doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com how to make a drying cabinet?

I've had great luck finishing in the winter in my wood-stove heated house...but with the humidity hovering on either side of 80% all summer I'm finding that finishing is taking 4 times as long if not longer. I see a lot of you professional-types mention drying cabinets for finishing stocks. I'm assuming you all made them...what's involved and do you see a noticable difference? Anyone care to give me a quick rundown on how to make a slick drying cabinet?

Thanks,
Dave

I suggest you buy a steel cabnet from Lowes & get a closet dehumidifier. Boone Berlin (stocker) lives down the block from me & put one together. he bought a nice metal cabinet from Lowes, weather stripping & closet sized dehumidifier. The electrical sponge was installed in the cabinet and weather stripping applied. Now when he wants to apply a coat of finish even during high humidity, he can. Ken

I have a similar setup except I use an old refrigerator sans working compressor, I fitted an air filter over the intake in the rear and instead of a dehumidifier rod, I use a shop light and a 75w light bulb hard wired to a switch where I can control on/off externally. Eventually I like to hook it up to a timer.

Buzzbee ----- Your set-up is excelent if you have the extra room --- I am always short room. I suggest you consider the dehumidifier. Using a light buld to raise the temp. is fine IF you live in an area where there is little humidity. In effect, you are only heating the humidity ( as I learned from experience) and having the stock in a constant flow of warm and dry air gives better results. The drying cab. is used in this method to keep all outside air , outside. By having only warm dry air circulating, the finish dries better, no humidity from the finish stays in the deeper wood fiber and the finish is assured to be dry not only on the surface but in the wood. FWIW, Ken

My humidity chamber uses a 300W light bulb, controlled by thermostat, for heat, and a heated condensate removal pan, controlled by dehumidistat and reversing relay, for humidity. To dry stocks, I simply remove the condensate pan, and set the thermostat for the 90-95 deg.F range. Typically, using Pro Custom finish, I'm dry in 12 hours. I haven't done much with straight boiled linseed, so don't know what the drying time would come to. I do have a friend who simply puts linseed treated stocks out in the sun to dry more quickly. Here, near Indy, humidity levels can be quite high during the summer months,[85-95%]. Heat is a strong factor, it takes you well above dew points, which alters relative humidity.
On the other hand, Mr. Ken's idea will work as well. Combining the two would probably produce almost miraculous results. I am concerned, however, about the potential for drying the wood itself, excessively, which might lead to swelling once the stock is brought back to "normal" humidity levels.
Jim

Good point Mr. Jim --- I realized this & figured by applying the same amount of finish to all inletted surfaces & under butt plate as I do to outside of stock would solve this problem --- no problem so far. FWIW

hi ken,in your earlier post you said to use an electrical sponge .what is that. what does it do.

p.s. how by engraving coming.

I use a simple plywood box with a ceramic light bulb fixture and a dimmer switch controlled from the outside. I built it when I lived in western Oregon in swamp-like humidity. The second reason for having a drying cabinet is protecting the stock from dust and damage stock especially when it is stripped of metal parts. I once damaged the toe of a custom stock drying it by the wood stove then I built the cabinet.
In central Montana the problem might be lack of humidity so I almost never use the bulb, just the box to protect from dust and damage. It is screwed to the wall so it cannot tip over. I have a small fan inside but never noticed much difference using it or not?!?
The heat from a single bulb will drastically lower the humidity and I must caution against over drying/heating. Years ago I shrank a maple stock to the point I could no longer install the steel buttplate! It took three weeks in normal atmosphere for it to swell back to normal. (Maple is much more subject to humidity than walnut.)
Also, natural oils require a certain amount of UV rays to comletely cure, the more oil in your blend the more UV needed. Once the finish is dry, I hang them from deer antlers in the window for a few days to cure (I'm sure the antler helps it harden). The longer the cure time without handling, the harder the finish.

Pawnbrooker --- When I mentioned the electrical sponge, I was referring to the dehumidifier. Engraving hasn't started yet.

SDH --- thanks for the insight re. UV rays. I have a blank I'm trying a new finish (to me) on & think I'll try your UV rays idea. Ken

Ken, don't forget the antler, it works for the Chinese!