humidity control

[rorybbellows]

I came across these when I was checking out proper ways to store my harvest. Could be used for reeds and pipes (maybe)
https://bovedainc.com/

RORY

[An Draighean]

I came across these when I was checking out proper ways to store my harvest.

"Herbal medicine", Rory?

[rorybbellows]

Yea! Arundo donax is a type of grass just like my harvest.

RORY

[elbowmusic]

Did some experimenting with that stuff. Jammed it in my chanter top and connected a humidity meter to the top. it works great, until you start playing and then its like it's not there. Even tried putting a bunch in the bag within a long tube for the air to flow through, but no dice.

I think where this stuff can really shine is for spare reeds. Keep them in a hermetically sealed box with one of those little packets and it'll keep like new forever.

[razzmaster]

A cigar loving friend turned me on to these last year and I used them over this past winter. I shoved some in the bag of a few various sets, but like Nate, as soon as the air was moving through they were less helpful. So I continued to use my tried and tested sponge methods.

However I did find use for them in-between playing. I would detach the chanter and put the whole thing in a sealable bag with one of the big packets whenever the pipes were in the case. It definitely helped. Packets when not playing, combined with judicious use of sponges during playing and I had the happiest reeds I think I've ever had from November to April.

Agreed with Nate on the spare reeds too!

[elbowmusic]

I 3D printed a top that fit in my brass chanter top that I was able to fold one of the packets into. This kept the packet very close to the reed at all times. My chanter top was big enough for the packet not to get too close to the reed. It was interesting to use it like that. The reed always started off playing like it was the middle of summer, but then in about five minutes or less, if I was playing in my unhumidified house, it went down hill fast. This was not very useful.

I decided that, ultimately, it was probably way worse for the reed as it was constantly going from nicely humidified to bone dry every time I played it. I decided that just playing a nice winter reed was a better choice. That said, I suppose that combining this set up with ambient humidifying techniques might be a more fruitful endeavor. I was hoping for a silver bullet, which this certainly wasn't, but a multi-pronged approach might work well with the packet-in-chanter-top/bag situation. Hmm....