Dry Box - The details

[Chuck Tweedy]

I think you can get them at places like Sprawl-Mart & Target.
My wife has some to store sweaters and other clothing.

[Randy Roberts]

Chuck,
I think I mentioned this to you two GALs ago, but then no one pays any attention to the old fart muttering in the corner I guess.<g> ( Oh, and thank you for the manual smiley!)
I was going to chime in earlier, but you seemed to be having so much fun with what you were doing that simple just seemed inappropriate somehow.

Steve,
I got mine at the grocery store, but I'm not sure if they still have them there or not. I'd bet Target would. Or maybe Walmart, but I'll never set foot in one of those. If you have trouble finding any, let me know and I'll send some out to you. (also a humidity gage if you want, I have 17 now<g>). But don't you guys have clear cadaver bags out there? <g>

[Chuck Tweedy]

"two GALs ago" !!!

That's like ... what ... 5 years ago!! I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, let-alone what some old fart was mumbling to me in Tacoma 5 years ago!!
Oh, I'll catch it for that one.

I'm sure you did Randy and it is totally my bad for forgetting. I promise to pay closer attention next time.

"two GALs ago" - that is ripe for a joke, but its just not the same as it was when I got to walk the fine-line with Deb.

[Jason Rodgers]

Woa, I've missed this thread. Nothing like watching Chuck stick his foot in his mouth!

I was a little disappointed to hear Tim pronounce the Guild as "Gee - Aye - Ell" at the last conference. I've always called it the GAL!

Portland has been wet as of late, hovering around 55%-65%, and I can't justify cranking up the Cadet heater when we're happy to see 72F outside. My little shop can be a dry box itself! The humidity goes up when I breathe, so maybe my absence is keeping things in stasis!

I'm finding my backlog of projects has it's benefits, though. Since it's too wet to glue up a top, it's time to shape a solidbody carve-top!

[Randy Roberts]

WHAP

Does that make it better?

So... two GALs walk into the bar for the open mike and...

[Chuck Tweedy]

Have 3 beer each, enjoy the music thoroughly, and walk (excuse me) stumble back to the dorms.

[Jason Rodgers]

Ah, the WHAP... good times.

So, what do ya think you'll do in the battle against humidity, Chuck? Bag it or box it?

[Chuck Tweedy]

The box is already working and, like I said, I do like the way it pre-warms everything for glue-up. It's convenient, close and tucked away under a bench.
I think I'll be using it for short term - fast access stuff.
I'm going to look into the bags for longer term storage. It's just so efficient and clean - just like Randy!!

[Bill Raymond]

Just send all your wood up to me, Chuck, we're at 45% humidity and 102deg. F. I can keep it warm and dry for you.

[Mark Swanson]

I think I was at that Open Mic!

[Chuck Tweedy]

That's right - you were the MC weren't you?

Okay Bill, but you are going to be paying for a LOT of overnight shipping. I need that stuff on the bench - DRY!

[Mark Swanson]

Yes, that was me- MC Markie.

[Tom Sommerville]

If reasonably well sealed, a dessicant should work in the box.

Icecream maker salt should work.

[Chuck Tweedy]

So... Let's just forget, for a moment, that Mr. Randy has thrown a wet blanket on my dry-box - Because I made a cool thing to replace the light bulb. (Actually I started this before the wet blanket)

At work I found a couple old motherboards in the e-waste bin that had these really bitchen' CPU fans that sit right on top of the processor and suck the heat directly out.
I took one of the CPU fan assemblies and separated the fan from the heat-sink so I could do some machining to the sink.
I drilled and tapped a hold in the copper core of the heat sink, and mounted a recangular piece fo scrap aluminum directly to it (with a countersunk flathead cap-screw, 10-32)
I then put a 30W silicone rubber heating pad directly on that aluminium bar. The pad is self-adhesive.
I then put the fan back on the heat sink (it just clips on).
Now I just put 110VAC to the heater, and 9VDC to the fan (it is rated at 12V, but 9V is all that is needed in the box to keep the air circulating).

The light bulb was overheating the back corner, and the rest of the box was not fully up to temp. With this active heater, the air is always circulating, and I'm always pumping in enough heat to keep everything nice and dry.
It is working very well indeed.

Here's the top of the heater assembly with the heat pad. The piece of copper arc you see would normally be down on the CPU, now it is mated to the aluminum

Here is the fan side. Oh, and it has little rubber feet to keep everything nice and quiet.

[Randy Roberts]

My apologies. I had no intent on being a wet blanket. Indeed I was glad to see someone else with the same guiding principle I've always used when building guitars which is "how can I make this more difficult than it should be?". <g>

Really, I think your dry box is cool, and I'll bet you can hatch eggs in it too...Hey, put one of the kids on the phone, will ya?
I do have to take issue with the feet though, cutting rubber feet dots in half is rather miserly isn't it?

[Chuck Tweedy]

I can't type ... I'm laughing too hard - that was a really great post Randy. ... OK ...

First off, I think we could build and entire convention from those of us here that have lived by your principle. Which, would only be surpassed in size by the miserly convention. <BG> that's old-school

Now ... in defense of my cutting the feet in half (because you know I can't avoid it )
I have plenty of feet, and don't feel a need to conserve, however, they fit so much better this way. I suppose I could have cut just the center piece out of 4 pads, but the efficiency of halving them appeals to me. I guess that is miserly. If the stigma fits ...

[Clay Schaeffer]

Your feet have stigmata? You better check the wood every third day! <g>

[Jason Rodgers]

Now THAT'S some smart thinkin'! So, instead of a heat sink, it's a heat...er...float? How do you control its cycle or temperature, or does it just stay on?

[Chuck Tweedy]

I've just been leave it on for the past few days. Ambient RH has been high due to the springtime marine layer - 70-75%, but its been a toasty 50% in the box since the heater went in.

30W is very little power, and the fan at 9V is nothing.
Haven't had much time to do much with the plates in there, but the rims are ready to make complete boxes ... probabaly this weekend.

[Jason Rodgers]

Hey Chuck, how's the box been working now that we're getting into winter?