How to Cure Guitar Wood
Purchasing kiln-dried wood is the quickest method of acquiring guitar wood, but air-drying will yield better tone woods for guitar-building. You'll also avoid price mark-up if you buy green lumber or partially dried lumber and dry it yourself. That could help increase the profitability of the guitars you build.
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Instructions
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Locate a dry location in your attic to store the green lumber while it is drying. This location should remain relatively dry with lower humidity. It should be seasonally warm and relatively undisturbed. Some people store their wood under a bed or in a closet. The main consideration should be humidity and air flow.
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Sort the wood by thickness and length before stacking it. This will allow for equal weight distribution which will help reduce warping and twisting. According to the College of Agriculture, the lumber should be stacked using stickers (toothpicks) between each layer to allow for air flow. Use one toothpick for every six inches to allow for stability and even spacing which will enhance air flow.
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Wood dries from the surface, so use a box fan to aid in the flow of air across the surface of the wood. Set the box fan to a low setting to aid in the drying process. Avoid higher settings to prevent the wood from drying too fast. This could cause cracking, warping and twisting.
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Measure the moisture in the wood using an electronic moisture meter on a regular basis until the wood reaches a moisture content of 12 percent.
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Tips & Warnings
Many people seal the ends of their wood in anchor seal to avoid the ends splitting during the drying process.
If you have small children or pets, avoid stacking green wood too high, as it can be knocked over, causing injury.
