Hotter Than Hades
I just spent the Father’s Day week end wanting to start a project in the workshop. I say wanting because nothing quite got started that I would call a machining project. The old road to Hades is paved with good intentions.
There were a lot of other things that got done though. Even with the intensely hot (100+F) Texas temperature I did get some shop cleanup work accomplished. I did think I was in Hades while I was working in all the heat. Ha! This is my annual rant about the Texas heat.
I envy but do not quite covet those folks who work in conditioned spaces. I know what it cost to maintain the temperature differential of 20 to 30 degrees. I think if I had a full time shop (not just a weekend warrior) I could justify maintaining the space temperature at a more human bearable setting.
However, the problem with intermittent cooling of a garage workshop with steel and iron tooling is the temperature variation with adjustments and calibrations constantly changing. Worse is the cooled down shop suddenly exposed, through opening a double garage overhead door, to the inrush of very hot and humid outdoor air. Instant condensation and rust on all cold metal surfaces. All the built up expensive cool air will simply dump down the driveway.
My tools have very minimal surface rust as their surfaces never get below the dew point of the outside air. So moisture in the air doesn’t condense. I take a cold Dr. Pepper to the shop in the summer and the can immediately begins to sweat. It is well below the dew point of the air.
I never set a cold beverage can on a metal tool surface or directly on the workbench. I don’t enjoy cleaning rusty equipment or wiping up puddles on the bench top.
My spouse has encouraged me to air condition the shop as she wants me to fully enjoy working in my hobby. She is a quilter and enjoys a large fully finished and insulated air conditioned space over the (attached) garage for her work. It is a huge “bonus room”. There is probably a twinge of guilt that she has a better working environment than I have.
I haven’t fully explained to her the reasons I stated above for not conditioning my workshop. I just say it is not good for the machines. Perhaps I should get into the details. Then she won’t feel so guilty about her good working conditions.
Maybe I just did. I really don’t sweat because I enjoy doing so…