Official Luthiers Forum!

Good suggestion on the heat gun, Fillipo! It's always nice to have multi-purpose tools. Thanks for chiming in!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

JJ - You da man!!! What a clever idea this is.

JJ, that's using the old noodle! A couple of possibilities.

If the condensate collects on the metal and per chance enough moisture collects to run down the metal wall, you might be able to bend/curl the bottom edge of teh metal forming a small gutter angled toward the middle of the box where a tube drains out the bottom of the box. Venting/draining out the bottom would minimize heat loss.

I'm not sure how introducing fresh air (and the moisture present in fresh air) would affect the process. It seems you would get a more even heat distribution if a fan were blowing over the heat pad and circulating the air inside the box. Might also be good if the fan forced circulation between the wood layers. With the exception of Fillipo's idea, pulling in fresh air may make temp control difficult.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Cool idea JJ

As to the moisture removal, all that may be needed is a few small holes drilled in the top and bottom of the box. Convection will take care of air movement. With your blanket at the bottom the heat will rise and escape from the top holes and draw drier cool air into the box from the bottom. I would use my programmable temp controller for temperature control if I built one like this.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Yeah...I'm planning another set of trials to see if just cracking the top will be enough to release the volatiles as they are produced and prevent any condensate from forming on the walls. Based on this test, I think I'll be able to find a suitable method going forward. Then again, these studies often generate more questions than they answer!

Fred...tell me more about your programmable temp control. In addition, I want to map the temperature and see if there are any significant hot or cool spots.

BTW...for those of you who bake tops, how long at temp are you baking? I've used 2 hours in the past but these trials have been 1 hour.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Good morning JJ

There was a topic on OLF discussing these controllers a while back. PM me if you have any questions, I spent a lot of years maintaining automated Temperature and humidity controllers before I retired.
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=19892

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

I have been doing 2 hours @ 200. Then sticker it for about a month before I join it. Then I usually let the joined plate set in the stack for a few months before I build with it.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Very cool idea.

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CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

Hmmm, cooking tops is something I should do too - I've heard lots of good reports about the improved tone one gets. Fr'instance, Mario (dacosta logging - sprucetonewood.com) has some scientific data (compliance, Q etc.) on before and after baking his Lutz spruce.

I will be using my oven in the house to do this though. I can't believe how easily some of you seem to have caved into your spouse on this!
Aren't you the master of your domain? Whipped luthiers!!

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Todd, maybe I'm just a little slow this morning, but I'm having trouble visualizing your setup. It sounds good to me. Any chance you could post a picture?

Thanks

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-Clint Beacock

Todd...please show and tell more!!!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Couldn't one use a heated blower for the source? That way, no condensation. A hair dryer? Heat gun not a good idea. 1000 watts into that enclosed space would easily get the temps up. Baffle/shunt the input and you can control the temperature. Perhaps better than wearing your heat blanket out.

Mike