Keep 'em dry

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Posted By: Dave

I recently checked my card collection which is stored in a gun safe, and found the dessicant to be in a cake as opposed to powder. I had two bags of dessicant, one large one that had been placed in a cloth bag, and the other came with something I bought and was in the shipping materials. Not much weight but packed in military packaging. It stated that to restore the drying power, it needed 18 hours in an oven at 285 deg F. Right!

I thought a microwave would make quick work of drying this stuff out. After about 2 minutes of waves, the bag was sitting in a white puddle, really rude. I threw this out as it was totally soaked and not close to dry.

My wife bought new today, $1.49 for 13 oz.

The message here: If you use dessicant to keep your cards dry - either in a home safe or a safety deposit box - check it often! If it doesn't feel like sand, but has clumped together, it is time to replace it.

I foung that old socks are a good pouch for this, as it is in a plastic bag when sold. I used two old socks without mates (and without holes in the toes), put half the bag in each, and sewed them shut. Should be good for another year, but I'll check often.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

A swamp?

I am so lucky to live in a friggin' desert.

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Posted By: Paul

I use the 33 cuft box. These are nice, because they have a colored indicator that turns pink when it needs to be baked out.



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Posted By: dd

Hey Adam,

Is there anything wrong with living in a swamp???

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Posted By: Dave

I should mention that I don't live in a swamp, almost a desert, near Spokane Wa, where the average humidity lately has been in the 20's or 30's.

As a side note, be sure the containter of dessicant is well sparated from the cards because it will end up in its own puddle of water if left alone.

I like the idea of a box with red/blue patch as an indicator. I'll look for that next time.

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Posted By: Bob

You guys are lucky, the temperature has been over 100 here every day for the last 3 weeks with no end in sight. Nah, there's no such thing as global warming.....

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Bob,

That's terrible... 100 degrees. I'm living in a low humidity area that is about 80 degrees or so... make that mid 70's with the wind chill factor (ocean breeze)... It's truly horrible, I think I'm going to complain to my city council and see what they can do about bringing it up a couple degrees and see if they can add a few % to the barometric pressure...(not to mention getting rid of that nasty ocean breeze)

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

but ... two socks without mates - is a pair!