Unheated garage shop?

[richk]

Our new home in Rhode Island has an unheated garage that I've been considering using as a shop when I'm there during the fall and spring. I've been warned that stationary cast iron tools are likely to rust in that setting during the winter, possibly the humid summers too.

How would Festool items fare in that setting? The hand tools are in systainers, but not the MFT/3, tracks, and router table...

Thanks

Rich

 

[BMAC]

No certainty that they won't rust. The interior guts like gears are usually lubed so they'd be okay, but other parts may be affected given the right atmospheric conditions.

My Dad had a large ketch sailboat on the coast in Vancouver and it was damp there year round and especially so in the winter as it rains a LOT there. All we ever did to ward off corrosion was a 60 watt bulb contained in a simple tin housing and that seemed to work well.

You can also buy moisture absorbent devices like the attached which contain special silica that changes colour when saturated and then you simply plug the assembly into a power outlet which heats the unit and dissipates the trapped moisture and the silica medium is then ready to go again. Simply place one of these units in each systainer and set your calendar to check it every couple of weeks.

I use this method in my gun safe to protect my other toys, some of which like my IPSC Open gun are in excess of $5,000 to replace and I never worry about rust or corrosion and I've used this system for about 15 years now and swear by it.

 

[Bohdan]

Most of the Festool bits are aluminium so rust is not a problem.

However all of your uncoated steel parts like planes, router bits, chisels, saw blades, etc will rust unless protected by a coat of oil.

The best oil to stop rust that I have found is camellia oil from Japan.

 

[BMAC]

Break-Free CLP lubricant is also awesome! (Clean, Lube, Protect).

It was developed for the U.S. military for firearms cleaning and lubrication and protection and I also use it on all sorts of other metal surfaces. It is mil spec rated. It also is readily usable over huge temperature ranges -60 to 160F

It doesn't readily attract dust or dirt and a little goes a very long way. Available at most outdoor stores like Bass Pro, etc.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIL-L-63460

 

[peter halle]

The tool that I have read the most comments about rusting here is the router.  Particularly the posts and the collet area.

Peter

 

[RC]

I have to store some tools in an unheated garden shed and anything iron like chisels and saws will definitely get those pesky rust spots in just one winter. Similarly any untreated wood will get surface mold next to no time [emoji20] Found out the hard way. Aluminium on the other hand seems to weather quite fine like my MFT and CMS-VL tables there. The MFT tabletop did get some spots on it but they were sandable away.

 

[them700project]

There are some cost effective solutions for heating garages. Do you have natural gas? you can pick up gas fired unit heaters for around $1000 and you can use a product like gastite to run the gas to the unit. and if your not confident have a plumber make final connections both sides for $200

 

[SittingElf]

Just spray or wipe on Boeshield T-9 on your rustable parts and surfaces.

I live in high humidity Florida, and my shop is currently without a dehumidifier. T-9 keeps all my cast iron tops healthy and without rust during the long-durations I am away from home.  (Couple of coats of Johnsons Paste Wax works pretty well too.)

Frank

 

[Sparktrician]

Break-Free CLP lubricant is also awesome! (Clean, Lube, Protect).

It was developed for the U.S. military for firearms cleaning and lubrication and protection and I also use it on all sorts of other metal surfaces. It is mil spec rated. It also is readily usable over huge temperature ranges -60 to 160F

It doesn't readily attract dust or dirt and a little goes a very long way. Available at most outdoor stores like Bass Pro, etc.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIL-L-63460

Bruce, do you know about Militec 1?  It does wonders for competitive and tactical pieces both in reducing friction and in keeping the goodies free of corrosion. 

 

[them700project]

In the same vane of CLPs check out froglube. It smells awesome

 

[Slartibartfass]

Just put a Modine gas heater in there and a window AC unit and you are set. thats what I have and it is a very comfortable work environment and maintains a stable temperatur/moisture content inside.... so comfortable that you do not want to get back into the house. even have a faucet on the outside and a drain inside.... Could live in there....

See back of room under ceiling and in window for the two...

[attachimg=1]

 

[richk]

Helpful suggestions!

Thanks

 

[BMAC]

Break-Free CLP lubricant is also awesome! (Clean, Lube, Protect).

It was developed for the U.S. military for firearms cleaning and lubrication and protection and I also use it on all sorts of other metal surfaces. It is mil spec rated. It also is readily usable over huge temperature ranges -60 to 160F

It doesn't readily attract dust or dirt and a little goes a very long way. Available at most outdoor stores like Bass Pro, etc.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIL-L-63460

Bruce, do you know about Militec 1?  It does wonders for competitive and tactical pieces both in reducing friction and in keeping the goodies free of corrosion.

I've seen it when I was at my last last IPSC/USPSA National Championships near Vancouver, BC.

An Amercian competitor had some, as did one of the South African competitors on the CZ Team. I haven't seen it for sale here locally, must be a AEBIC (Avail. Everywhere But In Canada) Geez! I like the dry aspect of it, especially helpful at the dusty and windy ranges, darn dust gets into everything!

 

[Brent Taylor]

I live on the Gulf of Mexico now, before I lived in Michigan. The best thing I have found so far has been CRC's SP 400 and WD 40. But if you can find a space in a conditioned space that is  the best, if not check your tools every month. I lost one router and a pad sander to rust, I have a few hand tools that are not  in the best of shape due to rust, nearly 40 years in Michigan and never lost a tool to rust, two years on the coast  and lose a bunch.  It'seems funny they call Michigan the rust belt, go figure. 

 

[Cheese]

[member=8811]richk[/member]
Taunton Press issued a Tool Guide about 1-2 years ago that compared 20 different coatings that they tested to prevent rust formation on tools. Boeshield, LPS, CRC, 3M, WD-40 and 15 others were compared. It was a great article and some of the compounds that you'd suspect would work, (Camellia oil) didn't. My recollection is that CRC Industrial 3-36 did the best job. Surprisingly, Boeshield didn't rate as high as I expected it to.