Garage Shops down South....

[aquatic]

Originally being from Minnesota, I never really had to cope day in / day out with the heat and humidity of summer in Northeastern Florida. Now, I do.

My main workplace is the attached garage--a couple of large windows, 16' door--pretty much a standard garage. My question is...do I need to pay more attention to the heat/humidity issues with my tools--specifically my power tools like BT3100 and router? (working on the others.... ) more lubrication more often or ???

Thanks in advance for the help!

Craig.

[Laos]

FWIW I live in Orlando with attached garage and I've only been collecting power tools, uh... woodworking, for 2 years now. I do nothing special for the BT3100 and it is holding up fine. Nothing special for my PC690 router either. I just put it back in the case when I'm done using it. For my 6" jointer with cast iron table, I put Boesheild T9 rust on it once and I haven't touched it since. Drill press has a cast iron table and I have done nothing to protect it. It's going on 2 years now and there are no signs of rust. I may be lucky so far but I don't worry too much about the humidity or heat damaging my power tools. Jacksonville is much closer to the ocean though but I'm not sure if that matters. Orlando is just as humid though.

I notice your username is "aquatic". If you like boating or water activities, you moved to the correct city. Lots of rivers and canals connecting each other. My in-laws are boaters and live in Jax.

[MikeMcCoy]

Pensacola here aquatic and the climate is almost identical to Jax. I haven't ever had a problem with the exception of a Delta scroll saw that seems to be a moisture magnet even with regular maintenance. Sweat on your cast iron will cause more problems in that garage shop than humidity as long as you do some normal upkeep.

[lrogers]

In a couple of weeks I'll have a garage shop so I'll be finding out as well. For now, my shop is a steel building that I insulated and do have an A/C unit installed. I keep it running, at a low level, even when I'm not working in the shop. That seems to keep the humidity at bay.

[markmt]

I live in midle georgia, take my advice if it will rust or mildew it will. If you stay on top of it you will be ok. I use BOESHIELD T9. Seems to wok pretty good. The most important thing is to stay on top of things. Try different products. There are a lot of suggestions on this site. Try the search function under RUST.

Welcome to the SOUTH.

mark taylor

[WoodPirate]

Craig,

I'm in north Jax off of New Berlin Rd. and have the same setup. Not too bad since I moved further from the beach. Any hint of rust gets a quick hit with WD-40 on 0000 steel wool, followed by an application of Johnson's Paste Wax.

I get more spiders than rust. What's really bad is trying to work in the shop after dark with the lights on and garage door open. I never knew there were so many winged critters!

[maxparot]

I used to live in New York on Long Island to narrow it down a bit. I found that the moisture would attack exposed metal if it was completely unprotected.

A little paint,oil and or way goes a long way to protect things from the moisture but nothing is perfect eventually you'll need to clean up and start the process over again.

Heat is another story.
Besides making it tough to work you may need to watch it with some tools and electronics. Along with the humidity the heat can quickly warp materials.

[aquatic]

outstanding info.. thank you all.. more contributions are welcome! Boeshield T9??? any good sources? I don't mind doing maintenance on the tools at all, when you buy something reasonable in quality, it pays off usually to take care of it.

Steve...we've swapped an email or 2.. I'm in South Jax.. Julington Creek area. Lemme know what ya find out re: wood from the saw mill guy..... and good ideas.. AND.. man I hear ya on the winged critters.. I need to build a frame and screen it in for the garage door.. it's downright SCARY in there after dark with a couple lights on!!!!

I'm situated about 10-12 miles from the ocean, so no real Salt issues, and 3 miles from the St. John's river ( large, but not SW--brackish at best this far from the mouth) so it's mainly the standard 85-90F temps and Humidity. Right now, nothing is covered, but the LOML is a good seamstress type, and I was thinking about having her work up a nice fitted, but breathable cover for the ol' BT. I'm still organizing in the garage.. after moving in, it was a struggle to get one car in the garage.. now I'm CLOSE to getting the 2nd one in... and BOTH out for "work days " Since the last week or so down here has been summer like ( mid/upper 80s/90 and humid, it occured to me that I have several hundred bucks in the garage and didn't want 'em to rust out or otherwise fail to perform when I needed 'em.

Thanks again for the replies.. any and all suggestions welcome! ( I did learn some about snakes.. Man.. it's Dangerous down heah in the Sawth! !!!!!! )

Craig.

[WoodPirate]

Craig you can pick up the Boeshield at Woodcraft (Regency Mall area). I know Fla is known for flying critters, but the area you're in is almost as bad as the Okefenokee Swamp for mosquitos. I used to live down at Colee Cove. If you aren't careful the bigger ones will try to run off with your sandwich!

Also, did ya get my last e-mail with the resume?

<')))>{

[LCHIEN]

Wood magazine had a comparative test of several rust-proofing coatings and found Boeshield T-9 to be heads above the others.

[EMB]

Lived in Tampa for 26 years. One thing I learned Johnson paste wax can not be beat for preventing rust. I keep a can handy and give my tools a swipe right before I put them away.

Also found a product that works very well on hand tools and objects that you want permenantly protected. Penetrol it is a paint flow conditioner that is sold at HD and most paint stores. It puts a slick very thin self leveling clear coating on metal that doesn't seem to scratch or chip off. It does wear off. I use it on my tools that I want to rust free like steel rules, hand saws, wrenches, etc. I put a test coat on the coner of the top of my air conditioner outside unit. It has been there three years and looks like it did when I brushed it on. An old timer told me they used it on all the table saws in a cabinet factory. I haven't tried this on my saw yet but I can't see why it won't work.
I had seen a coating on tools from time to time and always wondered what it was, now I know.

[Rounder]

Thanks for the tip, Ed. I will be heading to HD today as this is summer shop cleaning weekend.

[BobSch]

quote:Originally posted by WoodPirate


Craig you can pick up the Boeshield at Woodcraft (Regency Mall area). I know Fla is known for flying critters, but the area you're in is almost as bad as the Okefenokee Swamp for mosquitos. I used to live down at Colee Cove. If you aren't careful the bigger ones will try to run off with your sandwich!

Amateurs. The 'skeeters around here will get together and discuss whether to eat you on the spot or drag you into the bushes first. We have a short season up here, but the bugs find ways to make up for it.

[aquatic]

Hey Bob.. I'm well aware of the B-52 sized critters...especially as you move a little further north--Ely and the BWCA area! I have to say that what Minnesota has for size..Florida makes up for in the sheer variety and number of annoying critters! It's remarkable what a relatively warm climate and long growing season can do to an insect population--I mean really.. Cockroaches that are 4" long? It's like a horror movie! Least there aren't any alligators in the pond I live on...(yet).......

Penetrol.. Another good idea for the lesser used things I think. Time to make a trip around town I think!