Storage question?
- Thread starter KOINNKID
- Start date
This is a great question. The short & sweet answer; 20 to 40%
Here is the 'big picture'. Cue makers go to great lengths to acclimate and stabilize their woods to THEIR environment. We let them hang for years. Even though the wood may be kiln-dried before we get it, the wood needs to 'get used to' it's new home in our shops. Some of the exotics that we use are not kiln-dried and are coated in wax to assure that the wood doesn't dry too quickly and start 'checking'. Checking (surface cracks) is the result of the wood drying too quickly on the surface, faster than what it's drying at it's core. As wood drys, it can go through dimensional changes. It can twist, bow, shrink and build-up internal stress. If you've ever heard of a cue maker cutting his wood in stages over a lengthy period of time, it's in an effort to hasten the drying process and to eliminate the stresses that would be building in the wood if it were to just sit and dry over time.
I buy most all of my birdseye maple from the upper peninsula of Michigan, The Birdseye Capital of The World. I'm always amazed at the fact that the wood comes out of the kiln at 6 to 8% moisture yet by the time it reaches me, it can be up to 12 to 14%. Then, after sitting in my shop for a while, it can be up to 16 to 18%. What's happening is that the wood is reclaiming moisture. Wood will acclimate itself to it's environment. My shop is within 100 yds of a rather large lake so I expect this.
One thing that has always concerned me is, where that cue is going once it's built and sold. If the cue's new home is an environment that is considerably drier (or wetter) that the environment in which the cue was built, there is the risk that the cue will 'move'. Sometimes this movement can be temporary and sometimes it can be permanent. It's all up to the wood. Wood seems to have a mind of it's own and it's not always rational or logical. It's just the nature of the beast.
This was probably WAY more than you wanted to know but when I address a question, sometimes it's not enough to just give the answer. There are times when the reasoning as to WHY that's the answer can lead to a better understanding. I hope this helps. KJ
Here is the 'big picture'. Cue makers go to great lengths to acclimate and stabilize their woods to THEIR environment. We let them hang for years. Even though the wood may be kiln-dried before we get it, the wood needs to 'get used to' it's new home in our shops. Some of the exotics that we use are not kiln-dried and are coated in wax to assure that the wood doesn't dry too quickly and start 'checking'. Checking (surface cracks) is the result of the wood drying too quickly on the surface, faster than what it's drying at it's core. As wood drys, it can go through dimensional changes. It can twist, bow, shrink and build-up internal stress. If you've ever heard of a cue maker cutting his wood in stages over a lengthy period of time, it's in an effort to hasten the drying process and to eliminate the stresses that would be building in the wood if it were to just sit and dry over time.
I buy most all of my birdseye maple from the upper peninsula of Michigan, The Birdseye Capital of The World. I'm always amazed at the fact that the wood comes out of the kiln at 6 to 8% moisture yet by the time it reaches me, it can be up to 12 to 14%. Then, after sitting in my shop for a while, it can be up to 16 to 18%. What's happening is that the wood is reclaiming moisture. Wood will acclimate itself to it's environment. My shop is within 100 yds of a rather large lake so I expect this.
One thing that has always concerned me is, where that cue is going once it's built and sold. If the cue's new home is an environment that is considerably drier (or wetter) that the environment in which the cue was built, there is the risk that the cue will 'move'. Sometimes this movement can be temporary and sometimes it can be permanent. It's all up to the wood. Wood seems to have a mind of it's own and it's not always rational or logical. It's just the nature of the beast.
This was probably WAY more than you wanted to know but when I address a question, sometimes it's not enough to just give the answer. There are times when the reasoning as to WHY that's the answer can lead to a better understanding. I hope this helps. KJ
CUES not bare wood?KOINNKID said:
I say at least 40 and not more than 60.
Here in Southern California, I won't cut shafts if humidity is below 40 or over 60.
I am trying to stabelize the climate conditions that I store my cues in. Recently I had an Ivory joint crack on a cue. I have also had 2 higher end customs where the butt of the cue has warped on me. It kills me when I pull them down off the rack and I roll them and the flop like a fish out of water and I have to tell the customer that wants it that it does not roll straight. I roll all my cues before I ship them. I have also had the same issue with warpage of cues shipping from my climate to hotter more humid areas along the coast lines.
I have always stored my cues in the same room I store my acoustic guitar. The prime relative humidity for an acoustic guitar is between 42% and 47%...so that is what I store my cues at...has worked out great for me.
Lisa
Lisa
ridewiththewind said:
TAP...TAP...TAP!!!
...has worked out great for me also.
Paul
IF the climate gets too dry, wood might shrink.KOINNKID said:
If it gets too wet, it expands.
dave sutton
Banned
troy your said something interesting. you said when you take them down off the rack. does that mean you have the cue together standing up for display. i have had experience with cues warping if they are together standing or leaning in a rack like that for a peroid of time. so we went and found display cases there the cue is in 2 pieces.
laying flat is the best way. obv
laying flat is the best way. obv
dave sutton
Banned
i agree with that also. so laying flat would be second best. anything but leaning even if it is only a hair.RocketQ said:
if anyone doesnt believe me take a cue roll it then lean it in a corner of your house for a week or two. i almost bet money it moves
I really believe that my problem is in the humidity not the way I store them. I store them laying flat in felt cases. I store them assembled in a wall rack and also disassembled in a cue cabinet. I have had issues in all places. i am in the process of stablizing my humidity to see if that helps.
Gun case with a dehumifier rod ought to do it.KOINNKID said:
dave sutton
Banned
KOINNKID said:
maybe the felt is absorbing moisture. try changing to plastic sleeves. im sure that will keep out alot of moisture. seal both ends with rubberbands
Storing Cues, keeping them straight ???
When I'm not playing I keep my cues leaned up against my couch, (almost stright up) in a case (s), I have more than one cue.
So, after what I read here, I should lay the
case (s) flat to avoid warping ????
Thanks, Tommyd1
When I'm not playing I keep my cues leaned up against my couch, (almost stright up) in a case (s), I have more than one cue.
So, after what I read here, I should lay the
case (s) flat to avoid warping ????
Thanks, Tommyd1
I made good experiences with the old square style Porper cases (2x4 and 3x6), with foamed interior it takes a while until cues change their temperature from cold to hot and verso (same goes for the humidity)
never had any warpage problems.
I know these cases are ugly as hell but you can get these realtively cheap and they work fine. (I store these lying around below my pool table)
The tooled poser style super leather case I only use for taking sticks to the pool hall, once back home they'll get back to their Porper "beds".
M.
never had any warpage problems.
I know these cases are ugly as hell but you can get these realtively cheap and they work fine. (I store these lying around below my pool table)
The tooled poser style super leather case I only use for taking sticks to the pool hall, once back home they'll get back to their Porper "beds".
M.