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Hey all,

My name is Chris Wood and I'm a newbie luthier in nothern New Jersey. I'm having major issues keeping my workshop humid enough for the tonewoods and I'm wondering what others are doing to combat this problem. The workshop space I'm using currently is in the basement of our home, in a space about 30x15 feet. Cement floor, block walls. I have two humidifiers in there running non-stop now, and can only keep the relative humidity at around 12% on days that are pretty cold outside. The situation is complicated by the fact that the water heater and boiler for our steam heating system is in the space too. The humidifiers are both from Sears, one is rated for 1700 sq. feet, and the larger for 2500 sq. feet, both based on an eight foot ceiling. Running together, they can't do the job when the boiler is running during the cold days.

What have you all done? Is there a larger capacity humidifier I can buy that would do the job here? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks, Chris.

Chris,

I'm a little surprised at some of the details here. I'm in Northern Delaware. (How's the snow up your way today? 12 inches here and counting.) My basement shop has similar dimensions, and my heating situation probably isn't that much different. I have one of the Sears Kenmore units, and the humidity swing right now is from about 30% when the unit is allowed to go dry, up to 45% when it is running. How do you get down to 12%?

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I forgot to say - Not a quick fix, but when you have some time, get some good epoxy-based concrete paint and paint your floor and walls. It really does help even out the moisture balance, as bare concrete seems to have infinite absorption capability. Go with white - you'll enjoy the brighter environment.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Chrisw,

First, you need to make a wet/dry hygrometer. It's cheap and easy and the method can be found on archived threads. The digital readout for humidity is not accurate. You may find that your humidity is really OK afterall.

If you find that it is low after an accurate check, you may need to separate your work area from the rest of the house, such as by walling it off. If the house air is circulating through your shop, you keep moving the moisture away from where you want it. As noted by another post, it is still unusual to get down to 12% if you are making any effort to add humidity.

Thanks for the replys so far. The digital hygrometer may well be off, however I can tell it's way dry just by looking at the guitars I'm working on. When they get very dry, the arc of the back is deformed. Plus, each humidifier has a RH readout on it, the sensor is in the cord about 10 inches from the body of the machine. They read about 25% when the digital unit further away says 12-21%. To be honest, I expected both of these humidifiers running together to be able to do the job easily. Plus, the two humidifiers are running non-stop, and are killing us with the electricity they use.

Keep the info coming.

If they are running non-stop, you need to also confirm that they are actually consuming water. The design with static wicks crusts over and needs to be rinsed out every few weeks. If your humidifiers have tanks that you add water to, you should be seeing it all used up in a day in the very dry weather. If it is not needing frequent refills, probably just rinse the wicks and they will work. If it is an automated or continuous water supply, sometimes the control valves can crust over and just need to be loosened up.

Your walls are not insulated!!! Start there, add appropriate vapour barrier. And close your shop off from the furnace, its sucking a lot of air from your room straight up the chimney.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
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Chris: Take Bergman's advice to heart and get the wet/dry hygrometer. Then you will know for sure what the RH is and can take action from there. When you set the oven in your stove to 400 degrees,it may be that temperatrure and maybe not,when the guage on you oil fuel tank says empty it may be and may not be empty,when you jump on a bathroom spring scale you may get your correct weight and you may not.You get the idea...these type of measuring devices are not calibrated and usually inaccurate.Get the wet/dry and go from there. Good luck.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

If you have a shop with sunlight and some spare room house plants are great for adding humidity to dry winter air. Of course you have to water the plants which in turn gradually release moisture back into the air...Mike

yeah its a constant battle here in the north east, I am humidifying most of the house with a vaporizer running full steam next to the wood stove, and a ceiling fan over head to disperse the moisture and the vapor around the house , by adding a spoonful of salt to the water , I can go through several gallons of water daily. it is ironic, I am pumping water in most of the house and still running a dehumidifier in my wood storage/work room ... Jody