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What activities can be done on a rainy day?
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:19 pm
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?
- 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
Re: What activities can be done on a rainy day?
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:48 pm
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.
Re: What activities can be done on a rainy day?
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:51 pm
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
Re: What activities can be done on a rainy day?
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:00 pm
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.