 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: chazman
Date: 2005-11-26 23:37
After searching through the archives I found an article on making your own humidifier out of a pill bottle and a small sponge (by Peter Spriggs). I purchased a few of these from our local RX along with a few makeup sponges in order to make a number of these. Drill a few holes and dampen the sponge and I'm dome. This seems very simple and relative inexpensive way to go. In the back of my mind is the big question is, will this be effictive and will it work? Has anyone else done this? If so was it successful? If not did you try something else and how was that?
I have seen the DAMPITS and Planet Waves small instrument Humidifiers as well. Any experience with these? Are these just over the top for protection?
Thank you for your professional answers and opinions.
Chuck
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-11-27 01:40
Here's an amateur answer and opinion:
I use the Leblanc humidifier in my BAM double case. Works swell.
In my basset horn case, I use a small sponge wrapped in a plastic baggie. Also works well.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-11-27 04:52
Use a "Dampit", a Cello or Guitar one works just fine in a double Clarinet case. The Violin/Viola ones work OK for a single case.
It depends on the time of years, dampness, and humidity also, whether or not to use a humidifier. It might take some experimentation to get just the right amount of moisture for you own particular horn.
Good luck,
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-11-27 08:48
http://www.humistat.com
Their model #1 is perfect for a Clarinet case and you only have to fill it about once a week. WWBW offers it, but you can get it from the manufacturer with free shipping. They are made of lexan.
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-11-27 12:39
yes, the humistat - it's distributed by Leblanc.
actually, it was recommended that you use two of them in a double case if you live in a dry environment.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-11-27 14:30
Yes. If case space is limited a small enough container can fit inside the bell.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2005-11-27 15:27
After using dampits and Planetwaves, I switched to Humistats:
Dampits require more frequent wetting and the inner core deteriorates in time.
Planetwaves are bulkier....they need a syringe and DISTILLED water to fill.
They deteriorate more slowly than dampits, but are trickier to use.
Humistats....easy as pie.
Tap water fills em.
Small.
You can use multiples.
You can set the number of holes exposed.
Lexan is durable
They are cheap.
Some cases will take up more water than others to equilabrate. BAM is very good at retaining moisture without having to keep refilling to reach desired setting.
As far as sponge goes....I use a real sea sponge soaked in water and placed in a supermarket deli pint container with lid and large holes in the lid. I put it in the drawer where I store reeds. Constant 50% humdiity....sponge stays wet for weeks even in cold dry weather.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-11-27 17:00
 is what it looks like.
To prepare it for 1st use after not having it wet for a while, remove the top cap (like you were adding water) but also soak the entire vial overnight so that the cotton can get moist. Water should drip out of the bottom of it when the cap is off. When the cotton is dry from not being used, water won't drip out of the bottom so you have to "prepare" the cotton with the soaking. Otherwise it can take a few days for it to give off the needed humidity. It won't leak at all when the cap is put on. Older models which weren't made of lexan were sometimes cracking too easily.
With the older model a student of mine "muscled" the cap too tightly and it broke - he is 80. The new model made of lexan can probably take a bullet 
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2005-11-27 17:50
(Disclaimer - I sell Humistats, hygrometers, and chemical humidity indicators)
You want to add humidity in dry periods, take it away in damp times but be careful that you do not add or remove too much water vapor - I recommend some way of measuring the RH - otherwise you have no way of telling where you are - too little, too much or in the sweet spot of 50-65% RH. As mentioned, a home made device or purchased product both seem to work equally well. The case often has a different microenvironment than the surrounding space, although given time it will reach equilibrium, but moving a clarinet around between different environments will often fool you as to the actual RH within a case.
L. Omar Henderson
Post Edited (2005-11-27 17:52)
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2005-11-27 18:40
Actually I hear Omar is working on nanomolecular buffers.
Spray the lil fellas into the case, they self-replicate, and keep moisture constant.......I tried them, and ooooooppps gotta go.
There is this gray slime oozing from my case onto the desk.....and.
HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLpppppppppppp
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Super Mario
Date: 2005-11-29 01:12
my teacher told me to use any kind of citrus fruit peels. said they work just as well. havn't tried it yet due to its not bitterly cold yet, but oh well.
Shanna
We are the music, while the music lasts.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-11-29 02:07
If you do use a citrus peel, make sure to dry it out for 1 day before putting it in the case.
Sometimes the bell ring will turn black using citrus though (mine did when I was a kid and did it - mine was nickel, not sure if it would do that to silver or not but it sure did it to my nickel bell ring)
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Author: MD1032
Date: 2005-12-01 02:22
How do these work, anyway? I just spray this Woodwind all Tone and Bore formula stuff in my clarinet once every few days lately and it seems to work well, but how can a humidifier help? Seems to me that if I put a tube of water in the cutout storage thing of my R13 case it won't do much to the instrument as the humidity would only effectively travel into that slot and nowhere else.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2005-12-01 04:35
(Disclaimer - I sell Humistats, hygrometers, and chemical RH Strips)
Controlling humidity and keeping the wood surfeit with oil are preventative maintenance steps which will reduce the potential for wood cracking due drying insults of cold weather (controlling temperature is also important). The old saying goes: some clarinets will never crack no matter what the environmental insult, some may crack if insulted, and some will always crack no matter what you do. Unfortunately the designation is not engraved anywhere on the clarinet. Prudent people will try to mitigate environmental insults with the hope that they have a category 1 or 2 clarinet especially if it is a #2.
Adding water vapor, even in the small crevice left in most cases will eventually equilibrate to an increased moisture level throughout the entire case (the case lining with distribute it passively). I believe in monitoring the RH with a meter or chemical strip to see if I need to add more moisture or let it naturally decrease to 50-70% RH, which I think is optimal, in a drying environment.
There is always a spate of questions about loose rings this time of year and this is a quick indication that the wood has lost moisture and shrunk. IMHO it is best to bring the clarinet back to a more hydrated state before having rings tightened or shimmed because in a more damp time of year the wood will swell and the constricted ring will exert great pressure on the tenon cup where the wood is thin. Many owners of new clarinets complain about loose rings and this is a different situation where ring tightening may be necessary. Properly fitting rings are very important.
L. Omar Henderson
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