Humidity. Measurement and trusting the numbers.

Humidity is important. When I build a guitar in my shop, I try to control the humidity. The wood must by dry. I have three ways to change humidity.  First is a dehumidifier.  It gets used mostly in the summer, but rarely even then.  I have a cool mist humidifier.  I also have a heater.  The heat lowers the humidity in the shop quite a bit.

But before you control it, you have to measure it. I have two moisture meters to measure the humidity in each piece of wood that I use. Both give similar readings but I have two to make sure that every piece of wood that I use is as dry as it can be before it goes into a guitar.

Humidity in the air is important when building instruments. I control it with a dehumidifier, or a humidifier when the relative humidity in the shop goes too far up or down. How can I tell?

I have a favorite hygrometer. Here are three. Notice that they all report the temperature as 68 degrees Fahrenheit.   Relative humidity is another issue though.  One reports 45%, another reports 33%, and another 38%.  Yes.  Different hygrometers give different readings.  The numbers seem exact until you realize the validity is in doubt due to individuality of the devices.

Here’s some photos.

 

 

Which is correct?   Boveda makes a little kit to test.   There is a sealable bag with salt crystals soaked to a specific relative humidity.  In 24 hours I can see what this hygrometer reads… 

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Finish prep…

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Before a guitar gets a french polished shellac finish, there is lots of attention to detail in preparation. Sanding, smoothing with a cabinet scraper, looking from all angles and lighting. Even the fingerboard gets oiled. Pores get filled. The top … Continue reading

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January 9 2018

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Ganzanillos continues to make progress… looooking gooood. The box is closed, the bindings on, body sanded.  The clamps are for gluing in the carbon fiber neck reinforcement.

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Both sides now

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The sides meet at the butt of the guitar…  they get a splice to clean up the joining.

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Component Convergence – updated

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Everything comes together.

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Top for Kevin’s Ganzanillos

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December 2017… work on Kevin’s Guitar. I took a week to go to DC, but things are progressing nicely.

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A blemish.

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OK, it happens.  An error.  The glue dries.  I probably should have undid it but the guitar asked me to please finish her.  So, she has a slight deformation that will not keep her from playing beautifully.  I’ve had her … Continue reading

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Rosette Choice

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Here are two rosettes inlaid into great European Spruce tops.  I have to make a choice which to use for a particular guitar. So, left or right?

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Rosettes and tops November 2017

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What’s going on in the workshop: Rosettes and Tops!  Plus, I’m almost finished french polishing a new cedar double top.

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Rick Beauregard Videos

Rick has had the guitar, Solidarity, for a couple of years.  The progress he has made on it is great, and he has a couple new videos that demonstrate how his music is coming along. He has some nice pictures … Continue reading

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