I've got a question for you cue builders. I live in the middle of Iowa so it gets real humid at times. I just bought a used Hightower Deluxe and right now the only place I have to set it up is in my basement. In the winter I run a wood furnace down there so the air stays pretty dry but this time of year it gets pretty damp. I'm going to invest in a portable AC unit or a dehumidifier. My question is which one would you try first? I'm leaning toward the AC. But would like to hear some of your guys thoughts. I will be storing my wood down there also. Thanks in advance.
Which one or both?
- Thread starter JUSTABANGER 2
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A/c unit would work. Keep it cool and drier. If the dampness is really bad you might have to add a dehumidifier. I pulled a vent from my central a/c into my basement shop space. It did the trick plus in the winter the heat comes through the same vent..
Thanks I hope a AC unit will do the trick. I hate rust and I know high humidity isn't good for cue building wood.
Your problem is humidity, not temperature.
The basement is maybe 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house so why cool it more?
Get the water out of the air and it would feel even more comfortable.
IMO, an efficient dehumidifier would be a better investment.
In the event that it does get too warm down there,
it's a perfect excuse to take some time off.
KJ
The basement is maybe 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house so why cool it more?
Get the water out of the air and it would feel even more comfortable.
IMO, an efficient dehumidifier would be a better investment.
In the event that it does get too warm down there,
it's a perfect excuse to take some time off.
KJ
You may consider dividing the basement up into several rooms. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, some studs and dry wall with some plastic sheeting. Maybe consider building a small storage room for your woods that can be completely climate controlled where your woods and unfinished work spend most of the time. You may also find it is nice having smaller work spaces. It is nice having a small room where you turn your woods that can be closed when the router, if that is what you use, running.
You just have to set it up with a kill switch that cuts everything off after a cutting pass. You can meanwhile be in a more quiet part of the shop doing other work while shafts and so on are being turned. Just some food for thought.
By the way, a wood storage room with a dehumidifier running can be made from just plastic sheeting and studs with a door of some kind. You can make up something like that in an afternoon to keep your woods dry and stable. You will need an hygrometer but they are cheap.
example
http://www.theweatherstore.com/nicerehyth41.html
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JaktUpCues
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what if you store your wood in a controlled room but your lathe is not. will it affect the wood if you take it out, cut it, seal it, then put it right back in the controlled room as soon as you are done?
portable a/c unit I have fits small windows. Also can cut adapter to fit even smaller ones'.
good luck, Bill
When I was in Pa, my workshop was in the basement. It stayed fairly much year round at 68f/ 20c . We run a dehumidifier all year round. We were getting so much water when we 1st installed it, I ran the drain hose option. We also had it elevated, reason being that the most humid air is nearer the basement ceiling.
Its not going to affect it much at all if any. But you still need a dehumidifier down there. Like KJ said basement will be cooler already. So I would spend the money on dehumidifier.