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I've been working solely at a friend's workshop which is climate controlled to be between 35%-40% RH. It's not always easy for our schedules to coincide so I don't get to go work on things as much as I'd like so progress has been slow. Meanwhile, I have a workbench in my basement and I've cleared off enough space to work and even store some things, but the humidity fluctuates with each season. In the summer it got up to 60% and in the winter it dropped below 20% though with a small room humidifier I can get the RH to the mid-30s. BTW the temperature is usually 65°-70° depending on the time of day.

Lately though the RH has been a steady 47%-48% and after 11 years in this house I know that things will soon drop to around 40% so I'm wondering if it's "safe" to take some work home for the short term. I'm at the point of my first build where I'm gluing bracing to my top and am about to brace the back at my friend's shop where the go bar deck is and the humidity is constant. Once they're glued up would it be safe to take my plates home to voice them? I have tools of my own accomplish that task as well as a means to monitor the RH and temperature. I don't expect that I'd be able to "close the box" here at home but it'd be nice to at least work toward that goal. What do you think?

Also, I bought some 4/4 size S4S mahogany from a local lumber yard last year and it's been sitting in my friend's shop for about a year now. Would the conditions here at home be acceptable for building a neck blank from it?

Hey Neil, btw, long time no see (all my fault), but HEY!
I would think if your humidity matches his or is within 5 % that you would be ok.
But since I'm still a nugget at this, I'd wait for better info.
You have pics of that build anywhere? AGF or here?
Bob

I think the lack of responses is an indication that this is a touchy subject.

People built guitars before humidifiers and de-humidifiers existed.

That said, I think we've learned a lot, and I think the evidence shows that humidity changes... especially sudden ones, can be problematic.

You could probably make any of this work, if you are patient, and take precautions, and are observant of your materials.

naccoachbob wrote:Hey Neil, btw, long time no see (all my fault), but HEY!
I would think if your humidity matches his or is within 5 % that you would be ok.
But since I'm still a nugget at this, I'd wait for better info.
You have pics of that build anywhere? AGF or here?
Bob

Hey, Bob,

It's still on AGF but given that I work on it once every 3 weeks I don't update the thread and it sinks to page 2 or 3. I even had to start a new thread on AGF because it went over 300 posts. Here's the link to my photo album though:

http://s727.photobucket.com/albums/ww27 ... r%20Build/

Jim, I'm hoping my RH drops a little more. FWIW I was thinking maybe I should just clean up my basement and paint the concrete floor for starters.