6 Drawer CD Chest

This project, like any of our projects, begins with a visit to our lumber stacks.  We maintain a supply of rough sawn lumber in a variety of species.  These species usually include, Red Oak, White Oak, Walnut, Cherry, Poplar, Silver Maple, and Hickory.  On occasion we'll get the chance to buy something special and that will be added to our offering once it's dry and until it's gone.

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A while before I'm ready to start construction I go to the lumber stack and pull out boards that are well suited to the project coming up.  A detailed discussion of what this entails would be beyond the scope of this little article; it is something learned through experience… we call it “reading the wood”.  When I have what I need I move these boards into the workshop to acclimate.  If short enough, we will stand the boards vertically.  if not they will be loosely stacked on the floor.

Acclimation is just a snazzy word for adjusting to the new environment.  The environment inside my workshop is different from that outside (thank God).  As the wood’s water content and temperature equalize with that inside my workshop it may want to change shape.  This time I allow it to do so.  While this process is on-going, I can chunk the boards up into over-sized pieces from which the parts will be made, but I must allow them to finish acclimating before milling them to finished size.  If it changes shape after we mill it into finished parts, the parts become expensive firewood.

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