Question about Boveda packs

[Ila]

I recently acquired my first wooden uke, and she's a beauty, a Romero Tiny Tenor in solid Koa. I've read that ideally the humidity in the case should be between 40 and 60 percent to prevent cracking and fret sprout, so I bought Boveda packs that are rated for 49%. I have one pack sitting by the headstock, and another by the body. The hygrometer in the case, though, reads only 36%.

Should I add more Boveda packs to the case? If I have two Boveda packs in the case, why isn't the hygrometer reading something closer to 49%? Please educate me and let me know if I'm worrying for nothing or if there's something more or different that I should do. Thank you.

 

[don_b]

Consider putting the boveda packs in a closed trash bag and then measure the humidity in the trash bag to find out if it is the packs being weak or the case allowing seepage. In the meantime, why not toss another in the case with the other two to see if your theory on the third pack is correct.

 

[Ila]

Consider putting the boveda packs in a closed trash bag and then measure the humidity in the trash bag to find out if it is the packs being weak or the case allowing seepage. In the meantime, why not toss another in the case with the other two to see if your theory on the third pack is correct.

Great suggestion about testing in a closed environment. I put two new Boveda packs into a ziplock sandwich baggie along with a hygrometer, and I let it sit on my desk sealed for about 30 minutes. The hygrometer only reached 38% in the ziplock. A second hygrometer in the thicker Boveda packaging reached 52%. 38 to 52 is a considerable disparity.

So perhaps the packs that were originally in my case were slightly weak, but not terribly so. Still, even brand new packs in a ziplock baggie aren't even reaching 40%.

 

[mikelz777]

Maybe the Boveda packs need to be "charged". You could place them in a small sealed container like Tupperware with a water source in such a way that they absorb the humidity but don't get wet. What size of 49% Boveda packs are they? Hopefully they are the larger 70 gram size that measure about 5.25"x3.5".

 

[Ila]

Maybe the Boveda packs need to be "charged". You could place them in a small sealed container like Tupperware with a water source in such a way that they absorb the humidity but don't get wet. What size of 49% Boveda packs are they? Hopefully they are the larger 70 gram size that measure about 5.25"x3.5".

They're the small ones, size 8.

 

[mikelz777]

They're the small ones, size 8.

That's your issue right there. That size was meant for small jars and containers for cigars, tobacco and such. They would be too small to properly humidify/dehumidify something as large as a ukulele case. I'm guessing that size 8 means 8 grams? If that's the case it would take 9 of them to equal 1 - 70 gram pack.

This is my first season using Boveda packs. I put 1- 70 gram 49% pack in the head space and an Oasis humidifier in the sound hole. This system has kept me within the 40-60% humidity range. At times, the humidity in the uke body gets a bit high (61-63%, I place a small hygrometer in the uke body) so I take the Oasis humidifier out of the sound hole and place it in the head space with the Boveda pack and that's enough to bring the humidity in the uke body back down into the acceptable range.

 

[Brian PacNW]

They're the small ones, size 8.

I agree with mike. 8 grams is tiny.

I use 70-gram 49% packs in mine, one per uke. My soft uke cases could probably use two since they aren't sealed very well. The hard case is fine. I bet you'll be happier with those.

 

[badhabits]

I'd say 36% is prob close enough... But how long have you been using those bovedas? Is interior of your case/bag "saturated"? As mentioned they may be old and/or the size may be too small, check that they are still usable, soft and squishy liquidy inside.

Do you take a reading only when the case/bag is opened? Maybe a bt hygrometer can tell you what is going on when you're not looking? This is the app display from the govee, bought on the long river:


and do you leave the case/bag open when playing? letting all that precious humidity escape?

 

[Ila]

Thanks to all of you. I usually check the humidity the instant I open the case, so I'm pretty sure I'm getting a fairly accurate reading on my hygrometer, and I keep the case closed even while I'm playing.

Since I have about ten of the small packs that I just bought in December, I'll put several into the case. That should help until I get my hands on the larger packs. I read somewhere that the small packs were appropriate for small string instruments like violins and ukes, but maybe I should have checked with UU first. Live and learn, I guess.

 

[badhabits]

dang, and I thought I got on UU early!

 

[Ila]

dang, and I thought I got on UU early!

LOL I have to get up before the crack of dawn to deal with a long commute here on the left coast.

 

[Contrails]

It could be that your case itself is extremely dry and whatever humidifier you have in there is being absorbed by the case as well. All the fabric and sponge/foam in there is a big sponge itself to absorb/release moisture. Hence the low reading. I am rather unorthodox in that I humidifier my case as well whenever I get a new uke to make sure everything is at the correct humidity. If I think it’s too dry I actually wipe down the inside of the case with a damp cloth and I place it some where in the bathroom where it won’t get wet. When someone showers some of the moisture in the air will get absorbed by the case. Then only do I put the uke inside with a humidifier/bovida. I recently had to do this repeatedly when I acquired a used uke. It was extremely dry and had some fret sprouting. Took about 2 weeks to get the humidity to settle down. One can do the same before flying too as the air in the plane is extremely dry. A little higher humidity is better than the reverse.

 

[badhabits]

Here is what they recommend for ukes and other small wooden instruments (filter to I need to protect: ✓ ukulele and mandolin)... free shipping deal right now:

Wood Instruments: 2-Way Humidity Control

Effortless, Reliable Protection for Your Instrument That Goes Where You Go.

store.bovedainc.com

 

[Ila]

Here is what they recommend for ukes and other small wooden instruments (filter to I need to protect: ✓ ukulele and mandolin)... free shipping deal right now:

Wood Instruments: 2-Way Humidity Control

Effortless, Reliable Protection for Your Instrument That Goes Where You Go.

store.bovedainc.com

AWESOME! Thank you so much. I ordered it. It seems to be a new item, and I'm excited that it will allow me to display the uke rather than keep it in the gig bag. I'm very grateful for the recommendation.

 

[mikelz777]

I would suggest that you somehow have a way to put a hygrometer inside the body of your ukulele to measure the humidity level inside the body if you choose to try and humidify the uke outside of its case as Boveda suggests with that product. I do this with all my cased ukes by tying a string to the hygrometer and placing it in the sound hole. (I store my cases flat so they don't move around in there.) Perhaps that product works just as Boveda claims and that would be great but living in such a low humidity environment like our Minnesota winters (Current house humidity is 21% and often drops into the teens.) I would have my doubts and would still be concerned about the fret board.

Experience has made me a bit paranoid. It was fall in MN, the furnace was on and the house humidity levels were hovering around 40%. At the time I had a smelly ukulele case and was trying various methods to try and air out the persistent odor and one such approach was to tilt the open case over the heating vent so that there was moving air hitting the inside of the case throughout the day. Since humidity levels were hovering around 40% I didn't think leaving the ukulele sitting out in the open on top of my desk would be a problem so it sat outside of its case for 5-7 days. Unfortunately, that uke developed a hairline crack in the top during that time. Fortunately it was a very fine crack and it's virtually invisible when the uke is properly humidified. If it's dry the crack opens up and it's much more visible. Since then I've been erring on the side of caution when it come to humidifying my ukes.

 

[Ila]

I would suggest that you somehow have a way to put a hygrometer inside the body of your ukulele to measure the humidity level inside the body if you choose to try and humidify the uke outside of its case as Boveda suggests with that product. I do this with all my cased ukes by tying a string to the hygrometer and placing it in the sound hole. (I store my cases flat so they don't move around in there.) Perhaps that product works just as Boveda claims and that would be great but living in such a low humidity environment like our Minnesota winters (Current house humidity is 21% and often drops into the teens.) I would have my doubts and would still be concerned about the fret board.

Experience has made me a bit paranoid. It was fall in MN, the furnace was on and the house humidity levels were hovering around 40%. At the time I had a smelly ukulele case and was trying various methods to try and air out the persistent odor and one such approach was to tilt the open case over the heating vent so that there was moving air hitting the inside of the case throughout the day. Since humidity levels were hovering around 40% I didn't think leaving the ukulele sitting out in the open on top of my desk would be a problem so it sat outside of its case for 5-7 days. Unfortunately, that uke developed a hairline crack in the top during that time. Fortunately it was a very fine crack and it's virtually invisible when the uke is properly humidified. If it's dry the crack opens up and it's much more visible. Since then I've been erring on the side of caution when it come to humidifying my ukes.

Wise advice. Thank you. I have a hygrometer sitting on my desk and it currently reads 27%. The hygrometer in my case reads 44% now that I've got about a half a dozen of the small Boveda packs in there. I will err on the side of caution and keep my Tiny Tenor in its case.

 

[Kenn2018]

Boveda says that a brand new 47% Pack will start out at about 53%. As it ages, the amount of humidity it can generate decreases to about 43%. Then it gets stiff and needs to be replaced.

I used to keep a small 8g pack at the headstock and the big 70g by the heel of the uke.

What kind of case are you using?

 

[Ila]

Hi. I am using the case that came with the uke. Picture of the Tiny Tenor case
I currently have one 8g pack by the headstock and about 5 by the body until the larger pack arrives, sometime on Monday.

 

[SweetWaterBlue]

I would suggest that you somehow have a way to put a hygrometer inside the body of your ukulele to measure the humidity level inside the body if you choose to try and humidify the uke outside of its case as Boveda suggests with that product. I do this with all my cased ukes by tying a string to the hygrometer and placing it in the sound hole. (I store my cases flat so they don't move around in there.) Perhaps that product works just as Boveda claims and that would be great but living in such a low humidity environment like our Minnesota winters (Current house humidity is 21% and often drops into the teens.) I would have my doubts and would still be concerned about the fret board.

Interesting idea. My days of modeling complex air movements ended when I took a fluid mechanics course in grad school from a prof modeling air currents around tall buildings in cities. That said, I do wonder if their are micro-climates inside a case. Air is pretty viscous and Brownian motion has a way of dispersing it around. It would be interesting to see a study of whether relative humidity is materially different in different parts of an instrument case.

 

[Patty]

Hi. I am using the case that came with the uke. Picture of the Tiny Tenor case
I currently have one 8g pack by the headstock and about 5 by the body until the larger pack arrives, sometime on Monday.

I had the same case with my Romero—that is a LOT of foam. Really cushy and absorbent. Soaks up a lot of the humidity those Boveda packs (which I love) provide. I live in FL and low relative humidity isn’t a big problem. But in a dry, arid climate I’d add a hygrometer somewhere inside the case.