Pipe Maintenance
This page is devoted to helping folks with some pipe maintenance. It's a place to come for tips and tricks, and as people suggest ideas, we'll load it up with more and more stuff. So check in every now and then - and if you have a question on how to do something, or a tip that could be shared, talk to the powers-that-be and suggest your idea. You never know: it might end up here, and you'll not only get credit for the idea, but a prize!
Drying out Ross Kitty Litter
Technically, it's called desiccant - but it sure looks like kitty litter. It's a clay-based material, and the idea is that it absorbs moisture - crucial to maintaining a pipe's steadiness. But the desiccant doesn't just mysteriously unload all that water after playing. It holds onto it. And you need to get it out. Many of us have the Ross canister system. I have the new red pack - but if you run the old white box, this will still work for you. Most desiccant systems work on the same principles described here - but not all, so do check the manufacturer's recommendations. To keep your pipes dry, and the very expensive Ross system working well, this should be done every two weeks or so - more if you're playing a lot or if it's been raining.
The First Step is to remove the canister, and dump the desiccant out - I use those blue Scott towels found in the auto section of Crappy Tire - the reason is that the normal, white paper towels used in a kitchen tend to get singed during this process - and although I have never had a fire, things do get hot... For the same reason, Mom's favourite china bowl is a bad idea - it will crack. And plastic is definitely out - it will melt. Lay out two towels, folded over, and pour the canister of desiccant onto it. When you have it all emptied out, it should look like the picture over there on the right. Note the oven mitt - you might need it...
The First Step is to remove the canister, and dump the desiccant out - I use those blue Scott towels found in the auto section of Crappy Tire - the reason is that the normal, white paper towels used in a kitchen tend to get singed during this process - and although I have never had a fire, things do get hot... For the same reason, Mom's favourite china bowl is a bad idea - it will crack. And plastic is definitely out - it will melt. Lay out two towels, folded over, and pour the canister of desiccant onto it. When you have it all emptied out, it should look like the picture over there on the right. Note the oven mitt - you might need it...
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Step Two: The next step is to fire that kitty litter into the microwave. Make sure the litter is spread out a bit, not in a big heap. In theory, you can use a conventional oven, but it will take hours. This is fast. Put the desiccant and the little towel in the microwave - I set the microwave for three (3) minutes. Set it for more and you risk a fire...
Step Three: While everything is cooling down, I rinse the canisters of dust, and dry them out. Once dry, simply lift the towel up, and make a little funnel of it to pour all that kitty litter back into the various cylinders in the canister. You might notice that when you reload the canisters that it is a bit dusty - this is normal, but before you put the canister in the pipe bag, be sure to blow through it to get as much dust out as possible (it can blow into the reeds and lodge under a tongue, causing issues.)
Note in the picture below that the canister is not packed with desiccant - I find that too much can block air flow, so 3/4 full is ample. 
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During the first three minutes, your microwave will fill up with moisture - if there is still moisture in there after three minutes, add another minute and a half or so to really dry it out. When you're done, pull out the desiccant and let it cool down. DO NOT POUR IT BACK INTO THE CANISTER, AS IT WILL MELT.
And now you're done! Put your spare canister, and your extra desiccant, in a Ziplock bag, and store in one of the handy side pockets of your pipe bag, and you're good for some long, dry playing sessions. Happy piping!
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