Tip On Inexpensive & Extremely Effective (too effective?) Humidor!

coolkayaker1

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I have been trying to humidify my ukuleles for a home with winter humidity at 30%.

The uke case and soundhole versions I own from Planet Wave, plus the clay one from Herco. The little sponges for $10-$20 each hold little water, need frequent refills, and may eventually mold my fuzzy cases. They are expensive for what they are (having enough for three ukuleles could be $30-$60 total). They occupy valuable case space, and I must put my ukes in and out of the cases, which can be burdensome.

My room is too large for a whole room humidifier. I’ve tried it and the humidity level changes inconsequentially.

Bringing my ukes into the bathroom each time I take a shower worked, but was a chore.

SOLUTION: Sterilite (or other brand) under-bed clear plastic storage box ($18 at Wal-Mart). The flat ones (approx. 4 feet by 3 feet by only 6 inches high), usually for storing sweater and clothes underneath the bed, sometimes with plastic wheels to push it on the floor. It has a lid included with a nice tight fit. Here's the same one I use, but it's cheapr at Wal-mart:
http://www.amazon.com/Underbed-Plas...62/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1324670787&sr=8-14

Added two .99 cent artificial car wash sponges (8 inches by 4 inches by 2 inches), each in a one gallon Ziplock type bag. I didn’t punch holes in the bag—I just left the end open (unsealed). I just wet them thoroughly and put them next to the ukes (but not touching) in the plastic under-bed box.

I can lay two soprano ukes easily in the box, plus the sponges, and still have room for at least a third ukulele if I wanted (maybe four if I laid they right). Very easy to flip open the lid and grab a uke, or replace one (easier than a case). If molds, replace sponges and Ziplock bags. Cost of two sponges and two bags = $2.50. The $18 Sterilite box should last until well after I’m dead and gone. Total investment to store up to three ukuleles: $20.50 plus tax.

Results: Room remained at 30-35% humidity. Within one night, the humidity in the plastic box ( keep a digital gauge in there) was 71%! It was like a freaking terrarium in there. Concerned for the opposite of dryness (mold, wet rot, warpage, etc.), I vented the top about three inches and will check a reading later, but vented, it was down to 64% in about 15 minutes.

UPDATE: I UPDATED THIS THREAD ON 2/25 WITH PIX ABOVE.
 
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Wow ,......what a great idea.
 
But be careful, please. As I understand it, worse than long periods of time in very low or very high humidity conditions is moving your instrument back and forth between significantly different conditions. Same thing is true about conditions of heat and cold.

If you think about the wood absorbing the humidity (and swelling) then losing that moisture (and shrinking), you can probably imagine the effect the expansion/contraction cycles could have.

When I was into acquiring guitars (solid wood acoustic-not electric), when I had a delivery at this time of year I allowed a full day of acclimation, unboxing in layers with hours in between. I did this just to avoid subjecting the guitar to an extreme jump. I became comfortable with all my instruments being in a ~40% humidity environment during the extreme months, and slightly higher during the more moderate months. Never had a humidity-related problem.

But I am a uke noobie. It may be that being so much smaller, the effects may not be as pronounced as they are with guitars. I just got concerned for you when I read of moving your ukes to and from 60-70+ % humidity and 30%.

Doug
 
Great idea if you have one or two ukes...


I have more than that, so I ended up getting a room humidifier at my local home depot and it's been running great for over a year. Keeps my room at 60% humidity.

It was worth the initial $90 investment, and all my hung instruments and bonsai trees are the better for it.
 
Thanks for the replies. You certainly could be right, DougNC, about the changes in humidity being a factor. Good point. I will probaby take the ukes out only when they are being played, 1-2 hours at most, so putting them back in the humidor will work. But, I'll have to be cautious about leaving them out.

Olarte: I'm glad the humidifier works for you. It does not for me, as stated in my original post. I have considered a whole house professionally installed humidifier with its own dedicated water supply on the furnace--my parents have one--but although it changes the household humidity some (enough that the skins is not as itchy), it does not make a tremendous difference--likely not enough to humidify instruments.

I have two ukes in the case, but 3-4 would fit. And my laminates don;t need the humidification like the solids. IF you have a ton of solid instruments, and a smaller room that works with a $90 humidifier, then you have your solution.
 
My solution is that my tropical fish room, doubles as my music room.
6 tanks evaporating seem to keep this room above 40%, even when
the rest of the house is 25-30%
 
I'm still using the system for my two solid body ukes, and I can vent about 1/2 inch (i.e. put the top on 1/2 askew) and the humidity is 55% in there. Ideal. And I haven't added water to the two sponges in over 5 week. Yesssss!
 
5 weeks....can you spell Mold and Mildew?

Glad your sterilite system is working. It is a great idea.

You might want to consider rinsing and cleaning the sponges at least every 7-10 days. Molds and Mildews dont needs much time to get started. The last thing you want, besides humidity related cracking, is a mold/mildew to get it's spores inside your instrument and start a smelly colony.

I would rinse them in saltwater and then hot fresh water every week.
Old aquarium trick, fresh water bacteria and other un-wanted organisms'don't survive well in saltwater...... and.... vice-versa.
I keep my fresh water nets in saltwater bath to keep from transfereing any diseses from tank to tank. And fresh water bath for my saltwater tools.

.....cool kayaker...... i got three paddlin' boats (along with 3 sailboats) one 13' poly boat, WS Manteo, and
2 skin on frame. built this one (F-1 design) at a class on the north Oregon coast, just south of Cannon Beach.
http://www.capefalconkayak.com/kayak and paddle designs.html
If you like kayaks, Poke around.....that site can keep you busy for hours....Brian is one of those
'twitterpated genius's'

IMG_3510(s).jpg IMG_3509(s).jpg click on pic for bigger look
 
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Thanks for the mold tips and kayak resource, day. I'm going to check for mold, and I know what you mean about it getting into the wood and smelling like an old library book forever. Good trick. I'm studying kayak site now.
 
Hi, I decided to try the plastic box solution - but with an Oasis humidifier that I had already ordered. Box is 40 x 70 cm and with my Soprano inside holds 53-55% humidity without any modification such as air vents. Outside indoors temperature is 20 centigrade and humidity around 28%.

The Oasis is the magnet and self adhesive model, so sits clearly visible from the outside, just like my hygrometer. Perfect solution. I thought the smaller - one uke size - box might be better because two ukes won't risk crashing into one another. So when I get my Concert soon, I'll just get another set up like this. So thanks Kayaker for the tip - much cheaper than expensive hard cases.
 
I'm sorry but I just don't understand this thread, I dont see what all the fuss is about, aren't you all being a bit anal and over concerned ?

I was out in the australian central deserts a couple of years ago and the humidity there is NON EXISTANT, 0% humidity, the air was sooooooo dry your mouth and lips dried out and it was a biting dry heat like i have never edxperienced before, in THOSE conditions then yes perhaps I would be concerned about humidty or the lack of it drying out a uke, but 30%, 40%, 50% the kind of levels you guys seem to be discussing, it seems you are making a lot of fuss over nothing.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you all making a mountain out of a molehill here ?
 
webby--it's all over UU and the internet, so I'll just sum it up for you: you're wrong.

ErlingH: That's great. I know what you mean about the single uke sized plastic boxes...that might be good. and, I'd wager they're stackable.

I've used my setup for three months now, and the humidity is still 62%--and I haven't added water to the sponges yet! No mold, either. I love it!
 
uke and boarding 036.jpguke and boarding 037.jpguke and boarding 038.jpg

I just wanted to update this thread with photos. I've been using this system for a while now, and honestly, all winter, have not had to refill the sponges with water! Not even once. (I even keep my Herco clay humidor in there to keep it humidified! lol)

I kept two ukes in there, and now just added my Pono, and it's bombproof. Easier to access than the case, no uke case mold because I don't humidify the cases. As you can see, closed up tightly (which I did before I took this photo overnight, just to see how high it'd get), the humidity is over 75%. But, don't worry, it's fully adjustable: just slide the top open (like I have in the photo) to whatever degree you'd like and watch your monitor and drop the humidity to whatever level you desire. I typically leave it open about 5 inches on one end, and the humidity is about 58%. The humidity in that room? 25%!

One key is that the gallon ziplocks with sponges must be left open (unzipped)--I do this rather than poking holes in the bags because (a) I don't want any sponge fluid leaking out of holes--the single large opening I can just keep upward, and (b) I'm lazy.

I'm thrilled with it. I do flip the ukes, placing them on back and sometimes front (string side) in the Steri-lite box, just for variety and to assure no water build up under the ukes, but I've noticed none (and unlike humidifying a uke case, there is no moist cloth touching the body of the uke). Total investment to really and truly humidify up to three ukuleles: $20.50 plus tax. Cheers.
 
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Wow, 76% humidity though, isn't that a bit much? 45-60% yeah ok, but 76%! I hope you don't have some eventual opposite problems there.
 
fair play CK that is a good set up, don't know whether we need it in the UK but if i ever do i will follow your lead, quite cheap to set up as well
 
I have been using this exact plastic box system for well over four years and it has been working well. And the humidity stays for a long time. No cracks on any of my solid ukuleles... I also have a couple of solid ukuleles hanging on the wall at 20% humidity and they also have no cracks...... Go figure :)
 
I have been using this exact plastic box system for well over four years and it has been working well. And the humidity stays for a long time. No cracks on any of my solid ukuleles... I also have a couple of solid ukuleles hanging on the wall at 20% humidity and they also have no cracks...... Go figure :)

Wow, you've used it longer than me, molinee. Excellent. I'm having the same wonderful experience with it as you are. Thanks for posting (this will come up often as a subject when everyone turns on their heaters this autumn).
 
I just live in the tropics, problem solved.
 
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