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General => General Forum Comments => Topic started by: Manada on December 15, 2005, 10:11:30 pm

Title: Silica gel
Post by: Manada on December 15, 2005, 10:11:30 pm

I was day dreaming about paper money again for the 5000th time today, and I was wondering if silica gel good for safes and notes? Is it possible to overdry a note to the point of cracking? Is there a certain humidity percentage that is optimum for storage of notes?

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: venga50 on December 16, 2005, 06:32:09 am

Great question - I will also eagerly await some opinions on this, as I have a safety deposit box.  I've put two silica packets in my SDB, but I never thought about the over-drying angle...

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: rscoins on December 16, 2005, 03:54:23 pm

Humidity level in paper should be the same as kiln dried lumber, 13-19 %.
Too dry, it will crack, too humid it will rot.

Average indoor humidity in the winter is about 50% in Southern Ontario. A couple of silica gel packages with a group of notes will attract the excess moisture to them. Change them fairly often, a couple of times a year.

Most bank vaults are pretty dry inside.

Rick

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: Tom on December 16, 2005, 06:29:40 pm

I think you will find that bank vaults are dry enough, they are usually left open during the day time or at least opened often.  I would be (and I am) concerned about home safes. Usually in the basement (damp) and usually not opened too often.  When White Rose stores were in business, I got silica gel from them that had indicating crystals in them which were blue when the gel was dry then turned pink when you needed to bake it dry.  I put the gel in an old plastic peanut butter jar which I had cut a large hole in the plastic lid, nearly the size of the lid, then cut a piece of non waxed non painted cardboard like cereal box, to cover the cut out and not let the gel spill out.

I don't know where to get that now but when I did get it from White Rose, it was in the craft section used to dry flowers.  Maybe other craft shops would have it.

Tom  

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: rscoins on December 16, 2005, 08:37:19 pm

Radio Shack or other electronic stores often sell silica gel in small amounts.

Rick

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: Manada on December 16, 2005, 10:21:39 pm

Now that I think about it I guess Michael's craft store would probably have all types of silica gel. I wanna thank everyone for a constant supply of solid info, man I love this site!!!

Thanks

Manny

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: jasper on December 17, 2005, 08:07:03 am

I got some on ebay.

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: radarseeker on December 17, 2005, 08:24:36 am

I went to a "work boot" store and asked for the packs of silica that are placed in every boot shipment container. The bags I received are approximately 2" x 1.5" x 1" and contain a lot of product and to "boot" ... are free!  ;)I even put one in my car in the winter !

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: djtk on January 18, 2006, 06:34:14 pm

Another good source is your neighbourhood pharmacy - their bulk pill shipments contain cylinders of silica gel which they just throw away.  Befriend your pharmacist and you'll soon have a useful pile.

Title: Re: Silica gel
Post by: Manada on January 22, 2006, 11:24:30 pm

Just bought about a kilo of flower silica gel at Michaels craft store for $15.