Paradox
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Having received several comments and suggestions on what should go into a superior holder for registers (canisters) on summits I have distilled them and (of course) given extra weight to my opinions.
Problems with current canisters.
1) Canisters get removed/stolen.
2) The registers get wet within three years.
No person or design can prevent anything from getting stolen. If a register is placed on private property and the property owner removes it, then shame on the person who placed the register without permission. However, If a register or anything else for that matter, looks like it belongs in its present place then it is less likely to be removed by an owner, guardian, crusader, or thief. IMHO, the current generation of canisters has a boorish appearance. Many look like they should be kept under a kitchen sink (PVC piping), and most should be kept in a landfill (pickle jars, etc.). Think about it. We are out there in the woods for the views, the flora, the fauna, the fresh air, yet our holy grail is a piece of plumbing pipe with stainless steel fittings?!?!
Allrighteethen, it seems to me that the thing that belongs in the woods is... WOOD. Trees are made of wood, signs that give us information are made of wood, boxes that hold the registers at trailheads are made of wood, bridges over streams are usually of wood. Wood belongs in the woods. Why not canisters? After all, most of the summits we place them on are in the woods.
I have designed and built a prototype wood canister and it appears below. If it looks out of place, it is because the background is not the woods, but rather a keyboard and computer screen.
Here are some additional pictures of the prototype.
Notable design features
1) Phylosophy:
A) WOOD is unobtrusive and what folks expect. (see above)
B) Cheap material cost. (see above)
C) Everything outdoors gets wet eventually, Hence make it to shed as much rainwater as possible, but allow it to dry as quickly as possible.
D) Condensation is the major source of water ingress, rain is secondary. How do I know this? Short answer: I don't. However, I have lots of firewood in my yard and if it hasn't rained in a few days the firewood is dry. Condensation can be addressed by consulting a few references. A Psychrometric Chart can be obtained frome the TRANE Company, a firm involved with HVAC equipment and applications. The chart and software can be downloaded for free. With this chart you can determine the amount of water that is available to turn a 3"X5" notebook register into saturated paper pulp on a daily basis if it is placed inside a container of non-hygroscopic material (PVC, polycarbonate, glass, etc.) Just a few numbers: typical daily diurnal temperature variation in the northeastern U.S. is about 20-25 degrees F depending on the season. Typical relative humidities are in the 55%-75% range during the daytime hours. Hence, between 1 -8 grams of water will condence on the walls of a 1 liter, glass/PVC container as the temperature drops during the evening hours. If the paper register is able to contact this water it will absorb it and gradually get wetter with time (days, weeks, months, years). Glass, PVC etc. absorbs essentially none of this water. BUT, my wood canister contains approximately 550 grams of wood and can absorbe approximately 60 grams of water. Yes... 60 grams of water under the same conditions!!! This was determined from Equilibrium Moisture Content vrs Relative humidity Graphs that can be obtained from many sources including Bruce Hoadley, Understanding Wood, Taunton Press 1980. The wood will keep the paper from getting soaked.
Practical Design Features
2) WOOD: pressure treated lumber (PTL), resawn to 3/8" thickness. The copper, arsenic, chromium of the treatment will render it relatively rodent resistant.
3) Designed and assembled such that all surfaces meet to an angle +/or joinery that will shed water.
4) Internal surfaces not painted or coated. Therefore, nighttime condensation will be adsorbed by the wood and then dry during the course of the day.
5) External surfaces likely to be exposed to water are coated with WAX. ie.: top, bottom, and endgrain. WAX is very cheap and excellent for preventing splitting of wood, and it is an excellent material for preventing moisture ingress. Dark colored external surfaces that will heat up in the sun and dry out the inside.
6) Internal register holder of metal mesh (hardware cloth) that will allow the notebook to stay away from the sides that will accumulate condensation.
7) No hinges to rust or freeze. Only moving parts are the door and the elastic cord to hold the door shut.
8) Two square socket drywall screws to hold it to the tree.
9) Weak link A) the elastic cord, without it the door falls off. B) Not bullet proof. C) Not Lawyer proof: while still widely available, PTL is under attack by trial lawyers.
Problems with current canisters.
1) Canisters get removed/stolen.
2) The registers get wet within three years.
No person or design can prevent anything from getting stolen. If a register is placed on private property and the property owner removes it, then shame on the person who placed the register without permission. However, If a register or anything else for that matter, looks like it belongs in its present place then it is less likely to be removed by an owner, guardian, crusader, or thief. IMHO, the current generation of canisters has a boorish appearance. Many look like they should be kept under a kitchen sink (PVC piping), and most should be kept in a landfill (pickle jars, etc.). Think about it. We are out there in the woods for the views, the flora, the fauna, the fresh air, yet our holy grail is a piece of plumbing pipe with stainless steel fittings?!?!
Allrighteethen, it seems to me that the thing that belongs in the woods is... WOOD. Trees are made of wood, signs that give us information are made of wood, boxes that hold the registers at trailheads are made of wood, bridges over streams are usually of wood. Wood belongs in the woods. Why not canisters? After all, most of the summits we place them on are in the woods.
I have designed and built a prototype wood canister and it appears below. If it looks out of place, it is because the background is not the woods, but rather a keyboard and computer screen.
Here are some additional pictures of the prototype.
Notable design features
1) Phylosophy:
A) WOOD is unobtrusive and what folks expect. (see above)
B) Cheap material cost. (see above)
C) Everything outdoors gets wet eventually, Hence make it to shed as much rainwater as possible, but allow it to dry as quickly as possible.
D) Condensation is the major source of water ingress, rain is secondary. How do I know this? Short answer: I don't. However, I have lots of firewood in my yard and if it hasn't rained in a few days the firewood is dry. Condensation can be addressed by consulting a few references. A Psychrometric Chart can be obtained frome the TRANE Company, a firm involved with HVAC equipment and applications. The chart and software can be downloaded for free. With this chart you can determine the amount of water that is available to turn a 3"X5" notebook register into saturated paper pulp on a daily basis if it is placed inside a container of non-hygroscopic material (PVC, polycarbonate, glass, etc.) Just a few numbers: typical daily diurnal temperature variation in the northeastern U.S. is about 20-25 degrees F depending on the season. Typical relative humidities are in the 55%-75% range during the daytime hours. Hence, between 1 -8 grams of water will condence on the walls of a 1 liter, glass/PVC container as the temperature drops during the evening hours. If the paper register is able to contact this water it will absorb it and gradually get wetter with time (days, weeks, months, years). Glass, PVC etc. absorbs essentially none of this water. BUT, my wood canister contains approximately 550 grams of wood and can absorbe approximately 60 grams of water. Yes... 60 grams of water under the same conditions!!! This was determined from Equilibrium Moisture Content vrs Relative humidity Graphs that can be obtained from many sources including Bruce Hoadley, Understanding Wood, Taunton Press 1980. The wood will keep the paper from getting soaked.
Practical Design Features
2) WOOD: pressure treated lumber (PTL), resawn to 3/8" thickness. The copper, arsenic, chromium of the treatment will render it relatively rodent resistant.
3) Designed and assembled such that all surfaces meet to an angle +/or joinery that will shed water.
4) Internal surfaces not painted or coated. Therefore, nighttime condensation will be adsorbed by the wood and then dry during the course of the day.
5) External surfaces likely to be exposed to water are coated with WAX. ie.: top, bottom, and endgrain. WAX is very cheap and excellent for preventing splitting of wood, and it is an excellent material for preventing moisture ingress. Dark colored external surfaces that will heat up in the sun and dry out the inside.
6) Internal register holder of metal mesh (hardware cloth) that will allow the notebook to stay away from the sides that will accumulate condensation.
7) No hinges to rust or freeze. Only moving parts are the door and the elastic cord to hold the door shut.
8) Two square socket drywall screws to hold it to the tree.
9) Weak link A) the elastic cord, without it the door falls off. B) Not bullet proof. C) Not Lawyer proof: while still widely available, PTL is under attack by trial lawyers.
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