Interesting data about humidity. You are an encyclopedia Simon! For once, I feel I am lucky compared to EU citizens. In Buenos Aires (Argentina), humidity is continously at a range of 50% to 75%... so far I haven´t experieced any problems with any of my instruments (well, maybe the guitar and bouzouki/mandola strings get rusty a bit faster than when I stay in Sweden :P)
It would be a good idea to compile all this wisdom somehow in the gurdypedia or an actual book, like "hurdy gurdy, as taught by those who CAN play it" :D cheers and keep it up. Sergio 2010/10/14 Jerry Sowers <[email protected]> > thank you for the kind help, it is good to have people that are willing to > share their information. Have a great day. Jerry > On Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 8:27 AM, Kazimierz Verkmastare <[email protected]>wrote: > >> 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 [email protected] >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]<hurdygurdy%[email protected]> >> 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. >> > > > > -- > The Bearded Blacksmith > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<hurdygurdy%[email protected]> > 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. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] 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.
