Calling all frozen Festooligans!

[crsowa]

Having acquired many tools during this sale (thanks Festool!), I'm looking for advice on how everyone everyone up North stores their Festool equipment during the winter.  I know the Li-ion batteries are way more stable than previous models and I never have any problems with my Bosch Li-ion tools being stored out in the garage in the winter.  That being said, I have a non-insulated garage in Michigan, and it's a little more financially feasible to replace my Bosch tools than these new Festools.  I just moved all mine to the basement.  Am I being to precautious ?
Chris

 

[RC]

I move all tools which have moving parts or are expensive in the sense that I don't want rust on them out of my uninsulated shed for the winter.

I do leave my MFT and CMS aluminium bits in the shed out of necessity due to lack of warm space and they have survived with just some cob webs on them in the spring.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Hi Chris!

The vast majority of my Festool equipment lives in my van, the rest in my warehouse, which is unheated, which is also where I park my van at night. I've owned much of my Festool equipment for several years, all stored and used in sub zero temperatures during the Winter. The only issues I've every really run into is that, on some items, the plastics can get a little brittle and I've seen some cracking. Specifically, I've cracked the "Hose Garage" on every CT I've owned, but that's from a combination of sub-zero temperatures and less than gentle care. That being said, the tools themselves seem indifferent to cold temperatures.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Hi Chris!

The vast majority of my Festool equipment lives in my van, the rest in my warehouse, which is unheated, which is also where I park my van at night. I've owned much of my Festool equipment for several years, all stored and used in sub zero temperatures during the Winter. The only issues I've every really run into is that, on some items, the plastics can get a little brittle and I've seen some cracking. Specifically, I've cracked the "Hose Garage" on every CT I've owned, but that's from a combination of sub-zero temperatures and less than gentle care. That being said, the tools themselves seem indifferent to cold temperatures.

Been my same experience too.

 

[SoonerFan]

I had mine in an uninsulated and unheated garage for a winter without any issues.  Now I have insulation and a ceiling mounted heater at the shop.  Don't need the heat that often unless it's realy cold and I am in there all day.

 

[Slartibartfass]

I keep my workshop nice and cozy with a Modine heater in the winter and cool and dry with a window AC in the summer. No issues....

 

[sancho57]

I keep mines in a uninsulated Garage Year round

 

[wow]

I'll post an answer once I get my gloves off and my hands warmed up! Shouldn't be any later than May or June...

[tongue]

 

[Tinker]

I move all tools which have moving parts or are expensive in the sense that I don't want rust on them out of my uninsulated shed for the winter.

I do leave my MFT and CMS aluminium bits in the shed out of necessity due to lack of warm space and they have survived with just some cob webs on them in the spring.

My problem with cobwebs is during the summer when I am not in the shop very much.  When I do get back to the shop, I usually take a stick with me and wave it around in front of me to clear the webs.

I used to have rust problems until i made a discovery that dust being left on flat surfaces seems to protect.  I have an old iron toped router table that I have not used for over ten years.  I used to try to keep it clean but every fall, when i wet back into the shop, that and table saw had to be cleaned of rust.  I had always treated the CI surfaces with WD 40 and wax, but still got some rust spots even tho i cleaned the surfaces very carefully in the spring when I knew I wood not be back until fall.  One spring, I ended up working in shop later into April and dd not get to clean up any of the dust.  In the fall when i came back,  the surfaces were dusty as expected.  They had always accumulated some dust over the summer, but this time, they were very dusty.  I wiped off the dust and, voila! NO RUST.  I have since, never wiped off any surfaces that I expect to rust when left unused during summer.  I have had no rust problems since.  I wait until I am going to be back in the shop and using the tools to wipe clean. 

That CI router table I mentioned has been sitting on in a corner on the concrete floor for over ten years, covered with dust.  There is not one spot of rust.  I have a couple of oher pieces of iron that have been stored in my barn that i managed to have kept clean when I used, including no dust allowed.  Since those were retired, the rust has claimed much of the surfaces.  I don't know why the dust seems to protect, but I am basically a lazy person and do not fight the dust if it means less rust problem. :
Tinker

 

[1951CorrectCraft]

Having the same weather as you do, you should be happy to know I leave everything in an unheated garage all winter that I do occasionally heat up with space heaters. No issues, cast iron does get a coat of Boeshield.