What activities can be done on a rainy day?

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rcnewcomb
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:04 pm
Location: San Jose, CA, USA

What activities can be done on a rainy day?

Post by rcnewcomb »

It is the monsoon season here in Northern California, and my “shop” is my garage. Which of these activities are safe, or should be avoided during high humidity days?
  1. Thicknessing top, back, sides either by sanding or with a plane
    Bending the sides
    Joining the top/back pieces
    Radius sanding the top and/or back
    Gluing Kerfing
    Sanding a radius into the braces
    Gluing the braces
    Carving the braces
    Gluing the neck and tail blocks
    Shaping the neck
    Fretting
    Gluing truss rod in place
    Gluing the fingerboard in place
    Positioning and gluing the bridge
    Basic Setup
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out - another good day in the shop
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: What activities can be done on a rainy day?

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Randall, we aren't getting near as much precipitation here in the central valley as you are up there, but my shop is in my garage too. I have built 12 guitars there, and never worried too much about the temp or humidity. I've done all those things on your list at all times of the year. Since I can't control the humidity in my shop, I don't worry much about it. Gluing up anything when it is 110 degrees though is tough to do as the glue skins over before you can put the pieces together!!
I think you are pretty safe with any of those things. If your top plate stays flat while you are gluing braces, you should be good to go.
That is just my own opinion, but from my limited experience.
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: What activities can be done on a rainy day?

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Like Kevin, I have never worried about it and had no adverse effects, but with monsoon going on, I might delay gluing braces to plates until things dry out a bit, The problem is that the wet plates will dry out and flatten any dome you have, or can potentially crack a plate if there is no dome
Ed M
johnnparchem
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Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:50 pm
Location: Seattle
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Re: What activities can be done on a rainy day?

Post by johnnparchem »

do you have a relative humidity gauge? I live in Seattle and it rains and rains, but the relative humidity inside is usually not high. If you heat the cooler outside air at all the relative humidity will drop because warm air can hold more water than cold air. I am not saying the relative humidity in you garage is low or high, but it would be worthwhile checking it out with a meter.
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