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Hello to all! My name Raul and this is my first post.... I've recently decided to start my first build from a kit. I'm very excited to start building but understand I need to do A LOT of research before I start. This forum is a huge tool with lots of great information.
I live in Orange County California and wondering how other builders in the area deal with humidity control? This is probably basic question for most members, but I know how important humidity control is in a build (especially a first build) so I want to reach out to any builders in my area to see what they're doing....
Thanks in advance!
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I live east of you over against the mountains and its not a problem over here. It stays between 30 and 55 in the house. I keep my guitars in their case to slow any changes down as well. In Orange you are close to the coast so I would think your RH to be higher than low which is where the danger lies.

Thanks for the response! I work in a model shop 2 blocks from the beach. It makes sense to build here, but we go in and out of the shop often during the day. I'm not sure how to go about controlling the humidity if I'm in a shop that's constantly letting the outside air in....

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[/quote]...... I'm not sure how to go about controlling the humidity if I'm in a shop that's constantly letting the outside air in.... [/quote]
Airlock

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Yeah, I have a somewhat similar situation at the moment. I live in an old building with little insulation and lots of leaks. It would be impossible or at least impractical to keep it climate controlled at all times.

Anyhow IME if you try to follow the usual advice of building at 45% humidity you will be screwed when the Santa Ana winds come and knock it down to 6% or whatever. I think it's better around here to brace the top when it's about 25-30%.

Another thing you might want to do is bake your top wood. I think 150-180 deg for 30-60 min or so is fine, but others do more. (probably lots in the archives). If the top is already jointed and glued, you can't do this. Instead I suggest you put the wood in a box with a light bulb that brings the temp up to 120 or so, and leave it for a few days.

Also, during the winter, if your shop is inside and heated, the humidity is going to be lower than outside, which is helpful. it's also very helpful to have a hygrometer of some sort.

i've got a general electric dryer and a hampton bay humidifier. i'll put these on/off as needed. slow changes aren't really that much of an issue but rapid changes are. but i don't obsess about it as much as the internet says i should though.

buy a hygrometer and calibration kit and a moisture meter as well. i'll use the moisture meter on raw stock to get baseline data but unfortunately it's pins keep me from using it on finished work. still it's better then nothing.

imo, in general try not to build out in the back yard, in the pick-up truck at work, or next to the heater, etc.. it just seems like bad craft.

bottom line: lock in the correct humidity for where the guitar is going to spend most of it's time.

I to live in orange county, but I'm about 15 or so miles from the coast. I think you will be OK with just a few precautions. The first thing you need to do is put a decent hygrometer in the shop and keep an eye on it. I'm sure your humidity will average higher than mine but mostly in the winter. I don't use humidity control but I do follow these guidelines.
Only shape and glue bracing during low relative humidity periods. For me that is 20% - 35%.
I use carbon fiber in my bracing similar to what Mario P does, it helps during humidity changes
After I have one plate on, (the back for me), I mask off the gluing surface and apply a light spraying of oil based flat urethane to the insides of the back and sides.
Before I put the top on I mask off the gluing surfaces and spray it on the inside also
I use epoxy for pore filling, primarily for it's moisture inhibiting ability.
(I also bake my tops)

I have found my guitars are fairly resistant to humidity changes but still recommend normal precautions like leaving it in the case for awhile after moving it from one in invirorment to another, etc.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust