Protect From Freezing?

[LarryG]

Like many of us, I have an unheated shop. At this time of year, I bring stuff I know can be damaged by freezing into the house: glues, varnishes, wood fillers, water stones, etc.

However I have NOT been bringing in highly-flammable chemicals like mineral spirits, acetone, and naptha. Will freezing damage these? I've scanned the labels and there's nothing said about it, so I'm wondering what experience others have had, and what others do.

[Jim-Iowa]

Thats a good question Larry! I don`t believe he petroleum based items would freeze. However half full containers might get contaminated due to condensation inside the can or bottle and frost melting. The same reason I never let my truck fuel get below 1/2 tank in winter.
Shortly after I hauled the last refrigerator off, someone somewhere posted that they had made a fire retardant storage container by using a refregerator and installing a 25 wt bulb to keep items from freezing. That bulb should generate enough heat?
Hate to think I may need to haul one back to the garage?
But maybe I could use the compressor for a vacume pump?

[Bulkley]

Larry, does it freeze in the Heart of Dixie? Seriously, I lived in an area that experienced -40 every winter and I never had a problem leaving gasoline and solvents, or even oil based paints in the garden shed.

[Tom Miller]

Solvents themselves won't freeze until well below 32F.

Reminds me of a rural legend (as opposed to urban) up here in Minnesota, of the ice fishermen that kept a bottle of Everclear (~99% alcohol) in their ice house. On a 0 degree F day, one of them took a swig and instantly froze the tissue in his mouth and esophagus. Ouch!

But, I'd be more concerned about the moisture condensation inside the can, like Jim mentioned. To counter this, you could fill the cans with marbles so that there's very little moisture-containing air inside.

Another idea would be to keep these items in a cooler. That'd get them through the night. You could do this with the glue, too.

Regards,
Tom

[mudder]

None of the chemicals you mention will freeze at temps to -76 deg C. so I doubt you will see freezing unless you are in Antarctica or the Yukon.
The part about condensation might be valid and you could get by that with Bloxygen or some other inert gas, but I have never seen any problem with that unless the temperatures varied widely and often.

[Jim-Iowa]

quote:Originally posted by Tom Miller



Another idea would be to keep these items in a cooler. That'd get them through the night. You could do this with the glue, too.

Regards,
Tom

Thats a good thought Tom and just might work for Larry being down south where extreme cold does not last for weeks normally.
But for those of us up north even a cooler or referigerator will eventaully absorb the cold and freeze. I know because my son left some beer in an apartment size referigerator in my garage last winter. They froze and exploded in there.

[bigfoot15]

quote:Originally posted by mudder

None of the chemicals you mention will freeze at temps to -76 deg C. so I doubt you will see freezing unless you are in Antarctica or the Yukon.
The part about condensation might be valid and you could get by that with Bloxygen or some other inert gas, but I have never seen any problem with that unless the temperatures varied widely and often.

-76C in the YUKON?? Certainly not in populated areas.
You think we live in igloos up here don't you....LOL
I did survive the coldest winer on record back in January '69. Warmest day was -32F. My sister was born that month at -53F.

Regarding the refrigerator. Leave a 40W light bulb on in an old small bar fidge and nothing will freeze for you guys in the warmer climates. I have a friend up here who does that and never has a problem.

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by Jim-Iowa

quote:Originally posted by Tom Miller



Another idea would be to keep these items in a cooler. That'd get them through the night. You could do this with the glue, too.

Regards,
Tom

Thats a good thought Tom and just might work for Larry being down south where extreme cold does not last for weeks normally.
But for those of us up north even a cooler or referigerator will eventaully absorb the cold and freeze. I know because my son left some beer in an apartment size referigerator in my garage last winter. They froze and exploded in there.

Yeah, the cooler is definitely a "Heart of Dixie" solution, only.

Larry, you're lucky Jim and I are even giving you the time of day!

Regards,
Tom

[Jim-Iowa]

BIG GRIN: We had a pastor for about 8 yrs that was from Lansing Michigan area. He always said winters were far more damp, windy and bitter in Iowa than he ever saw in Michigan on the dairy farm.

[gchapman]

My unheated attached garage is fully insulated and has a bedroom above. It also occupies the southwest corner. Temps rarely get much below freezing, but I do have a forced air vent in one corner. I keep it covered for the most part, but I put my freezables on a shelf by it. I have considered putting an insulated cabinet in front of it, with an opening to the vent. This way I would have my glues and such nice and toasty.

I also have been picking up laminated flooring when the boxes are damaged ($5 a box at Sam's Club) This makes a great shop floor insulator and pad.

By the way it may be cold here in Minnesota, but at least it's a dry cold.

Glenn

[BobSch]

quote:Originally posted by gchapman

By the way it may be cold here in Minnesota, but at least it's a dry cold.

Glenn

Yeah. -6 this morning with a wind chill of -20. When the snow starts crunching underfoot, you know it's cold out [:0][:0]

As far as condensation, unless it was real humid the last time you had the can open, I doubt there's enough moisture in there to cause a freeze/condensation problem. All my non-waterbased chemicals stay in our unheated garage all winter and I've never noticed a problem.

[Jim Boyd]

quote:Originally posted by Bulkley

Larry, does it freeze in the Heart of Dixie? Seriously, I lived in an area that experienced -40 every winter and I never had a problem leaving gasoline and solvents, or even oil based paints in the garden shed.

It may not get as cold here but sticking my hands in them swimming pools this morning was NOT fun! A paltry 26 degrees here this morning.