[net.rec.wood] Rusting machines vs. dry wood

rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn) (10/24/85)

> Dehumidifiers?? These guys really need a visit to the Midwest.  (Must be
> boring not to have seasons...)

Seasons ain't the problem in understanding.  We got seasons here in
Colorado, no problem.  (Sometimes they get a little mixed up, of course;
we've already had our first three snows but the weather is beautiful and
warm now--er, last time I looked it was...)  The difference is that we
mostly keep water in lakes/rivers/etc. and breathe air.  Must be
interesting to need gills back there in the Midwest, but if I never
experience another winter near Lake Michigan I won't count it as a lost
experience of my youth.

Seriously, when you get to a dry climate you get to trade rusting tools for
cracking/checking/warping wood.  If anyone feels like posting some general
notes on dealing with solid wood (i.e., not plywood) in the face of 5-10%
relative humidity, I'd be interested.
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...At last it's the real thing...or close enough to pretend.

barrys@hercules.UUCP (Barry Steel) (10/28/85)

My solution was to move from Wyoming to Oregon.  It's amazing how much that
dry, cracking wood swells back up.  Too bad you can't stop it when it
returns to the "correct" (ie. original) size.  :-(

I've seen a lot of "professionally" hand-made furniture and such that seens
to survive quite well, it looks like is has been laquered (it certainly
wasn't oiled).  I wonder what they use on the commercially produced
"Scandanvian" furniture - looks like an oil finish and I presume it holds up
well or the American public would not buy it.

barry steel