Storing Tools in Unheated Winter Cottage
Hello from a New Poster:
I’m closing up my cottage north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where winter temps get down to -18 C ( 0 F ) on a regular basis. The place isn’t finished yet, and so there is no heat available, except if I were to put some type of heater in a fridge (similar to a post I read here). The spring season can bring it’s fair share of damp and rainy weather.
Q: Do I need to worry about my hand tools and hand power tools getting damaged by the winter/spring seasons, or is it okay to leave them in the cottage. I once read that a thick blanket can protect these things from the effects of excessive humidity. What about a coat of WD40? Any ideas?
The other option would be to pack up and bring it all home, but that’s a lot of work I’d rather not go through unless absolutely necessary.
Inventory: air nailers, compressor, skil-saws, cordless drills, floor drill press, drill bits, chisels, screwdrivers, bench mtd grinder, router, etc. Many of the tools are in carry cases (nailers, cordless drills). The hand tools are not.
Thanks for your input and comments.
Replies
If your up near Halibuton would you mind stopping by my place?
I didn't even think about the possible repurcussions! Closed up in such a hurry, I left alot of tools up there I figured I could do without till spring.
I may make a special trip and load up the truck!! Keeping an eye on this thread
r2
Spray the handtools with WD-40, wrap them in bath towels and them wrap them again with a wool blanket and don't worry.
Edited 11/24/2003 8:29:36 PM ET by BossCrunk
Do remember to DRAIN the compressor tank. Those dudes can hold quite a bit of water. I agree with the comments about WD40 evaporating fast. Any reputable oil company should be able to supply a light oil suitable for protecting machines in storage/transportation, they tend to come in 6 month, 1 year, 18 months, etc grades.
Scrit
Fwd, Small tools in Ziplock bags First spray with Wd. Then with a straw, suck out all the air in the almost closed 'baggie' and Zip it up. Take out all rechargable batteries and bring home.
Vaseline on drill press column/table etc.
Chisels, (Wd and wrap in aluminum foil)
Compresser, (Heavy blanket)
Key to shop, (Send to me! Stein.
Yuck! DO NOT suck air + WD40 from a bag by mouth. Very nasty stuff!
Perhaps you could rig a small adapter for your shop-vac?
--
Lee in Cave Junction, Oregon;
Gateway to the Oregon Caves
Lee, you are absolutely correct about sucking WD. I wish I'd have known that, all those times I syphoned gas from those old cars
As a side note though,don,t sharpen your chisels or plane irons using Liquid Wrench on your oilstone. (Contains acid)
Stein.
Steinmetz wrote: As a side note though,don,t sharpen your chisels or plane irons using Liquid Wrench on your oilstone. (Contains acid)
I generally use a light cutting oil on my oilstones, but for real serious sharpening, I use adhesive backed abrasive on heavy glass (an old mirror). Now that's sharp!
Sucking gas ain't fun but it won't hurt you like WD40 will. Now sucking diesel is another matter altogether.
One of my favorite internet stories is about the would be gas thieves who managed to mistakenly suck the blackwater tank on an RV. Served 'em right!
--
Lee in Cave Junction, Oregon;
Gateway to the Oregon Caves
Lee,that was funny . Guess he got 'His just desserts.'
Speaking of gasoline, Here in Connecticut we have self serve gas pumps. I always pump my gas like this: First fill tank 'till almost the amount paid for.
Then as you reach the almost finished point, grasp, and hold up the drooping hose so that the gas comes out straight through and downward (Without any kinks to hold back any gas.
The next guy gets a quart less.) If you see me doing this, go to another pump. ED.
Edited 11/25/2003 7:55:45 PM ET by steinmetz
Once upon a time, late at night, I went many miles on my Norton doing just what you said. I was amazed at how few pumps had their nozzles locked, and always got a bit out of each hose, tho I won't go so far as to suggest a quart. There was another, similar time in my Plastic Pig, but the few drops that came, given the long distances between gas stations, wasn't likely to lead to success, LOL.
Always thought that Plastic Pigs had peddles just in case you wanted to go faster - or ran out of gas! ;-) We are talking about the Tamworth Terrors here, aren't we?
Scrit
LOL, I don't know from nothin about Tamworth Terrors - I'm talking 1970 LT-1 Corvette, AKA Plastic Pig, Pig de Plastique, or Flexible Flyer.
Ed
You probably don't want to either! They were a particularly nasty British 3-wheeled saloon car called the Reliant (Regal, Robin, etc) with a fibreglass body and which were at one time in vogue with British bikers as a winter mode of transportation. Why? Because you were allowed to drive them on a motorcycle licence - no need for a full car licence. Ah yes, I rememer them well. Your Plastic Pig sound MUCH more up-market.
Regards
Scrit
Ok. Thanks for the good suggestions.
What about the tools that come in plastic carry cases... air nailers, biscuit joiner, power planer, drills. Can those stay in their cases as is, or should they be oiled/wrapped before being stored away?
Edited 11/24/2003 10:27:21 PM ET by FwdThinker
FWD, When you put small tools in Ziploks, don't use the vacuum method I mentioned.if you use W D. Instead, insert a packet of sodium silicate Then, evacuate any air. In stead of using the inhalation method, attach a small hose to the intake port of your compresser. That business of using 'lung power'works for sandwiches/and leftovers but I'm told WD is baad stuff. Stein.
If you can't get those sodium silicate packets, put a chunk of charcoal in a porius bag ( Bull Durham Sack). or,save those little canisters that come with pills (Activated charcoal)
Stein
"If you can't get those sodium silicate packets...." I've heard, but not verified, that one of the kitty litters contains the same stuff as the keep-dry packets. Way cheaper too.forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
All,
When I was a kid and we closed up our house in the CT shore for the winter my father and I would use petroleum jelly on the tools...and if the piece was intricate, (ie. fishing reels) we would wrap in plastic or foil additionally...
Take note of what stien said .Remember the people who died some years ago from inhaling spray cooking oil.It coated their lungs and there was no antidote!
Jak,Thanx for the warning about WD. Actually, I've been using 3in one oil as my storage medium. And I squeeze out most of the air before using the old lungs. Cough, Cou...Stein.
If you have power, place a small fan in the room and leave it run. My father lived on the Oregon coast and had to deal with damp, very damp air. He left the fan run and it seemed to limit the condensation on his tools. Likely due to a more even temp. in the shop. The shop was not insulated and the temp. would vary widely. He would heat it with a wood stove, then leave it cold for days on end. I have some of his tools and they did not have any rust on them, even the cast iron ones.
I would not use WD40 to oil down the tools, use a good quality light oil. WD40 is basically highly refined kerosene and it evoprates to fast.
I would not put things in plastic bags, would rather have a cloth or one of those special blankets used by car collectors. I would not cover any tools with a plastic cover, to easy to collect moisture under them.
Curt
Curt:
Yes. I've heard the same thing in the past, about the blankets/towels. Told a buddy about using oily rags, and he brought up a good point though... oily rags >>> fire !!!
Best thing is probably a light coating of machine oil, maybe rubbed on with a rag. Then cover the whole shebang with a heavy, quilted moving blanket.
I think the suggestions about oiling hand tools, then bagging them is that, without air in the bag, there shouldn't be any worries. Maybe a light oiling and a wrap in saran is the way to go.
Joel
I agree with the fan idea. I've used this method and it works. Exposed tools rust when warmer moist air comes in contact with tools that are colder than the air and the moisture condenses on the cold tool. A fan keeps the air moving and helps to keep the tools at the same temp. Hence, no condensation. I suspect that the moving air itself tends to also prevent condensation from occuring. Anyway, whatever the reason, it does work and it is a lot less messy and less troublesome that coating you tools with oil and putting them in bags.
Bill
Have you considering spraying the tools with "LPS-4"? If you can find it, it leaves a coating like cosmoline. Clean it off in the spring with mineral spirits.
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