Hi there folks. It has been a long while since I was last here, but I am getting back into wanting to do more with wood. So, I am going to build myself a bench, which will probably be along the lines of the Anarchist Workbench that Chris Schwarz wrote about. This will be done all with hand tools, although I may use a circular saw to break down 2x12's into 2x6's. Other then that, my goal is hand tools all the way.
Now to my dilemma: I live at the beach in Southern NJ, and I have a detached garage that is uninsulated, unheated, and unconditioned in any way. Lots of gaps around the door, so the outside weather is basically what my inside weather is, short of the precipitation that we see here (rain and snow). I am not on a timeline to start this bench, but I am wondering about when to buy my wood, and how long to let it acclimate. My plan is to use construction lumber in the 2x12 realm for this build.
So, do I buy the wood now in the heat and humidity of the summer and let it sit for a few months, or do I wait until the fall when the humidity diminishes a bit and then let it acclimate for a few months after that? Secondly, I will be ripping the 2x12 to 2x6, so do I do that right away before the wood acclimates, or wait until it is acclimated and then rip it? I have read both scenarios in various places, and I am not sure which process makes the most sense. I want to avoid as much twist and cupping as possible, so all suggestions will be most welcome.
Thanks guys.
Joe