Bamboo Tips - Tips Area - Humidity |
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Here in the mid Atlantic states (MD, PA, DE) we are undergoing hot July/August conditions in April. It leads me to question if rodmakers suspend efforts during these times fearing moisture reentry for unfinished blanks or do you just store them in tubes with desiccant when not working on the rods and continue despite the hot / humid conditions. (Bill Bixler) I'm in Louisiana, and if I suspended rodmaking operations during hot and humid conditions, well, I wouldn't build many rods. I do use common sense. After heat treating, my cane is stored with silica gel desiccant, though I'm not sure that's necessary given Milward's findings on permanent changes. Where I do get really funny with moisture is after heat-setting the epoxy. Into the desiccant straight out of the oven. Then, soon as I get the tiny bit of excess glue sanded away, I slather with tung oil, and wipe off excess after 30 minutes or so. I know tung oil doesn't prevent moisture reabsorption, but I'd rather the rod section soak up tung oil than water. From that point till after getting the first coat of varnish, I only have one section at a time out in the tropical rain forest environment of my shop. I thinking of buying one of the "Golden rod" dehumidifiers for my drying chamber, and storing in-progress rods there. Also, I run the window unit A/C in the shop when it's hot. That takes a lot of moisture out of the air. Without the air conditioned shop, I couldn't stand it out there about 7-8 months each year. (Harry Boyd) Harry's right. If rodmakers in the southern US stopped during humid conditions, that would leave us about 1-2 months a year. This past year I think it would have only been during November. A/C is a life saver. I keep my sections in the house (closet actually) and only bring them out to work on one piece at a time. (Jerry Ballard) No but I have my dehumidifiers cranked up and really taking out most of the moisture. (Jack Follweiler)
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