Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey all, ok is shelled out the money for the lmii humidifier/thermometer
and the constant reading seems to be between 35-45% humidity
depending on how cold it is outside and around 61-63 degrees. My shop
is in my basement and is approximately 500 feet and enclosed. I was
wondering what a good humidifier is out there based on your all's
experiences given my circumstances. I assume also that in the
summertime the humidity will rise so if anyone could recommend a
dehumidifier that would be great also. Thanks again to anyone who can
help...

Oops I forgot to add that I am not able to make it down to the shop
everyday so if there is one out there that doesn't need refilled as often
that would be preferred. Good times.....

I have the Bionaire model with digital readout that I got from Sears. One
in the guitar room and one in the shop. This time of year I end up filling
the shop twice a day and teh guiatr room once every few days. I need
somethin with automatic re-fill. I put up plastic in the shop to reduce the
loss through the rafters to the adjoining room and through open ceiling
(basement). It helped a bit. If your at 35-45 with nothing in the winter,
this size may work. I'm in the low 20% outside my shop in this dry
Wisconsin winter. I should suplement with a vaporizer. Also think about
what filters you'll have to keep replacing with whatever models you look
at. I can get a 3 pack at Walmart for $6 and use two in my model.

The console humidifiers, while larger, have auto fill capabilities.  They are in the $150 + range, but you don't have to fiddle with them much.  I just replaced my el-cheapo one with a steam version that does not require a filter, and has a humidistat on it.  It is much more efficient than the other cool mist one, and does not off-set the heater.  I do usually have to fill it once every other day or so depending on the outside humidity.  

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I bought this one at the start of last winter.

Lasko

It never did work quite right, it had trouble tripping on when the humidistat told it to. And I think it finally burned the motor up a few days ago. It was the right size though.   My shop is about 500 sq. ft. too. So tonight I'll be getting another one about the same size, but not that brand.

I have a small Holmes brand that I had before this one, but it had a hard time keeping up, especially when it got real cold out. The Holmes is still working and is about 4 years old.

You definitely need to keep em filled, I don't know how many times I forgot and the RH would be at 25-30% in no time.

_________________
Horton, MI

I just cannot deal with this same question, over and over again, week after week - don't you people ever read the dang previous threads?????????

Sorry Brandon  I just wanted to for once see what it might feel like to be Grumpy......

I have a couple of Sears humidifiers with digital displays (which are off BTW) and they work fine.  The largest one, says it does 2,400 square feet, does fine in my place (1,400 square feet) except on the coldest days when it struggles to keep up.  I have the next smaller one in the shop and it rarely has to turn on.

The plastic is a good idea and there is really no away around having to refill these things and empty a dehumidifier in the summer unless, of course, you plumb them in.

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Ann Arbor Guitars

Hesh, I have actually seen a little pump you can get for a dehumidifier that will pump the water into a sink or toilet, or out of a window, if you cant hook a hose up and let it drain on its own.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Remember that dehumidifiers create a lot of waste heat. In the summer, I use an (one room) ((cheap)) air conditioner in my assembly room. Less than $100.00 from Wal-Mart. It keeps the RH at around 45% quite easily in my little 10 X 12' assembly room.

It shouldn't be too difficult to rig up a toilet float valve
& a 5 gallon jerry can of water (or you could plumb it in to your domestic water supply)to keep your humidifier tank filled when you aren't around.