flemsmith wrote:
Just bought a 3/4" plank of very pretty Bolivian Rosewood (?!) on a whim, thinking I'd resaw it on my newly acquired Inca bandsaw to use for sides on a future build after I let it dry out in the desert for at least a year. But it occurs to me that I should at least ask, am I better off letting it dry as is first and then try to resaw or stack up the resawn slices for drying? It came to me from Oregon, and I do my building in the desert, so I typically let materials dry at least that long before I start another build. Thanks for any opinions. Roy
I doubt your billet is so wet it will really matter one way or another. However, it's been my experience that cutting green hardwood billets into guitar backs and sides and properly stickering them to stop warping is the best method. A 3/4 inch hardwood green billet will airdry about as much as possible in a little less than a year. The general rule of thumb is 1 year per inch to air dry, and the best you're likely to get in most climates is about 11-12% moisture content. Results may be better in the desert, but general timeframes will be similar. Obviously, dry time is substantially reduced when dealing with green wood cut to .150 or so. I'm usually dealing with 2-3" billets. Anything over 2 inches has a tendency to case harden and seal moisture in the center of the billet for much longer than the 1 year per inch rule of thumb (can happen with thick kiln dried wood too). But the main benefit I've found cutting backs/sides sooner rather than later is much less loss due to checking. Moisture can find its way out of the thinner pieces much more easily and uniformly than larger billets. Warping is easily managed by using proper stickers, weight on top, good air circulation, and rotating the stack as it dries.
None of this really matters if your billet was kiln dried before you received it. Cut it whenever you like.
-Aaron