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Homemade Humidifier for guitar case


recordingtrack1

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I thought I would do a quick photo shoot of how I make mine. It took me longer to upload the photos than it did to make the humidifier. These things cost almost nothing to make and last 2 - 3 times longer than the sponge in the baggie trick. They are cleaner and will not leak.

Start with a tight sealing cannister of some type. Drill 10 or 12 holes in it with a 1/8 inch drill bit.
photo1.jpg

Use green wet foam. About $2 a block from your local florist. Make sure it is wet foam. Not dry foam. There is a major difference.
photo2.jpg

This stuff trims really easily with a sharp knife. I make an impression in the top using my cannister
photo3.jpg

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Thanks for going to the trouble of posting that, RT1. Guess I'll have to swing by the local florist and pick up a big ol' chunk of wet foam. It certainly looks like a great idea to me. Better looking than my holey baggies anyway.

I have a question, though. With my sponge/baggie it's easy to tell when the sponge is too dry. With your wet foam, how do you know when to add water?

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Quote Originally Posted by jamesp View Post
I use tap water in mine, too. I've heard that you can get mold from it, but mine never has. Easy and cheap enough to replace the foam even if it did.
My Cello kitchen sponges are factory treated to be anti microbal. I've used the same sponge for 2 years, no mold with tap water. Tap water is chlorinated too! I think the distilled water is overkill.

I'm going to give the OP's method a try. I have a nice large pill bottle that'll do nicely. I'll scout for some foam and top cracks be gone.
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There's this beaded stuff that is used in cigar humidor humidifiers. When you wet it it turns into this gelatinous mass of goo that doesn't drip and lasts months inside a humidor's humidifier.

I always thought it would be great for guitar humidifiers too. But I live in Florida and never need to humidify any of my guitars.

puck-inside.jpg

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Quote Originally Posted by valentsgrif View Post
Never had a problem with my sponge and baggie, but this looks neater.
Also, why the distilled water? I've always ran tap water in my Cello sponges.
Same here. Never seemed to have a problem with just regular ol' tap water. However, I'm pretty sure if I lived where my sister lives, I'd have to buy distilled water. Her water is so bad she has to buy bottled water just to make a decent pot of coffee.
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Quote Originally Posted by Opa John View Post
Thanks for going to the trouble of posting that, RT1. Guess I'll have to swing by the local florist and pick up a big ol' chunk of wet foam. It certainly looks like a great idea to me. Better looking than my holey baggies anyway.

I have a question, though. With my sponge/baggie it's easy to tell when the sponge is too dry. With your wet foam, how do you know when to add water?
Thanks for the comments guys. As far as when to add water, look at the photos before and after water is applied. It'll turn light green again. Plus it will be VERY light. You'll know when it is dry.

On the difference between distilled and tap, it is my understanding that the chemicals in tap water actually block the humidication process and does not increase the humidity level in the case. NO FACTS TO BACK THAT UP, just rumor rolleyes.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by recordingtrack1 View Post
Thanks for the comments guys. As far as when to add water, look at the photos before and after water is applied. It'll turn light green again. Plus it will be VERY light. You'll know when it is dry.

On the difference between distilled and tap, it is my understanding that the chemicals in tap water actually block the humidication process and does not increase the humidity level in the case. NO FACTS TO BACK THAT UP, just rumor rolleyes.gif
The humidity gauge in my Travelite case is at odds with this theory. Anymore I'm unsure whether an observable phenomenon passes muster as a fact or not, but it would be an easily repeatable experiment to make.
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I'm good with that.

I personally don't have the expertise to know the difference. The truth is that I frequently end up at Walmart and since distilled water is 97 cents, I just buy it. Since that is what I was told, I just always went with it. I suppose that each should do what they feel is best for their instrument.

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Gratuitous bump.rolleyes.gif


Nah, it's starting to get a little cooler every day and it won't be long until it is freezing.

Most of you clowns know all this stuff by heart, but for those (noobs like Knockwood) biggrin.gif who don't know, I personally feel this is an important little trick to know. Hence, I'm bumping it. Might do it again in a few weeks.

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Quote Originally Posted by recordingtrack1 View Post
Gratuitous bump.rolleyes.gif


Nah, it's starting to get a little cooler every day and it won't be long until it is freezing.

Most of you clowns know all this stuff by heart, but for those (noobs like Knockwood) biggrin.gif who don't know, I personally feel this is an important little trick to know. Hence, I'm bumping it. Might do it again in a few weeks.
The guitars you may save, and their owners, thank you! thumb.gif
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Officially turned on the heaters in my home last night. Humidity was down to 39% when I woke up this morning. This afternoon it was back up to 45%, but it's gonna be cold again tonight. I have my homemade humidifiers ready to go for each instrument case. All I have to do is add water. I also have two room humidifiers that are on standby but we are still a few weeks away from breaking those out.

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On the question of distilled water - It has always been recommended for humidifiers and I have always ignored it. I have used humidifiers in cases for many many years and never had any issues until this year. I found dark spots on the sponge I use in a plastic soap container type humidifier in one of my cases. The spots were at the vent holes I drilled in the soap container - none anywhere else on the sponge. I took the sponge out and washed it with dish washing soap , rinsed it well and put it back in. Not sure if this is right or even the smart thing to do but it is what I did.

As I undertand it, mold spores are present in the air of all homes at varying concentrations. I am not sure why distilled water is a lesser host, but it sure seems that is the commonly accepted wisdom. I believe it, I just haven't ever taken the time to explore it.

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For one of my acoustics I took an empty pill bottle, heated a nail on the stove, poked holes in the pill bottle, cut up a sponge to fit, soaked the sponge with water and threw it in the front zipper pocket of my soft case. Hopefully this will be sufficient, if not please tell me otherwise. My main concern is if keeping a humidifier in the front zipper pocket of a soft case is efficient enough. Let me know. Thanks.

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I found I needed to used distilled waster. The minerals in our well water soon plugged up a humidifier I have, rendering it far less useful. It now holds a fraction of what it used to. I humidify 5 guitars and a mandolin and a gallon lasts a couple of years. I can afford 50 cents a year to be sure I don't have problems.

Maybe with city water you don't have to worry about minerals. And ours are not excessive.

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Quote Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
I found I needed to used distilled waster. The minerals in our well water soon plugged up a humidifier I have, rendering it far less useful. It now holds a fraction of what it used to. I humidify 5 guitars and a mandolin and a gallon lasts a couple of years. I can afford 50 cents a year to be sure I don't have problems.

Maybe with city water you don't have to worry about minerals. And ours are not excessive.
That is probably the main issue - minerals plugging up the pores. But I have also been told distilled water is less likely to support mold. Doesn't matter - I am flat lazy and won't make the effort to use it. It is easier to go to the water tap since a drain would be needed at some point either way. Maybe lazy is an understatement. I thought about getting rid of my guitar cases with more than 3 latches because it is too much work with 4 or 5. :-)
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For those of use who have two thumbs....

You can also use small to medium size hair rollers... cut a sponge to size and there ya go. Oh, the smooth hair rollers with holes in them and traditional prescription bottle caps do fit each size.

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