Cheap humidifier

Tudorp

Big guy with a lil' uke..
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I made a couple of these, and thought that some might be interested in a cheap humidifier. I have about $2 in making one of these. I am wondering if this is something someone would pay a few bucks for? I am thinking about selling them for $4 postage paid. Not gonna get rich on em, but thought that they might be worth making up a bunch of em. Is this humidifier worth $4 do ya think? It's cheap, it's simple. It has a clay disk inside. It hangs from the #3 string (it being the thickest) and hangs inside the body while it is stored in it's case. They work pretty nice I think..

humidor3.jpg


humidor2.jpg
 
Hmm. ....Seems kind of small and clay may not hold much water.
I think I prefer the humidifiers I've made some with used med bottles and water absorbing crystals. They hold alot of water.


Just my 2 cents.

Agree - I used your method w/clear 35mm film cannisters. And got a bottle of polymer chrystals at "Hobby Lobby" for about $9 - I bought 25(!) film canisters & filled about 8 of them & only used about 1/4 tsp of the dry crystals in each. After adding water, I've kept one in each case & add a couple more when I have a particularly "thirsty" (I usually treat ukes I've just gotten in to a day or more of extra time to humidify before I start playing them out much).

But, Tudorp, you asked... I also use Herco's in the cases of my larger ukes (the containers are rather large so have to have space in the neck compartment for the bulky Herco) & those are clay as well. BUT I also use the relatively expensive Oasis humidifers which hand from the strings. The Oasis ones work well & have the added benefit that the shrink as they work so you can tell just by looking if you need to add water. Your's might work. But I would suggest you invest in a digital hydrometer & do some testing w/one or more of your ukes to see exactly how well they work. Don't even have to put them in a uke case to test. Just a closed box that you can isolate how well they work.

What I think is even better than your "invention" of these particular units to sale is your concentration on what you can build/create/etc. that would add value for your potential customers. And, all of us w/solid wood ukes should be aware of the need for humidifiers & be looking for ways to get that done.

Hope that helps!
 
You'd be suprised at how much water the clay holds, and they don't dry out as fast as packed cotton. I have also used clay kitty litter in film canisters as well, that hold water very well too. But, I agree these might be small. I also have some I made using 35mm film canisters, those work great. I pack them with cotton balls and have been very successful. I buy these little disks and aluminum disk holders from a pipe store because I smoke a pipe and use them in my tobacco cans. That is what these are for, to place in humidors for cigars, and tabacco canisters. I wanted to make one that hangs from the strings inside the body of the uke, and may be good size for that, because you are humidifiying the body from within, and lue of the whole case. That was my thought. I wouldn't use one of these to store a uke for long term, I imagine you would have to dunk these in water to fill them up at least once a month. This one has stayed moists for at least a month, but I had the disc in a stack of them placed in a 35mm canister. It might not stay moist as long on it's own in the little metal can. But, I want to try it. I think I need to pick up a small meter for a cigar humidor to monitor it though.
 
I agree with the testing aspect. Get an accurate hygrometer and try some out. If you are gonna make and sell humidifiers, you owe it to your customers to at least know how well they humidify. Something that doesn't dry out for a month isn't necessarily a good thing, unless you have it in a very humid environment - its job is to give up water vapor, not hold it in. The crystals are cheap enough to make many humidifiers of the size you made for very cheap (still enough to allow a nice profit margin), and I believe the crystals work better than clay.

You have probably seen these tests, along similar lines:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?41412-Herco-Humidifier-Test-Results&highlight=humidifier+test

and

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...-Placement-of-Herco&highlight=humidifier+test

By the way, there is a way to test hygrometers for accuracy. I have not tried the test, however

http://cigars.about.com/od/humidors/qt/hygrometers.htm

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?25591-Herco-vs.-Oasis-Experiment
 
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I think I prefer the humidifiers I've made some with used med bottles and water absorbing crystals. They hold alot of water.

Oh, I have been using Soil Moist for my outdoor potted plants for years. I am thrilled with the product and am excited to have another use for these crystals (a jar of this stuff last forever!). I made 2 of these humidifiers this morning and they are absorbing as we speak. Thanks for the link!
 
Oh, I have been using Soil Moist for my outdoor potted plants for years. I am thrilled with the product and am excited to have another use for these crystals (a jar of this stuff last forever!). I made 2 of these humidifiers this morning and they are absorbing as we speak. Thanks for the link!

Heh, heh. I bought a one pound bag of the stuff (smallest they had at Lowes). Considering it takes significantly less than a teaspoon of dry crystals for a decent sized humidifier I've got humidifiers for life. I've started keeping all my pill bottles, mint tins, etc. to make another batch soon. My all time favorite though is some glitter tubes that are the perfect size to fit between the strings. I've been tempted to go buy my granddaughter a lifetime supply of glitter just so I can have the tubes... :)

John
 
Heh, heh. I bought a one pound bag of the stuff (smallest they had at Lowes). Considering it takes significantly less than a teaspoon of dry crystals for a decent sized humidifier I've got humidifiers for life. I've started keeping all my pill bottles, mint tins, etc. to make another batch soon. My all time favorite though is some glitter tubes that are the perfect size to fit between the strings. I've been tempted to go buy my granddaughter a lifetime supply of glitter just so I can have the tubes... :)

John

Lier. You want to buy tons of glitter to decorate your ukes with those and dried macaronies..
 
BWAAAA-HAAA - oh, if only I had a cheap uke lying around here right now... :)

twu dat.. Ya only want to do something like that or cut big holes in a cheap uke.. ;)

Or maybe have a jam session in a hot tub.. all the same.. hehheh
 
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