The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JOHN GIBSON
Date: 2000-12-19 15:01
Explain again if you would, why you should put a humidifier in your clarinet case. I was told it could cause too much dampness and rust the springs, etc.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-12-19 15:10
Depends on where you live and the local humidity. In the northern states, indoor humidity in the winter is practically zero. This leads to drying out of the wood resulting in loose rings and possibly even cracking. On the other hand, if you live in the Louisiana bayou, you won't need any extra humidity.
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Author: mw
Date: 2000-12-19 19:07
Yes, its a question of humidity .... or lack of it for some of us.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2000-12-19 22:25
OK, so does anyone have any guestimates on what kind of RH's / indoor dew points are required for a humidifier to be necessary.
e.g. I believe most indoor dew-points in air conditioning will be a few degrees above the temperature of the evaporator coils - I believe somewhere in the 50's (F) for straight refrigant, somewhat higher for chilled water.
In the winter, the inside dew point should be a few degrees above the one outside. (depending on water sources in the building, etc.)
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-12-20 04:17
Below 40%RH.
By the way,many pros put a fresh orange peel in the box in stead of iumidifier.
This is old fashioned way. I bought a dampit but found it totally unnecessary in
Tokyo area, Japan, orange peel either.
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Author: THE Big J
Date: 2000-12-22 02:26
I heard orange peels bring unwelcome critters to your clarinet home. Haven't tried it though, but I use a guitar humidifier and it has worked well so far. Does anyone else know of good even ways of distributing moisture to your clarinet? I live in michigan and it's kinda dry out here in the winter. Thanks.
-The Jeanster
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-12-22 15:19
As I posted in an earlier thread a mixture of half propylene gycol and half distilled water will hold a humidity level at 72% in a closed area(inside a case). Take the mixture and saturate a piece of swamp foam from a florist shop. Enclose the swamp foam in a perforated holder and stick it in your case. You will need to occasionally add water to the foam in a dry area. The water will leave but not much of the glycol. Occasionally(3 or 4 months) I give the foam a little squirt of the water/gycol mixture(less than a teaspoon). I change the foam once per year and start new. In damp areas it will actually lower the humidity to 72%, but I see no reason to use one if you live in a high humidity area.
I learned this from making humidors for cigars. Cigar smokers take keeping their cigars in perfect condition(72% humidity at 70 degrees). Propylene Glycol is non-poisonous, it's what most cough syrups are mixed in. Do not use Ethylen Glycol, it is poisonous. The Propylene Glycol is available from most pharmacies. They might look at you funny when you ask for it, but they will sell it to you and its not expensive.
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