[TheForge] Keeping things dry (was: Gorilla Glue)

[Jerry Frost]

Another perfectly servicable home made dessicant is sheetrock. Bake as many
pieces as you need in the oven at 270 - 300*F for half an hour or so.

Works well and is about as cheap as you can get.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Freeman" <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com>
To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 6:23 AM
Subject: [TheForge] Keeping things dry (was: Gorilla Glue)


> In a laboratories, we use dessicants to keep things dry.   Dessicants
> are available commercially.  Silica gel with cobalt indicator (blue,
> turns pink when wet) is available in crafts stores for drying flowers,
> and is commonly used to keep electronics dry during shipping.
> "Drierite" is anhydrous calcium sulfate (plaster of paris) in pellet
> form. Molecular sieve is a third type of dessicant, but less commonly
> available out of the laboratory.   (Plaster of paris will work, but is
> messy.  Portland cement will work, but is messy and caustic.  If powders
> like these are used in thick layers, the bottom of the layer may never
> do any good, as the top of the layer is in the way.  Pelletized
> materials are best.)
>
> If you find you have things to keep dry that you need rarely (i.e., you
> won't be opening the container frequently) you might set up a dessicator
> for your stuff.  Get an air-tight container of appropriate size and put
> dessicant in the bottom, preferably covered with a filter paper (like
> for coffee-making).  Any air-tight container will do, but having a clear
> container or one with a window is useful.  Common air-tight containers
> include wide-mouth mason jars and some "Tupperware"-type plastic food
> containers.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Bruce
>