<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans = Serif"><HEAD><TITLE>Re: Drying down a panel</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <STYLE type=text/css>BLOCKQUOTE { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } DL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } UL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } OL { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } LI { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1226" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=davidlovepianos@earthlink.net href="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">David Love</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> November 06, 2003 6:10 = AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Drying down a = panel</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks Ron, but I'm not as young as you think.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV>David Love</DIV> <DIV><A = href="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">davidlovepianos@earthlink.n= et</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>In that case, = and depending on the volume of work you intend to do, you can build a simple box large = enough to accommodate the largest soundboard you expect to be working on. = Something on the order of 8' x 5' x 1' should do the trick. Use flakeboard or = something similarly cheap. It's easiest to use the ends as doors but much = more convenient in use to make the doors on the front. (Put a 1' strip across = the bottom and split a 4' x 8' panel into two 4' x 4' pieces. Use "piano = hinges" at each end. Don't worry about making it completely airtight -- = you'll want a bit of air exchange going on. Put in a couple of posts and braces to = keep the soundboard panel(s) up off the floor and spaced away from the walls. = Down in the lower right hand corner put a small oil-filled electric heater. This = should be a fairly high quality device with a decent thermostat and a low-wattage = setting (300 to 600 watts will be adequate). Above (or beside) this place a = small, non-oscillating electric fan to keep the air blowing gently = around.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>Go back to = the archives and find Ron's description of his handy wood moisture content meter and make = one. Set it up somewhere toward the middle or top. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>Put the panel = -- more or less centered -- in the box. If you're drying more than one panel use = wood stickers to keep them separated. Turn on the heater and the fan. Check = the wood moisture content meter daily. Once you have everything down to the MC = you want, turn down the heat and leave it all to stabilize for a few = days.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>Del</FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>