Staying Safe and Comfortable

[TealaG]

Hi...sorry for the potentially misleading subject.  It's 100 degrees outside and my workshop is in an un-air conditioned garage.  Originally, I tried to do my wood working wearing tshirt and shorts.  The sawdust would impregnate my clothes!  I didn't know what to do, until I watched a Peter Parfitt video and noticed him wearing a labcoat.  Brilliant idea, I thought...

I bought this one:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3YYM8D/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I had to alter the sleeves to make them tighter and shorter to prevent excess sleeve from dangling into a moving blade.  The coat "works", in that, my clothes stay relatively dust free (not perfect...but let's say 80-90% improvement).  However, in 100 degree weather, well, that sucker is hot.  You say "But weren't you hot in a t-shirt and shorts?"  Yeah...but, this is WORSE.

I finally (finally) found a dust mask with a bit more ventilation (though, it's still hot in there too).    Is there anything I can do to ventilate my coat so that it will still protect from dust but not be an oven inside?

PS...I am working on ventilation for the garage and looking into "reasonably priced" A/C options - but I need relief until I can get that problem fixed.

 

[ear3]

I hear you brother.  Let me know if you find a solution...

I just make sure to keep my hand tools and cast iron surfaces well-oiled and waxed in the summer to protect from all my sweat.

 

[Holmz]

http://www.veskimo.com/microclimate-body-cooling-vests.html

 

[Getmaverick]

I have the same problem, accept my shop is a steel building and 2500 sqft.
I have 2 large shop fans. One is pulling air in and the other is pushing it out. During the summer months I'm now in the shop by 6:00 am.

 

[kevin clifford]

Fire up your air compressor and stick the air chuck inside your belt. Viola! Air conditioned pants. Cool breeze! Yes, it sounds silly. No, it won't work if you are moving around the shop a whole lot. But here, in central Florida, it helps for a few minutes.

 

[dltflt]

Have you tried a swamp cooler?  They work great until the humidity gets high.

 

[Trevin]

You could "Commando" under the lab coat!  [eek] ;D

Trevin

 

[TealaG]

hmmmm...not sure how "safe" commando would be!

I'm now thinking of sewing a coat out of cotton so that maybe it'll breathe better.  Besides, after sweating buckets, I'll need to have several of them so that I can always have a non-stinky, non-sweaty one available!  My current coat, heavy and made with man made fibers isn't drying fast while I recover from the "sauna session"...so then I end up clammy, until that transforms into sweaty again.

 

[ben_r_]

Man you guys are troopers! Once it gets into the high 80's I call it quits for the day! I cant stand heat and hate fighting rust spots from sweat on my tools. Hoping to have a mini-split installed soon so I can keep it in the 70's while Im working.

 

[TealaG]

Hey...around here, if you can't work when it's over 90 degrees, you may only get woodworking done 1/2 the year!  I'm trying to tough it out so that I can get the workshop organized so that future small projects can be quick "in and out".  I spend too much time setting up, searching for stuff etc.  By end of week, I should be in much better shape so that the 20% of the stuff I use "all the time" is readily at hand. 

Nevertheless...a minisplit is definitely on my wish list...