Still got all my moving boxes there from early last year. Thanks. New subscriber. Just happened upon you. 👍
Like your shirt. Amen!
Watch your channel and learn a lot from your reviews. Where do you buy your hardwood. I have a limited supply in my area of Maine.
Thank you, I buy from wtghardwoods.com but shipping can be pricey. But, I always get top quality boards from him. You can also look at Woodcraft.com Woodpeck.com and Rockler.com as they all sell hardwood too.
I throw in my two cents on my VERY long term experience with dehumidifiers. I have been through probably 10 and over pretty much the whole price range $150 to $1800. The bottom line seems to be they are all basically mechanically the same (compressor, condenser, limit switches) with each company throwing on their electronics package. So don't think because you spend more you get the same multiple increase in quality as you pay in price. I won't go into my experience with the big Sante Fe unit I had but suffice to say that for the cost and aggravation you are better off using the money to buy 4 or 5 cheaper units over the same time. Sure it had a warranty...for parts mainly..and it weighed 165 lbs. So even if you can get it back to the factory for free it is a big hassle. Take it local and your bill would pay for 2-3 cheaper units. Nobody, not even the "upscale" producers seem to put charging ports to add refrigerant. They are all pinched off copper tubes only. Aggressive DIY doable? Yes. Anywhere worth the time and aggravation? IMHO no..not if you ascribe to the paragraph below.
If you are using it in a basement (cooler area) make sure the operating temp goes down to what it will be used in.
The plan finally settled on is: Buy a well-rated unit from Amazon and .....even though I never think it is a good idea anywhere else....buy the 4 year extended warranty through Amazon. If it makes it 4 years past the warranty and you paid $250 to $350 for the unit and $50 for the warranty consider it the cost of not having to deal with wood changing shape and tools rusting. And who knows, maybe you get lucky and you get one made by angels and Santa's elves that will last more than 5 years. If it doesn't make it 4 years, all you have to do is follow the simple procedure for the warranty claim and Asurion credits your amazon account and you move on to the next unit. Yout cost is just the difference in cost in the units and the warranty. No finding repair people, no sending it anywhere, no hassles. Except finding a place to drop off the old one. And, as mentioned, these things are chatGPT. If you are handy there is a chance that you might be able to do a simple cleaning of a sensor or other simple fix (check RUclips) and end up with a working unit as a backup to the replacement you just got. Just don't make my mistake and try that before you submit the warranty claim as you will probably need pics of the error code on the unit's display. I cleaned some sensors and had to wait a while for it to implode and show the error code again.
If I can save anyone the time and aggravation I have gone through it is worth it. Maybe some one will buy me a beer someday:) And we will all have more time to make stuff
Great content man. Just want to correct something you said: "Moisture is heavier than air"; actually 'moist air is lighter than dry air' because hotter air is more boyant than cold air; and hot air can hold much more moisture than cold air; so the moistest air is typically found near the ridge of your roof or attic, not your slab. That being said the slab is typically way too moist to leave wood on top of it because of the subsurface moist conditions of that slab even if 6mil poly was laid down prior to slab conc placement.
So living in the UK we suffer from swings in humidity and lots of cold damp weather. Most kiln dried timber shipped from the states is at about 12% and wrapped in vacuum packed polythene…..as soon as you open it to the environment it starts absorbing moisture from the air and it moves….I have seen American Poplar and American Cherry bend like a banana. There is only one option. Patience. Let the wood sit. For a long time. You need a stock of timber. And big enough pieces to accommodate machining out the twist, warp, cup and bow. I have a pile of English Oak in my loft ready for a project. But before machining it I will let it sit in the downstairs cloakroom for a few months before I use it so the moisture content of the wood matches the environment it will be used in. In my opinion all a dehumidifier will do is dry out the wood…..if a piece of furniture is made and moved to a house that doesn’t have a dehumidifier then that wood will take on moisture and swell….and potentially move…..I have hung kitchen cabinet hardwood doors and had to revisit customers to fix warped doors because of the humidity in a kitchen. All part of the job unfortunately.
I do bush crafting woodwork so I don't get to choose my environment too much and the stuff I make always gets wet eventually, even though this is generally not a very humid area. I just choose to use pieces of wood for things based on their character to bend and split. If the piece is too hard to work with, I can always use it for firewood. Many times, though, the natural bend of the wood itself gives me an idea of a way I could use it and I enjoy that aspect. I definitely don't enjoy it when the wood splits after I've made something though but that's life. Even if I have to make it again, maybe I'll make a better version the next time.
"Moisture is heavier than air, so a lot of times, it's going to fall and settle on your concrete..."
No. Look up "hygric buoyancy" --- humid air rises. That being said, unsealed concrete WILL absorb water like a sponge from the ground. It'll even absorb moisture from the air, but most of it will be from the concrete-dirt interface.
Thank you for such amazing videos.
I wish I went to woodshop in highschool, I would've learned about this a long time ago!
Great job! Thank you very much! What type of vehicle was the blue thing when you opened the garage door?
I remember my first project was a nice table and benches that I built of Douglas fur from Homedepot. It must have been fresh wood because a month latter my table was a warped twisted Pringle chip.
Ryobi, the Win for product placement!,
Great video - thank you - how do you fix wrapped timber?
I very rarely watch RUclips or use ANY social media whatsoever. I dont even know how to use Facebook! When I do watch videos, I generally watch what I'm looking for and then stop. Your videos have become my go-to and you've literally became my first AND ONLY person I subscribed to! After watching your vidoes randomly over the past year, I knew i needed to see your new vidoes when they post. Highly appreciate the great info!
Wow Marc! Thank you!
Please don't think less of me because at this point, my shop is the back patio as well as, all my wood storage is currently outside as well. I'm mostly concentrating on making small craft the items, knik knacks, wall art, only just getting started. I use pallets/crate wood from the heavy duty body repair facility I work at. Today, I built 2 assembly/work tables out of free crate wood from work. They're not ideal, but they're perfect for where I am right now. Tomorrow, I'm going to make a version of that entryway shoe bench rack that you started out with. It's gonna be 4 2"×4"s wide cause I don't currently have enough 2"×6" material to build it exactly as you did. Again, my spin on a great idea. I may add some vertical supports with a top shelf on top, a coat-rack underneath the shelf and a mail basket on the side.😅😎. It's what the wife wants. I'll try to send you the a picture after it's painted and stained.
Absolutely would never think less of you for that! That's amazing that you are building great projects on your patio. You're using what you've got! Keep at it!
I have a dehumidifier similar to yours in size in my basement. Mine is black. Works good. Just have to check it once every five days making sure it's OK and clean the filter.
Matt 20 years ago due to the staggering prices of lumber especially hardwoods I opted to buy my own band saw mill more importantly I can control the cut like rift or quarter sawn for maximum stability (something you should address), of course milling your own lumber is another topic all in itself but its a complete circle and ultimate gratification when my projects are complete from my own lumber.
Well, I don’t have a shop, yet, so I’m working off my deck where I’ve set everything up, I have my wood laid out and separated with wedges off the deck, so I really have zero choice at the moment, I do have some tarps wrapped around the railing to prevent rain and direct sunlight from coming in.
When those pieces are supported on Bora wood rack or any two point support, it is ideal to put supports at 20 percent from end of board. This means deflection at centre of 60 percent board length will equal deflection at end of cantilevered 20 percent of board.
Fantastic video!! Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Awesome thanks! 👊
I stored some 2X6 and 2X4's in my garage on hot summer for just a few days , they really bent and twisted and basically the movement was so bad that they moved out of the garage and could never find them again -Greetings from Lexington KY
Good tips
Great information!