jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller) (10/04/85)
It's that time of year again here in Ohio. The temerature drops, the satuarated air gives up it's moisture and condenses out on by steel and cast iron machines. I have actually seen droplets of water all over the machines. This, if left to stand, will cause rust. I find that small tools that are put away in drawers don't exhibit this problem (thank God) - but the big machines do. Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening. Is there substance that can be put on the tools, or a special cover or something? It drives me crazy! I have tries WD-40, silicon spray and paste wax. None will protect for more then 1 or 2 of these episodes. Would covering the tools help - say with draping plastic? Any help will be greatly appreciated! j. r. miller columbus bell labs (614) 860-4314
bright@dataio.Dataio.UUCP (Walter Bright) (10/07/85)
In article <350@cbuxc.UUCP> jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller) writes: >It's that time of year again here in Ohio. The temerature drops, the >satuarated air gives up it's moisture and condenses out on by steel and >cast iron machines. I have actually seen droplets of water all over the >machines. This, if left to stand, will cause rust. >Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening. Is >there substance that can be put on the tools, or a special cover or >something? It drives me crazy! The best way is to oil the exposed surfaces with one of the following schemes: o Wipe exposed surfaces with a rag soaked in oil. o Rub grease on it. o Rub vaseline on it. o If your tool drawer has a felt bottom (quality ones do) put a couple of drops of light machine oil on the felt. This is enough to put a film of oil on the tools, and greatly reduces surface corrosion. The main problem with oil and grease is that they evaporate. Using heavier oils will delay this. You mentioned using paste wax. Past wax works best if it is not buffed. (looks gross, but it works. My Dad used to ship cars across the Atlantic on boats, and would really goop the paste wax onto the chrome in preparation for the trip. Never had a problem with rusty bumpers.) Do not put plastic covers over the machines, as then mildew will form. A cotton cover (treated with water repellant) works best. Keep the garage unheated. The rate of corrosion increases dramatically with temperature. Just a note for those whose state governments salt the roads: Chrome plating is poor corrosion protection, it is porous at the microscopic level and also tends to 'flake off' when rust gets a toe-hold on it. The porosity can be 'filled in' by waxing the bumpers, thus extending the life of them. I learned this trick at Boeing, where the engineers are fanatical in preventing corrosion.
toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) (10/07/85)
In article <350@cbuxc.UUCP> jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller) writes: >It's that time of year again here in Ohio. The temerature drops, the >satuarated air gives up it's moisture and condenses out on by steel and >cast iron machines. I have actually seen droplets of water all over the >machines. This, if left to stand, will cause rust. > ... >Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening. Buy a dehumidifier.
smh@rduxb.UUCP (henning) (10/09/85)
> >Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening. > > Buy a dehumidifier. They don't work in unheated areas, they freeze up. I can understand how someone from Oregon wouldn't be familiar with dehumidifiers and their vented brothers the air conditioners.
rep@panda.UUCP (Pete Peterson) (10/09/85)
In article <271@tekchips.UUCP> toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) writes: >In article <350@cbuxc.UUCP> jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller) writes: >>It's that time of year again here in Ohio. The temerature drops, the >>satuarated air gives up it's moisture and condenses out on by steel and >>cast iron machines. I have actually seen droplets of water all over the >>machines. This, if left to stand, will cause rust. >> ... >>Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening. > >Buy a dehumidifier. Trying to use a dehumidifier in a garage in Ohio sounds like a losing proposition. All the dehumidifiers I have seen are restricted to operation above 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit; below that temperature, the condensation on the coils freezes up into a large ice block and the unit ceases to function.
bob@ulose.UUCP ( Robert Bismuth ) (10/13/85)
> > Trying to use a dehumidifier in a garage in Ohio sounds like a losing > proposition. All the dehumidifiers I have seen are restricted to > operation above 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit; below that temperature, the > condensation on the coils freezes up into a large ice block and the > unit ceases to function. There are a number of free standing dehumidifiers which claim to work below 60F. They have a frost detection system for the coils and shut off at the first sign of frost. My local hardware store carries several types. Unfortunately, like all such add-ons, they want about $40.00 more for the anti-ice model! -- bob (decvax!ulose!bob)
warren@ihwpt.UUCP (warren montgomery) (10/14/85)
You west coast people suggesting De-Humidifiers have obviously never seen a mid-west frost storm. What happens is that after a particularly cold spell, when all of the metal in the garage is chilled to about -10 degrees Farenheight, the wind changes and we suddenly get air that more properly belongs over the Gulf of Mexico. It can still be way below freezing, however the air has got so much moisture in it that it instantly freezes on any metal it comes in contact with, including all of your tools. If it's a little warmer, you might only get dew. I don't see any way a de-humidifier is going to help much, because they don't work when it's that cold out. Even if they did, you couldn't get the capacity, since every time you open the garage door you let in an enormous burst of moisture. In Illinois, we had a more mild version of this last weekend, which gave me another idea. The other way of fixing this is to get your machines warm enough that it doesn't dew or frost on them. You may be able to do this with heating cable, which is commonly sold in the more frigid regions of the planet for keeping pipes or gutters from freezing. I suspect that if you wrapped the stuff around large metal pieces of your woodworking machines, you may get it hot enough to ward off the frost. I don't know how much it would cost you to run the tape, but it's got to be cheaper than a new planer!
dave@fluke.UUCP (Dave Van Ess) (10/14/85)
> It's that time of year again here in Ohio. The temerature drops, the > satuarated air gives up it's moisture and condenses out on by steel and > cast iron machines. I have actually seen droplets of water all over the > machines. This, if left to stand, will cause rust. > > I find that small tools that are put away in drawers don't exhibit this > problem (thank God) - but the big machines do. > > Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening. Is > there substance that can be put on the tools, or a special cover or > something? It drives me crazy! > > I have tries WD-40, silicon spray and paste wax. None will protect > for more then 1 or 2 of these episodes. Would covering the tools > help - say with draping plastic? > > > Any help will be greatly appreciated! > > j. r. miller columbus bell labs > (614) 860-4314 When I first moved to my house I also had problems with humidity in the winter. The problem was that the tools in my garage were getting lower than the dew point. I suspect that since cast iron conducts heat better than a wooden work bench that it would be more likely to go below the dew point. A closed garage is it own weather system. My father has told me about seeing it rain in sealed up cars in Florida. My solution was to add ventilation to let the moisture escape. This worked fine except it got so cold it was like working outside. (They keep me in the cold at work, I don't need it at home.) So then I insulated my garage to keep it warmer. I also, on nice dry winter afternoons, open the garage door. This helps alot. I think I payed about $200 for insulation. Then holes in the walls for vents were free. Dave Van Ess John Fluke Mfg Co Everett WA
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (10/15/85)
In article <350@cbuxc.UUCP> jrm@cbuxc.UUCP (John Miller) writes: >It's that time of year again here in Ohio. The temerature drops, the >satuarated air gives up it's moisture and condenses out on by steel and >cast iron machines. I have actually seen droplets of water all over the >machines. This, if left to stand, will cause rust. > >Is there any way that you know of to prevent this from happening... I live about a block from the ocean in Santa Monica where the salt in the air and fog/smog is supposed to do really terrible things to car bodies. I also drive an 18 year old Chevy with many scratches in the paint. I've found that the "once a year" type car wax products work very well in preventing rust, (since I'm too cheap to repaint the whole car (-: ). The brand I mostly use is called Nu-Finish and is sold at the local Thrifty Drug Stores. It's kept several large bare-metal patches rust free for years. -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp(+)TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
ignatz@aicchi.UUCP (Ihnat) (10/21/85)
Dehumidifiers?? These guys really need a visit to the Midwest. (Must be boring not to have seasons...) Anyway, what I might suggest is buying some commercial dessicant, and some heavy-mil plastic sheeting. Pack some dessicant in with the machines and tools, and cover and tape as appropriate. This outta keep the humidity in the enclosed space well below that of the surrounding air. Most commercial dessicant, either pre-packaged or bulk, can be regenerated by a few minutes in the oven. -- Dave Ihnat Analysts International Corporation (312) 882-4673 ihnp4!aicchi!ignatz
rmrin@inuxa.UUCP (D Rickert) (10/22/85)
> Dehumidifiers?? These guys really need a visit to the Midwest. (Must be > boring not to have seasons...) > > Anyway, what I might suggest is buying some commercial dessicant, and > some heavy-mil plastic sheeting. Pack some dessicant in with the machines > and tools, and cover and tape as appropriate. This outta keep the humidity > in the enclosed space well below that of the surrounding air. Most commercial > dessicant, either pre-packaged or bulk, can be regenerated by a few minutes > in the oven. > -- > Dave Ihnat > Analysts International Corporation > (312) 882-4673 > ihnp4!aicchi!ignatz The above good advice reminds me of a trick used aboard ships. Substitute a 25 watt electric bulb (lighted) in a trouble lamp (the shield around the bulb is important for safety reasons because the bulb gets hot) for the dessicant. A heavy tarp might work better than plastic as it will allow humidity to leak out. Put the trouble light on the floor (or just above it in the case of non-concrete floors) under the machine in question and cover the machine with the tarp. Be careful nothing flammable (like the tarp) is too close to the bulb. The heat put out by the bulb will lower the relative humidity under the tarp by an amazing amount. -- You are Beautiful, Dick Rickert my manufactured love;- AT&T CPL but it is only Svengali, Indy, IN talking to himself again. Reward is its own virtue!