Re: [HG-new] hello

[Kazimierz Verkmastare]

Like any instrument, you aim to keep it at around the humidity at which it was built.  A good builder stabilizes his wood for years around his workshop, and all the fits and measurements are accurate at that humidity.   Your instrument will usually tell you when it is not happy with the humidity - the lighter and more delicately built the instrument usually the more sensitive to small shifts.  But sometimes the instrument will work well in humidity levels that are not good for it in the long term, and that's when it gets tricky.   Best answer - write to your builder and ask them the typical humidity in their area, or if they control it in their shop, what level they like.  Or better yet, what moisture content they like to work their woods at, especially the woods they built your instrument from.  If they don't really have an answer, here's a little trick.  You can buy a wood moisture meter at most woodworkers stores for not a lot of money, or online at places like this   http://www.virtualvillage.com/digital-wood-moisture-meter-tester-timber-new-4-pins-003910-012.html   Get one and at the same time get a piece of the same type of wood that your instrument is built from.  Unless you want to spend a whole lot of money on a pinless moisture meter, you don't want to go around pricking holes in your instrument to check moisture directly on it.  Set the sample wood somewhere average (not right by the furnace, or on top of the dehumidifier) in your house (or in your case if you want to check the level of humidity you need in it) and measure the moisture content in the wood every couple of days for two or three weeks, and see when the value stabilizes.  This can happen in as little as 3 to 4 days, or it can take longer.   Most wood instrument makers like to see their wood at about 6%-8% moisture content.  When I cut my own wood, I use a little solar kiln room to take my wood to about 10% - 12%, then let it get the rest of the way in my shop in ambient conditions.  In my area the average year-round humidity is in the 60-65% range, so this last 4%-6% can take some time.  When I buy I purchase from a wood supplier that air-dries his wood and lives only about 20 miles from me, so his woods are stabilized in the same environment as mine.   But once you adjust the humidity to where the wood sample stays at the level the builder used (or between 6% and 8% moisture if you don't have that information), most likely you will be keeping your instrument happy.   Just my little trick   Chris   -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to hurdygurdy@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to hurdygurdy+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy   The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.