<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial>Another way = to do it is to simply weigh a sample piece of spruce. Using the electronic balance I = use for action balancing work (goes to 0.01 grams), I simply weigh one or two = 100 gram or so pieces of spruce to monitor when the weight, and hence MC, has = stabilized. It may well be that the samples stabilize a bit quicker than the panel = because of their smaller size, increased surface area and presumably more rapid = rate of moisture equalization, so just give the panel a little extra time. And = of course, like Ron N.'s excellent gauge, the samples would follow the = panel around. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>One nice thing beyond the weight monitoring method's simplicity is that you can use samples cut from = the same stock you made the panel from. </FONT><FONT face=Arial>One = potential hitch using wood that is not from your current panel stock is that the initial = panel MC may be different from the gauge or whatever else you are using (here = again, the width measurement method eliminates that potential problem). Let's = say you have this very nice gauge that you had in your hot box a month ago and = it has been sitting in your shop since then (should be pretty darn close to EMC = in your shop - if you keep your shop at a constant RH). You get your spruce from = where? Outside storage? The garage? Another tech in town? It may not be = at the same EMC with the gauge in your shop. Now if you buy a three year's = worth supply of spruce and store in inside your shop, perhaps you would be OK, = but you would be surprised how long it takes for a big piece of lumber to come = to an EMC with its environment - depending on how wet it was to begin with - many, = many, many months. Bottom line, you just simply need to know what = initial MC your wood is if you are using a gauge. You can do that reasonably well = by drying in an oven and weighing (although I find the accuracy of this method to = be a bit wanting).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>David initially asked about <EM><STRONG>quick</STRONG></EM> drying methods. I think monitoring = weight and/or panel width are fine methods, but I also think it is advisable to = be patient and give the system a little extra time to be sure you have = reached your target EMC. Employing two of these methods would be good insurance. = If you are really trying to do this quickly - like you've got a tight = production schedule - IMHO, you need a system like Ron O's and some real good, = properly used, electronic equipment to accurately monitor the process. There is = much known about kiln drying wood. If you want to keep it simple, = and I think any low-volume shop can do that, you need to give a panel a week = or two to dry and stabilize in most situations.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From: "Ron Nossaman" <</FONT><A href="mailto:RNossaman@cox.net"><FONT face=Arial size=2>RNossaman@cox.net</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To: <</FONT><A href="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net"><FONT face=Arial size=2>davidlovepianos@earthlink.net</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>>; "Pianotech" <</FONT><A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><FONT = face=Arial size=2>pianotech@ptg.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 12:03 AM</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Subject: RE: MC gage = experiment</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT = face=Arial size=2>> <BR>> >Ron:<BR>> ><BR>> >I appreciate = you offering this.  If I may just clarify what might seem<BR>> = >obvious.  Does this gauge, then, follow the panel around that you are<BR>> = >working on?  Once you have a reading for the size of your gauge at = a<BR>> >specific MC, do you simply put the gauge in the hot box with the = panel and<BR>> >when the gauge reads your target then it must be assumed = that your panel<BR>> >has also?  If that's the case, then I assume = you take the gauge out when<BR>> >the panel comes out and goes back in = when the panel goes in.<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> >David = Love<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> That's the idea. Instead of interpolating panel MC = from the average of <BR>> repeated temperature and RH% measurements, I now = have a direct MC% gage <BR>> that responds at about the same rate as the = in-progress panel. When the <BR>> gage hasn't moved over a 24 hour period, I can reasonably assume the panel <BR>> hasn't either, and I can thus be = reasonably sure the panel MC is close to <BR>> the reading taken from the gage. = I like tools that make life simpler, and <BR>> this is as idiot resistant a = method of determining MC in a panel by <BR>> independent but coexistent instrumentation as I've ever seen anywhere, <BR>> supplying a nearly = 1:1 direct analog mirror of the panel reaction to humidity.<BR>> <BR>> = <BR>> Ron N<BR></FONT></BODY></HTML>