Silica Gell Dehumidifiers

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I know about VP90 sachets, but does anybody use large silica gell packs in their gun cabinets.

How many grams of the stuff would be appropriate for a 6-7 gun extra deep Brattonsound cabinet for example?

And how often would it have to removed and heated up under normal indoor conditions? Every couple of weeks?

[angrybear]

Under normal indoor conditions I can't see why you would need them at all ?

[Two200's]

Under normal indoor conditions I can't see why you would need them at all ?

My house is a modern build, it's always been dry and feels dry too.
The humidity levels indoors are low.
I have a £1 shop dehumidifier in each of my cabinets and the amount of water they grab is scary.

It's probably nothing to worry about - but at a squid, it's at least another line of defence.

If you feel that way inclined, try it - you could be surprised.

[cooper_dan]

I've got one of the large caravan jobs in mine. Either 500g or 1kg, can't remember off the top of my head. I've got too many rifles to fit in a cabinet so they are in a locked room, and one of the walls in an 'outside wall'.
It's only been in there a week and the indicator hasn't started to change colour yet. Will check again tonight but I'm sure it will be months before I need to worry about it

[eyebull]

It's not been mentioned yet, but just in case anyone does, Calcium Chloride is not suitable for use in gun cabinets.

[gordon]

It's not been mentioned yet, but just in case anyone does, Calcium Chloride is not suitable for use in gun cabinets.

Why ?

[PCPShooter]

It's not been mentioned yet, but just in case anyone does, Calcium Chloride is not suitable for use in gun cabinets.

Yep, because it sucks out all moisture -

Use Napier VP 90 sachets, designed for gun cabinets -

[lensman57]

I know about VP90 sachets, but does anybody use large silica gell packs in their gun cabinets.

How many grams of the stuff would be appropriate for a 6-7 gun extra deep Brattonsound cabinet for example?

And how often would it have to removed and heated up under normal indoor conditions? Every couple of weeks?

I am sure that if you squirted a little of the Airgun oil containing VP 90 over and inside of your guns from time to time then you wouldn't need to use the gel. As for how often they need to be replenished is usually when they change colour . All of my CCDs for astrophotography use the gel or a tablet version of it, in the sensor chamber and they need to be replenished at least twice a year or when they turn to yellow from white. With a gun cabinet open to atmosphere though I am not sure of the answer.

A.G

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I would use VP90 but I have an airsoft rifle in the cabinet, and I don't know if the vapour it gives off would probably be harmful to some of the internal parts.

As a general rule gun related maintenance products and oils are a no no for airsoft because of the seals and buckings in the hopup units. And then there is the wiring and the contacts to think about.

It may not be harmful to them but I have no way of knowing.

[lensman57]

I would use VP90 but I have an airsoft rifle in the cabinet, and I don't know if the vapour it gives off would probably be harmful to some of the internal parts.

As a general rule gun related maintenance products and oils are a no no for airsoft because of the seals and buckings in the hopup units. And then there is the wiring and the contacts to think about.

It may not be harmful to them but I have no way of knowing.

Best play safe then.

A.G

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Funny how you can go for years without noticing something that is staring you in the face.

A dozen years or more ago, I had two Brattonsound extra deep cabinets. I sold them when I sold off all my airguns before going to live abroad. They both had metal inserts that held the foam, and so I blithely assumed my more recently purchased cabinet would be the same.

Lo and behold I have discovered on recent inspection that this is not the case. Only foam is visible. What might be behind it I have no idea but I suspect it has just been glued into place. Cost cutting exercise perhaps?

So now replacing the foam will be more difficult than I had anticipated. I emailed Brattonsound for advice well over a week ago, but have received no response.

[Halimede]

My suggestion.
Where I work we buy in raw material that comes in shipping containers that have de-humidifying bags that weigh between about a half and two kgs (you may get similar ones from a motorbike shop). As we chuck them out (and my house is damp) I bring odd ones home and put them at the bottom of my cabinets. I change them monthly and they are often damp so they do grab some water. Some of these bags contain clear round material but most contain fine limestone that looks very like cat litter and probably is.
I have never cracked a stock but my home is damp in the winter months so perhaps the stocks never get over dry. Perhaps in a modern centrally heated house excessive drying might be a problem but I doubt it.
Don't fix a gunsafe to a wet wall and then suddenly dry a gunstock because timber used to make gun stocks is already pretty dry and wood normally cracks when the moisture content changes fairly quickly as water comes out mostly through the end grain which causes internal stresses. These stresses reduce once the wood returns to a more even moisture distribution. I turn wood on a lathe and if I make something out of damp wood it first cracks (called shakes) then the cracks close as the moisture content equalises to the house.
If your guns are rusting then dry and oil them before putting them away and try drying bags. If they are not rusting then don't worry.