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Thread: Condensation problem!
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26th June 2012, 06:22 PM #1SENIOR MEMBER
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Condensation problem!
Hey guys!
I have a big problem... Condensation on my mill and lathe.... And everything else in my workshop. The humid summer months were fine but this is my first winter here and I have not known machinery to sweat.
My workshop is an old piggery with so many openings. I'm planning on putting on a new insulated roof, close up all the gaps and my machinery will be in an area that I can curtain off an heat.
My problem is what can I do now?
They are under tarps to stop the condensation raining down on them when the sun hits the roof in the morning.. Should I be taking the tarps off them each day and covering them back up? Should I wrap them up in a tarp and keep a cupboard warmer in it 24/7?
I just wiped off as much a I can and covered it with lithium grease as I have seen water bead off other tools that I have used it on.
I know water floats the oil off but this grease looks like it sticks to the metal.
Any ideas guys? I'm stuck on this one!
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26th June 2012, 06:41 PM #2SENIOR MEMBER
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You have to be careful when you cover up metal things because this causes humidity under the tarp or plastic and that can make things worse.
I would opt more for a flier type arrangement above the machinery, put a tarp above them sort of like an umbrella.
WD40 sprayed over them should keep the rust off them.
You could probably put sisilation on the under side of your roof battens to stop the morning rain inside the shed, you have to make sure the condensation/water will flow pst each roof batten and have the end of the sisilation go over the wall and into the gutter.
john
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26th June 2012, 08:38 PM #3Dave J Guest
Hi Ben,
You have my problem and you feel like your chasing your tail keeping rust off. My shed has open eaves and gets a lot of ventilation with gaps and openings above the rollers doors and no insulation.
All I can say is to keep them oiled and keep a check each week on them as it can go rusty in a matter of days.
The problem is not in the air, but the machines warm up slower than the surrounding air so this causes the water on them. Some guys in the US recommend putting a lamp inside the column etc to warm the machine above the surrounding area, but I cant see how this would work for all the parts like the table, or a lathe.
If your not using them for the mill table you can oil it up well and then put a sheet of clear builders plastic directly on it which will keep it. You can do this on other surfaces as well and there is no need to throw the plastic away as when you need to use the machine just fold the oiled sides on each other and put it aside. I say clear because at least you can see through it and see whats happening under there in case rust does start.
All the unused parts of my mill like the sides and ends on the table, front and back of the saddle, etc I sprayed with the cheap spray cans from supercheap with no under coat. This does the best job as it completely covers it up and if need be down the track to be taken off with a razor blade or thinners/turps on a rag.
Below is a picture of my saddle and the painted parts where ground but serve no purpose for machining or using the machine and are just decorative. Where the table swivels I had to leave bare and the bottom part of the front of the table as it would just get scratched off by the power feed stops slide up and down, but the rest is painted.
These pictures are from a few years back now, but all the bare surfaces where painted to stop rust.
Dave
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26th June 2012, 09:02 PM #4
I think we are all the same boat with condensation.
I have bothe mills and lathe tool and cutter grinders
Shapers etc.etc
Well oiled and covered with old bed sheets from the op shop
For 20cents each. I also buy them to cut up for rags.
Seems to work for me.
MattWarning Disclaimer
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26th June 2012, 09:31 PM #5future machinist
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Things in my shed rust in minutes so I cover my tools in bedsheets and use a mixture of light machine oil and diesel which I spray on when the diesel evaporates it leaves an oily film.
BETTER TO HAVE TOOLS YOU DON'T NEED THAN TO NEED TOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE
Andre
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26th June 2012, 09:35 PM #6GOLD MEMBER
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I dont do much with mine,rarely totaly cleaning.
I usually leave coolant on after using.
I remove cast iron before using coolant unless the coolant is being used on the cast,then I will clean daily after each use.
I wipe the machines over every couple of months and put a smear of oil.
Sometimes there is a little staining from the coolant but nothing to worry about.
Then again I am using my machines on a regular basis.
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26th June 2012, 09:46 PM #7Dave J Guest
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26th June 2012, 09:50 PM #8Dave J Guest
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26th June 2012, 10:10 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
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Running well Dave,went with the 2 Axis took around 6hrs to fit up.
Checked most of what I needed,alignment wasnt to bad just a little adjustment.
Havent made the arbors for the Horizontal yet,keep getting too many small jobs,have all material just need to be on the correct shifts.
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26th June 2012, 10:24 PM #10GOLD MEMBER
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It's funny things change slowly with the seasons. Couple of weeks ago I was in my shed till about 7:00pm, all was good. I then went back in there first thing in the morning to get something and my mill and lathe bed were coated in rust!
That all happened in less than 8 hours. It must have been a particularly cold night with close to 100% RH. I had never seen rust develop that quickly before!
It also seems to depend on where things are in the shed. The moisture in the air doesn't seem to be evenly spread or distributed, although I find this hard to believe!
Simon
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26th June 2012, 10:36 PM #11.
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You've got a lot of company Ben.
I have resorted to smearing Timken wheel bearing grease on the shiny bits in the shed. It's red in colour which helps me keep track of what I have and haven't greased up. I obviously got touched when I paid 5 bucks for a black bedsheet from Good Sammy's, another downside to living in Boomtown. All my machines are covered in sheets but they alone won't keep the effects of moisture at bay.
My wife says the only thing preventing me from installing a ceilng in the shed is me. I've got to get to it or at least close off the open eaves.
BT
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27th June 2012, 03:15 PM #12SENIOR MEMBER
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Thanks guys!
I feel a little better knowing that I'm not the only one with this problem! Dave, I know you take real good care of your tools so I will take all that on board.
At the moment I have it oiled and wrapped in old sheets with the lamp on the inside.. Hopefully that will provide just enough heat!
I was quite upset about it yesterday... Water was dribbling off everything. It's not a cold today so I think I have a few days to sort it out!
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27th June 2012, 04:01 PM #13.
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Long term I'd say your biggest problem is the gaps in the shed. Bare metal is a condensation magnet and as long as it is cold and air is moist the metal will continue to pull water out of the air. It's not that big of a problem here in Perth but I have noticed a big difference in condensation on cold wet mornings if I happen to leave the door open overnight,
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27th June 2012, 04:53 PM #14GOLD MEMBER
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27th June 2012, 05:48 PM #15
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