Official Luthiers Forum!

Looks like I'll be replacing humidifiers en mass this year again...

What are you using and how is it holding up in a wood shop environment? Would like to find some that last more than 2-3 years...

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I use a whole house humidifier that is permanently installed in my HVAC system. I have had to replace the heating coil once, but the rest holds up great. I don’t see the value in the consumer units that break too soon. Mine’s a Skuttle, but I trust Aprilaire as a brand, and will buy an Aprilaire if/when the Skuttle craps out on me.

Been through this
If your a dusty shop as I am even with dust collection aprilaire is the unit you want. Yes it is more but no filters just a water hook up
I am looking into one for my shop. I use 2 lasko recirculation units and lucky to get 2 years out of them. Another reason to go aprilaire
less bacteria so you won't be sorry.
As for the skuttle mine didn't make a year the dust factor was more than it could handle. I run an onida dust collector and 2 ceiling mounted air scrubbers and the water and fine dust makes mud in a hurry and again , once you have standing water you are a breeding ground for bacteria

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I guess it depends on the size of your shop? I only control my 120 ft2 glue up room and my 6x8 paint booth, both with London Drugs sub 100$ units. But my locale is rather stable.

For a smaller shop you could make a homemade "swamp cooler" and hook it in line with a humidistat. Although they don't work for cooling on the humid east coast, they will work for humidification. You can periodically wash the dust out of the cloth towel "wicks" and clean out the water tank, so you don't have a problem with dust destroying the unit. A remotely mounted humidistat would give better humidity control and last longer than one mounted to the cooler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJN3lwVLGxs

If you are looking for a DIY solution, Robbie O’Brien has a video about building one out of a set of fog misters and a plastic bin. I would try that before buying more cheap, disposable humidifiers. But the whole house humidifier is the best solution.

Hey Buddy! Our shop is a leaky 120 year old third floor and there is no insulation. We have one Aprilaire and it's fine this time of year when the coldest it gets is around 32F.

When it drops more we use one that Dave built. It's got a conveyer belt/wick that moves though a tub of water with anti-bacterial chemicals and water. He preheats the air intake to a warm temp to carry more water into the chamber with the belt and then it's exhausted through the side of an old dr*adnougt used as a directional device to aim it where we want.

Between these two we maintained 40% RH as measured with calibrated hygrometers (multiple) even when it got to -17F last year.

My condo has an Aprilaire medium sized unit that I had installed when I moved in. It was $900 and is rated at 4,000 square feet, I have only 1,280 square feet.

Some advice if you go for anything that is a purchased product/solution they lie like rugs about the coverage and output. Always, always go way bigger than you need and you won't be sorry.

Wicks are awful and need a lot of care and cleaning and are expensive to replace too but sometimes unavoidable.

Lastly ultrasonic solutions requires very soft and mineral free water. We can't use them here them leave a white powder on everything.

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Ann Arbor Guitars

The aprilaire would be great, I have one of their dehumidifiers and love it. Problem is my shop does not have running water in winter let alone the hot water wanted by the unit...

Looking like another round of $29 units for right now...sigh.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I've had one of these AirCare hudifiers for a couple of years now. I like the high volume tank. On wheels so you can move it out of the way. Pretty quiet. And adjustable humidity and fan. The humidity gage seems to track my two other gages very closely. Easy to clean, too.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/AIRCARE-6-gal-Evaporative-Humidifier-for-2300-sq-ft-SS390DWHT/206432282?mtc=Shopping-VF-F_Vendor-G-D27E-27_23_PORTABLE_HEATING-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-PORTABLE_HEATING&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_Vendor-G-D27E-27_23_PORTABLE_HEATING-Generic-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-PORTABLE_HEATING-71700000033101428-58700003865771045-92700048700334210&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtf_tBRDtARIsAIbAKe2e43dhOakdTVsK1sUQ_0jfgoyJIOiJtizP-NDQFlAB9UCQK_QkXggaAprYEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

I also use the AirCare unit Tony mentioned. 5th season coming up! Just replace the filters every couple of months.

I have a small 120 sq foot shop that is pretty well insulated. I just hang a wet beach towel up over a towel bar. One towel is good for about 10 pct increase. If I need more, two towels. Just soak them in water each morning and wring them out good and they last all day.