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.
Last edited by SDH-MT; 09/07/08 01:23 PM.
