Drying cabinet plans or photos
- Eric Knapp
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 2:01 pm
- Location: Wisconsin, USA
- Contact:
Drying cabinet plans or photos
Hello,
After reading about this here and other sources I believe I need a drying cabinet in order to make guitars. I’m in Wisconsin and the humidity in my shop is never below 75% and way higher during the summer. I have a sling psychrometer so I’m reasonably sure about these numbers.
I’m not trying to start a business making guitars, I just want to make a few for myself and maybe family members. However, it would be nice if they weren’t destroyed in a dry house. Are there any plans here or do you all have some photos to share of yours? I would like to get an image in my head of what they are like.
I ordered a small humidifier/dehumidifier humidistat and a small fan for this. Now I need to find some space in the shop for a cabinet, that will be fun and might be the longest part of this project.
Thanks,
-Eric
After reading about this here and other sources I believe I need a drying cabinet in order to make guitars. I’m in Wisconsin and the humidity in my shop is never below 75% and way higher during the summer. I have a sling psychrometer so I’m reasonably sure about these numbers.
I’m not trying to start a business making guitars, I just want to make a few for myself and maybe family members. However, it would be nice if they weren’t destroyed in a dry house. Are there any plans here or do you all have some photos to share of yours? I would like to get an image in my head of what they are like.
I ordered a small humidifier/dehumidifier humidistat and a small fan for this. Now I need to find some space in the shop for a cabinet, that will be fun and might be the longest part of this project.
Thanks,
-Eric
-
- Posts: 1674
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:04 pm
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
Hi Eric,
Their are two ways you can approach a "drying cabinet". One is to use heat to raise the temperature relative to the room temperature and lower the relative humidity that way. Another is to use a dehumidifier to remove the water from the air in the cabinet. In the mid Atlantic, we have days that are both hot and humid and days that are cold and dry. I use a dehumidifier in a closet during the warmer months and switch over to a portable oil filled heater and a humidifier (plugged into a humidistat) in the cooler months. The closet is lined with plastic sheeting to cut down on moisture transfer through the walls. I only use the closet during critical gluing phases of the construction.
I am surprised the humidity in your (heated?) shop doesn't drop below 75% in a cold climate like Wisconsin.
Their are two ways you can approach a "drying cabinet". One is to use heat to raise the temperature relative to the room temperature and lower the relative humidity that way. Another is to use a dehumidifier to remove the water from the air in the cabinet. In the mid Atlantic, we have days that are both hot and humid and days that are cold and dry. I use a dehumidifier in a closet during the warmer months and switch over to a portable oil filled heater and a humidifier (plugged into a humidistat) in the cooler months. The closet is lined with plastic sheeting to cut down on moisture transfer through the walls. I only use the closet during critical gluing phases of the construction.
I am surprised the humidity in your (heated?) shop doesn't drop below 75% in a cold climate like Wisconsin.
- Karl Wicklund
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 12:42 am
- Location: NW Wisconsin
- Contact:
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
I feel you on the humidity Eric. My shop's on a cement slab and it just feels clammy on those humid days. Wisconsin can be pretty swampy in the summer.
Kaptain Karl
- Barry Daniels
- Posts: 3190
- Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:58 am
- Location: The Woodlands, Texas
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
A lot of cabinets use a simple lightbulb to control humidity. I am not sure a dehumidifier locked up in a small cabinet would be a good idea. They can put out a lot of heat in addition to the dry air. That might be too much for such a small space. There are a lot of older discussions on drying cabinets in the library.
MIMF Staff
- Eric Knapp
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 2:01 pm
- Location: Wisconsin, USA
- Contact:
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
I'm also on a clammy cement slab in my detached garage. I should have sealed the floor before building the shop but it's too big a task now, ugh.Karl Wicklund wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:59 pm I feel you on the humidity Eric. My shop's on a cement slab and it just feels clammy on those humid days. Wisconsin can be pretty swampy in the summer.
-Eric
- Eric Knapp
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 2:01 pm
- Location: Wisconsin, USA
- Contact:
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
I read all the posts on drying cabinets in the archives. I understand the concept and have the hardware already. What I'm looking for are ideas on construction of the box itself. Do you use plywood? Does it need to be insulated? Where does the fan go? How far above the light bulb is the first shelf? Things like that.Barry Daniels wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:16 pm A lot of cabinets use a simple lightbulb to control humidity. I am not sure a dehumidifier locked up in a small cabinet would be a good idea. They can put out a lot of heat in addition to the dry air. That might be too much for such a small space. There are a lot of older discussions on drying cabinets in the library.
Thanks,
-Eric
-
- Posts: 1674
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:04 pm
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
Hi Barry,
In a closet sized enclosure the dehumidifier seems to work O.K.. It does put out some heat, but also cuts off when the humidity reaches the level you set it for, and in a closet with a good vapor barrier it doesn't run for long periods of time.
I wonder if anyone has adapted an old refrigerator as a drying box? It would have a good vapor barrier and a relatively air tight door.
In a closet sized enclosure the dehumidifier seems to work O.K.. It does put out some heat, but also cuts off when the humidity reaches the level you set it for, and in a closet with a good vapor barrier it doesn't run for long periods of time.
I wonder if anyone has adapted an old refrigerator as a drying box? It would have a good vapor barrier and a relatively air tight door.
- Eric Knapp
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 2:01 pm
- Location: Wisconsin, USA
- Contact:
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
A quick search for "fridge as drying cabinet" shows that this is a big thing. Drying foods is the most common but the concept is the same. I think this is an interesting idea and I'm going to pursue it a bit.Clay Schaeffer wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:36 pm I wonder if anyone has adapted an old refrigerator as a drying box? It would have a good vapor barrier and a relatively air tight door.
-Eric
-
- Posts: 1674
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:04 pm
Re: Drying cabinet plans or photos
Hi Eric,
Thanks for pointing me toward the refrigerator for food drying info.
I was reading an article on Thermo- Electric dehumidifiers. On the OLF someone said they tried a Peltier dehumidifier to dry a room and it didn't work well, but is sounds like it - might - work O.K. for a drying box. I don't know how much heat they generate (less than compressor types) but they seem to be low cost with few moving parts:
http://www.dehumidifierbuyersguide.com/ ... r-reviews/
Reading the questions and answers may help you decide if it might be a viable option. If my current portable unit dies I may try one for my drying closet.
Thanks for pointing me toward the refrigerator for food drying info.
I was reading an article on Thermo- Electric dehumidifiers. On the OLF someone said they tried a Peltier dehumidifier to dry a room and it didn't work well, but is sounds like it - might - work O.K. for a drying box. I don't know how much heat they generate (less than compressor types) but they seem to be low cost with few moving parts:
http://www.dehumidifierbuyersguide.com/ ... r-reviews/
Reading the questions and answers may help you decide if it might be a viable option. If my current portable unit dies I may try one for my drying closet.