quick question

rem50

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I have one of those oasis humidifiers, it's like a film case with clay in it! Anyway, the directions were scratched off. How do I use it? I tried soaking it for five minutes and then poured out the excess water. Is that the right way to do it?
 
Oasis? Or Herco? The Oasis humidifiers I've seen are bright blue and yellow, and fabric-y. Herco humidifiers are like fat film canisters with reddish clay. If it's a Herco, you're doing it right. Dry off the outside of the canister and stick it in the case. I think they say to use DISTILLED water, but I never have in a Herco. I do with the Oasis humidifiers though. Oh, and with the Oasis humidifier, you use the syringe that comes with it to fill it up through the small opening when you unscrew the lid. Sounds like what you've got there is a Herco!
 
it probably is then a herco. another question: how often do I need to redo the humidifier?
 
it probably is then a herco. another question: how often do I need to redo the humidifier?
It depends on your environment. If you have a hydrometer, you can check the moisture level in the case. You should aim for 50-60%. I know Hercos are cheaper than Oasis, but you can always tell quickly when to refill the Oasis, because it shrivels up when it dries out. Lately I have had to refill every two weeks, but there might be some times when it is more frequent.

–Lori
 
As Lori said it depends a lot on the humidity where you are. Up here in the high desert I have to fill my humidifiers at least once a week, sometimes twice when it really dry here. I have a couple of Herco's and they probably work ok if you live in a fairly humid area, I asked the guy in our local shop here about them and he said " if you spit in your case it works about as well as a Herco". I've found they work a bit better than that but have to use additional humidifiers with them. Get a small digital hygrometer/thermometer to keep in the case, they're cheap and make it easy to see how well your humidifiers are working.
 
I'm going to be Miss Contrary and say that I don't think over-humidifying is the only option. Right now, with a room humidifier going full tilt, it's 30% RH in here. So I keep a herco in my uke cases, and their hygrometers hover around the 45%. I figure that's pretty Ok, as wood instruments generally made or need to be stored at 40-60% RH. That's what I was always taught at any rate. It always seems when you ask at UU, they like to say 50 or 60%. It could well be that I'm just wrong and drying out my ukes too much.

But what I'm thinking is that to go from 45% to 30% is less of a change than going from 60% to 30%. I know the wood movement is said to take a while, but my soprano uke immediately responds by going into and out of tune. That's wood movement. The Kanile'a is more constant, but it'll let me know by mellowness of tone. My clarinets, when I had wooden ones, would expand or contract noticeably and pretty well immediately.

So really it was the experience with clarinets that tell me how to treat the ukes, and they've been ok so far. I'm NOT saying that humidifying isn't a good idea. I mean it's such a good idea that they don't come out much during the winter in this apartment. But I just wonder how safe it is to push it to 60%, when 45% is less of a change.

I don't know if I'm really right though, and if I get a messed up uke from it, then I guess I'll know.
 
Quick question for all you folks,
Are you dealing with Relative Humidity here?. If so then your temperature is very important - The same Moisture Content at 10 DegC as opposed to 30 DegC will yield startlingly different RH levels (like about 20% as opposed to 80%)
I am guessing that the simple RH calcs are based on 20 - 21 DegC (sorry for the UK speak units!)
 
Yeah, temp has a lot to do with it. For my part, I'm talking strictly of room temp, 20-22C. I wouldn't dare take a wooden instrument I was fond of outside... but it is above freezing ATM. Weird... and annoying, it's raining, and that means ice later. Ugh.
 
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