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Hello all,

I live in Ohio and the humidity in my basement shop swings like crazy... Anywhere from 35% in the winter to 75% right now. Which means I have about a month and a half where I can keep it at 45-50%,unless I run two dehumidifiers all day, which can get expensive for a hobby builder.

So I want to build a small dry room that I can store wood, parts, and instruments. I'm thinking about 4'x6' with a wood rack and a couple shelves. Construction 2x2 with sheathed in plastic with a dehumidifier or heat light inside. I'll keep everything in there and pull out whatever to glue up or work on and then stick it right back in to dry and rest.

How does this sound? How do you guys/gals do it? Is it completely sealed or have vent holes for some air movement?

Any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
_Mike

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_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
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That's how I do it, but my area is more of a dry-box than a dry-room. It has a light bulb with a device I guess is called a humidistat that switches the light bulb on when the humidity rises to whatever it is set at. Turns the bulb off when it drops. It is no help if it gets real dry, which doesn't happen in my area of the country. The box is actually a bottom set of kitchen cabinets so it has some native ventilation. It works for me. I don't have any option other than this really. I don't brace tops or do other critical work on rainy or very humid days.

Thanks for the reply Glen!

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What type of humidistat should I look for? Can I wire up an inexpensive low volt model?

Should the bulb be on the floor so the heat rises?

And if I were to build in ventilation should I have a small fan in there that kicks on with the light?

Sorry for all the questions. I just really want to beat this humidity thing and get back to building.

thanks,
_Mike

_________________
_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
https://www.instagram.com/mustcreatethings/
https://www.youtube.com/mustcreatethings

I find that running an air conditioner in the summer months keeps the humidity in my shop (maybe 10' x 25') at 50%. No dehumidifier necessary. Of course, you need a windos for that approach.

The winter's a different animal - and I'm in need of a humidifier that will keep it close to 50% - the two small humidifiers, running flat out, don't make a difference in January and February when the heat (steam) is on constantly.

Have you considered taking the extra step and building a small dehumidification kiln? It might come in handy should you decide to resaw your own back/side sets. You would essentially build a box with a dehumidifier, a heat source, and a fan inside.

There's a pretty elaborate plan here (probably way to large for your purposes):

http://owic.oregonstate.edu/pubs/dhkilns.pdf

There was also an article in American Woodworker #94 June 2002 about building a small and simple dehumidification kiln. I just had that issue in my hands 3 days ago or so when browsing through a 2nd hand bookstore and from what I remember, it seemed like a good plan.

Christian

Mike, your situation sounds similar to mine, maybe less so, as I am on the Gulf Coast, and the humidity rarely dips below 70% outside. In a 12 x 16, well insulated shop and a window unit running all year, I can get to 60% inside. Not good enough. I tried an upright cabinet with light bulb heat and vents, the hygrometer inside the box did not drop much. A good room de-humidifier was the answer, running at full blast I can remove a gallon of water a day and get to 50%, and braced tops and backs stay the way I glued them. I ship everywhere and haven't had a problem.

I don't think a dry box is your answer, but I'm not sure you have a problem.
You mentioned being a hobby builder. For years my guitars were built in my naturally humid shop conditions, sometimes in AC, sometimes not. The guitars were not shipped out of the area, and because they lived where they were built, no problems!

I knew I had to get serious about shop conditions when I got an order for a guitar going to Arizona, on the rim of the Grand Canyon.

It is all relative.

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I live in the wet tropics in Northern Queensland. I've converted a small bedroom to my dry room just by closing the windows and door, and running a dehumidifier. There is a large ceiling fan to move the air around and In the very wet monsoon season it holds the humidity at 40%.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
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Cairns, Australia