Workshop Damp/humidity

[djh82uk]

Hi Guys

I recently built a new shed for my workshop (mill, lathe etc) and I have a problem with condensation, the mill gets soaking wet (bigger, always cold).

Now the shed is of wooden construction and lined with mdf and the humidity at the moment is 80% (been raining for last few weeks) and the mill is wet, I oil it regulalry but the oil emuslifies and it still rust.

it's really annoying as it's a new mill. My old workshop was badly built and made of corrugated steel but I never had this issue.

Now do i need to better insulate it? or do I need more airflow?

I bought a de-humidifier that seems to be useless, it only pulls water out of the air if the temp is above 15C, but is 5C atm.

Any advice?

Regards

DJH

 

[lensman57]

Hi ,

You have my sympathy, my work shop is in my loft but all my machines are small, Taig, sherline and a sieg X1 . A couple of months ago I bought a Myford Ml7 of 1949 vintage and due weight and size I had to put it in my garage that has a metal roof with tons of gaps. It is always like raining on the inside of the garage and if I dont soak the lathe in oil and cover it then it won't last very long. I live in the north west of England and it is wet, cold and damp even during most of the English summer.

Regards,

A.G

 

[djh82uk]

Yeh im in south wales, I just don't get why I did not have this issue in the old workshop, where it was always cold and drafty, which is what makes me wonder wether I need more ventilation.

 

[OrangeAlpine]

Try using wax. I use canning wax. It is harder to apply, but does not emulsify and lasts longer.

Our moisture problems do not compare to yours, but I have found it is much more effective to adjust the temperature than moisture. That means heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. The air conditioning is much more effective at removing water than a dehumidifier, which, in the summer, just made the place hot. First steps are to stop airflow and insulate.

My father had a lathe set up in a barn, the air movement was incredible. So was the rust.

Good luck.

Bill

 

[djh82uk]

yeh ive ordered a tube heater, low wattage but should help raise the temp a bit.

Thanks

DJH

 

[Ed T]

I don't know what kind of mill you have, so this may not be applicable. You might try putting an incandescent lamp inside the base which will warm up the whole machine and keep the condensation down. Throwing a blanket or tarp over the whole thing will help too. This is a symptomatic solution until you figure out what's really going on with ventilation etc.

 

[djh82uk]

Yeh thats a nice idea, I was trying to think how I could gently heat the machine, I have a Weiss WMD25.

My main concern with insulating and heating is wether that promotes mould what with it being a wooden shed.

Thanks

DJH

 

[GWRdriver]

djh,
I can't know exactly what your conditions are, or if this will make a difference under the circumstances (although it can't do any harm.) What many folks (including myself) use in cold and/or humid spaces is a small fan to circulate air within the space. It need be only a small one, just enough to keep the air continuously moving about, and this will do as much as anything short of active dehumidification to inhibit the formation of condensation.

As for rust inhibitors, conventional "oil" just won't get the job done in the long run, as you have seen. What is needed is a water-displacing penetrating preservative. There are several to choose from, none are all that costly, and a large aerosol can will last quite a long time. The I've used longest is called "CRC 336", but I also have some Starrett M-1, and another no-name product.

 

[djh82uk]

Thanks

I will get a small fan up & running and see how it helps. I was thinking I may need ventilation, but yeh perhaps I just need airflow, fairly sure I have an osscilating fan around here somehwhere.

Thanks

DJH

 

[sssfox]

I have some of my equipment in an unheated garage and I have the same problem as you. I found that if I cover the cast iron stuff with flannel sheets, it keeps the precipitation away while allowing the air to circulate. I haven't had any rust issues for the past 10 years since I started doing that.

I don't know how my situation compares to yours, though. I live on Tampa Bay in Florida, so most of my issues deal with moderate temperatures. We only occasionally get to freezing.

Also, lately, I have had difficulty finding regular flannel sheets. Most of them now come in a set of two with one being fitted, so it has elastic around the ends. Come to think of it, that may not be a bad idea.

 

[rcfreak177]

Try this.

Its bloody good stuff.

http://www.crcind.com.au/soft-seal-corrosion-inhibitor


Baz

 

[don-tucker]

Im from S.Wales and have the same problem,but find covering everything and large lumps of metal such as chucks are best put away in cupboards ect,but it is a constant battle,as soon as I oil everything up I need to use it.Flannel sheets sound a good idea if you can get them now.
Don

 

[Goldflash]

I have the same problem with my old shed that gets the odd leak when it rains hard . I found the best cover for the lathe is an old towel that has been used for mopping up spilt oil cleaning the lathe bed etc and giving the lathe a good spray with CRC or WD40 when I have finished using it. In fact I spray all my tools with it. When I need to use the lathe I always give it a good clean and lubricate all the grease points with a mixture of Graphite grease and engine oil mixed together ( Myford Super 7 ) and give it a good spray with CRC after use. It seems to work. The Lathe is about 50 years old now and still works well.

 

[srgtherasta]

I have two small tube /greenhouse heaters, only 60w each. Under each machine bed mill/lathe. they dont warm the shed but there enough to keep the damp off them. You can get them on ebay for a few quid each. I live in n ireland so know yoour pain.

 

[tonyr]

Hello
I also have the problem of damp in my workshop.
I couldn't stop my machines from rusting.
I now use a product called SteelGard, it is from a company called Vapor-Tek they are based in Bolton.
You can find them on the internet.
It is a clear thin liquid so it doesn't affect you using the machines.
I applied it to my machines about 18 months ago and I haven't had any rust since.

Regards

Tonyr

 

[Banjoe]

The cause of your soggy equipment is the high humidity condensing on cold surfaces. We need to reduce the humidity, raise the temperature of your equipment, or some combination of both.

If it's raining outdoors, adding ventilation won't solve your problem as it will just draw in more of that humid air that will end up condensing on the coldest surfaces in your workshop. Your idea of using a dehumidifier is spot on but the low room temperatures defeat the proper operation.

Sounds like your workshop is unheated so it likely gets quite cool overnight. This results in all the metal work reaching the same low temperatures. Being wonderful heat transfer surfaces, these machines will then gladly allow condensation of all that pleasant moisture all day long.


The easy fix is to just heat your workshop but I'm thinking that isn't a realistic option. Your next best option may be to keep the surfaces of your equipment above the point of condensation. You aren't looking at large heaters if you can 'tent' the equipment in small enclosures that trap the heat in a compact volume. A cupboard/closet type structure or a suitable tenting/shower curtain will provide the trapped volume needed. The heater wouldn't need to be very large as all you're looking for is to raise the equipment temperature above the condensation point so all that moisture will head somewhere else for a condensation party.

Another option is to just bring all your equipment to bed with you - but this may not go over well with the household.

Good luck

Joe

 

[n4zou]

I had the same condensation problem with my lathe and mill. The fix was simple. Stop by a thrift store and purchase some old blankets and/or quilts. Moving blankets will also work. Put a 40 watt light on a lower part of the machine and cover the machine with a blanket and/or quilt. Depending on the size of your machine you many need two or more covers. The light will provide a small amount of heat and the blankets will insulate the machine so it will always be slightly warmer than the air in the shop. The machinery will stay nice and dry. If you don't want to use a light bulb or you can't buy incandescent bulbs that have been banned in some places you can use water pipe heat cable. You'll need to glue it to the base of the machine so it's in contact with the metal and you need a small amount of insulation that will cover the strip insuring the heat is transferred to the machine. You still need to cover the machine with your old blankets and/or quilts.

 

[djh82uk]

Thanks guys, ive bought a bed sheet to try on the mill, I have a tube heater on it's way, im wondering if I can wall mount it behind the mill and have the mill pushed up against it?

I will also look into ways to coat it as above. and a small fan to circulate air. Hopefully with all that something will resolve it.

I guess I need some wooden draws or something for all the tooling aswell. really hoping to get started on a webster engine in there soon

Once I replace everything that was lost in the move (verniers, micrometers etc )

Thanks again
DJH

 

[sssfox]

You may want to try only one thing at a time. That way, you will know if something is working or not.

The heater should work fine as long as the heat gets under the sheet.

Make sure you are using non-detergent oil. Detergent oil attracts moisture, so it will make the problem worse.

 

[LongRat]

The reason your dehumidifier doesn't work is because it is probably a refrigerant type. I use a dessicant dehmidifier over the cold months and never have a rust problem. These are not sensitive to low temperatures. Mine is made by Meaco. They are also far smaller than most, which is important for me as my workshop is small.