Oiling and Humidity

clark · Post by **clark** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:34 pm

For the memberane: How about a piece of coffee filter paper. I have also seen empty tea bags (for self filling) sold in fine kitchen supply stores for a couple of bucks a box. They are a little bigger than regular tea bags and might be easier to work with.

Clark

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:35 am

spittle wrote:it also sounds like you don't wet the salt enough to make a soupy paste that would actually leak out of a perforated container.

Omar wrote:'a saturated solution of common table salt in a sealed container

A saturated solution is one where the liquid can hold no more salt. So in this case, you dissolve as much table salt in water as you can until no more will dissolve (and any more just settles to the bottom of the liquid). You then decant the liquid into your 35mm film canister.

So yes, you have a canister full of liquid (brine, salt water), not a canister full of damp salt.

If you put a canister of salt in your instrument case, you'll suck up all the moisture in it!

Tom O'Farrell · Post by **Tom O'Farrell** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:55 am

My understanding of the membrane is that it really is a typical lid of the 35 mm film container with some small holes drilled in it, not a separate piece of material like tea-bag or coffee filter. Am I wrong?

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:01 am

That's the impression I get too, Tom. But clearly this isn't any good for a flute case you intend to carry around; the solution would pour out the holes. Think it's meant only for static storage indoors, but only yer man the Bore Doctor can answer that definitively I reckon.

spittle · Post by **spittle** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 11:25 am

Thanks everyone for the clarification - I've promptly removed my teabag of damp salt, lol

and gone back to a damp peice of paper towel. I'm going to get some of the green florist's foam (as used in humidors) as it's pretty good at dispensing moisture at an even rate. No more of this 'salty-water' mess - good idea, but not very practical for a mobile instrument and its case.

Cheers!
- Ryan

norseman · Post by **norseman** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:01 pm

dow wrote:You know, this reminds me of something that I used in my guitar cases for years. It's called a Herco Guardfather, and is a little plastic tub with some clay in it. You saturate the clay in water, shake out the excess and put the tub in your case. It works on the same principle. Seems like they run around three or four dollars a piece. similar in size to a film canister, but maybe a little shorter and a little bigger around.

AHA! Here's a link Herco Guardfather. Your local guitar shop should have them. Might be a good solution, and much less likely to spill than salt.

Thanks dow! I had completely forgotten about these. I still have one I got at least 15 years ago for an old guitar. I'm going to try it out and see what level of humidity it keeps the inside of the Rubbermaid with my flute in it.

Bob

norseman · Post by **norseman** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 10:28 am

The Guardfather is working very well! When I first put it inside the Rubbermaid, the humidity was around 55% after about a half hour. After being in there overnight, it's at 65% this morning. That range seems just about ideal.

Bob

dow · Post by **dow** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:15 am

Glad it's working! Those things last forever, and the price is certainly reasonable. I think they're around $3.00 or so at most guitar shops.