Drying rough cut stock

[Sean Rainaldi]

Hi,

I just rough cut all my rails stiles and panels from some hard maple that has been in my shop for many months, the lumber was kiln dried. I had it stored on my lumber rack but they were not on stickers.

Do any of you folks let your rough cut stock sit for a week or two between stickers, and dry out a bit more, and "move", prior to dimensioning and gluing up, to reduce warping? Or is that overkill?

I'm wondering how this high humidity here in Michigan lately would affect the stock now that it’s rough cut.

Thanks for any input.

[Frank Drew]

Sean,

I don't think it's overkill to approach final dimensions in stages, taking a bit off both sides of the lumber over a few days. Also depends on the moisture levels of the wood and how humid your shop is.

[Curt Harms]

I made a few R.P. doors from air dried oak. It tested near EMC ~10% this time of year but had only been cut around 8 months. I jointed, planed, cut 'em to size then stickered and put some weight on the top. Let 'em sit a few days then glued up the panels, raised 'em and profiled the rest. A few months later and everything's straight. Unless you're in a hurry it seems like cheap and easy insurance to see if the parts are gonna behave before assembly.

[Ed Labadie]

Prep the stock & glue it up. The glue ups are probably going to warp on you anyway.....just flip them over every day and they will go back. Assemble them when they are flat and they'll be ok.
Rails and stiles, I don't do anything special. Defiantely don't want to weight them down. If they are going to warp or twist you will want to know so they can be scrapped.
Fighting a stressed piece of lumber will only result in something that needs to be redone.

Ed