Humidity and condensation on metal surfaces

Date 03-13-2016 02:28 Edited 03-13-2016 04:29

Hi everyone,
Hope all of you are doing good!
I have a large garage that I want to start filling with metalworking tools for my own amusement (and maybe beer money).
Being in lovely upstate NY... we get lots of temp swings and plenty of humidity. Last night I discovered standing water on all sorts of things that shouldn't have water on them...

Eventually I'm going to wall off a section and add some climate control. Heating the entire building is a bit out of line at the moment...
For now I'm wondering if I put up a smallish plastic structure and enough dehumidifiers to maintain almost 0 relative humidity(or what ever is needed to prevent condensation) and left if unheated would metal surfaces survive? I figure if I can seal a small space up enough that a few small sized dehumidifiers can drop the moisture to almost non existent levels... then it can't condense out on my tools when the temp/humidity shifts around.
Or at least thats what I'm thinking...
My playground :grin:

Thanks,
Clif

By aevald

Date 03-16-2016 02:57

Hello Clif, short of the heating thing I can tell you this: WD 40 does wonders for metal surface preservation. My teaching partner, among a lot of others, has similar issues with his woodworking tool surfaces and faces "humidity" and "wetness" in a similar fashion to what you are describing. He has been using a sheen of WD 40 on his tools and enjoying surfaces that lack rust and when he wipes them down with a clean dry cloth just before use has also not been plagued with staining his wooden parts. Similar results should be experienced on mill beds, saw beds, and other surfaces that are known to rust and you would just as soon not have doing so. Good luck and best regards, Allan

By lo-hi

Date 03-16-2016 11:14

A lot of people who have these buildings in the north spray foam the interior. It also helps with the acoustics. I helped a friend put one up a while ago, be careful of a heavy snow load, several have collapsed in this area. Nice open space to work in and the roof will last forever.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 03-16-2016 15:59

Anytime the surface temp is within 5°F of the dew point, you WILL have condensation forming on the surfaces.

By 803056

Date 03-14-2016 19:10

Insulation is the easiest and most cost effective means of preventing the rapid temperature swings that are the cause of condensation.

The problem is caused when the building is cold and then the outside ambient conditions change from cold to warm with the accompanying increase in moisture. The cold metal inside stays colder longer, so the warm moisture laden air provides the moisture that condenses on the cold metal surfaces.

The insulation will prevent sudden changes in temperature so the cold metal has a chance to warm up. As long as the inside temperature is higher than the outside temperature, even by 5 or 10 degrees, condensation should not be a problem. A small gas heater and a thermostat that can measure the temperature differential should do the trick. A good blower that circulates the air will also help prevent condensation. Perhaps you've noticed that it is rare to have frost on your windshield if there is a stiff wind over night. A blower is less expensive to buy and operate than a dehumidifier. In your case, a couple of good size blowers. All they have to do is move the air.

I have a very old house with a stone foundation. Moisture is always a problem, but a blower in the basement that runs all the time prevents or dries the moisture and keeps mildew under control. A few days without the blower and there is a noticeable difference.

Best regards - Al

By PlasmaHead2 (***)

Date 03-16-2016 01:19

Thanks Al,
From what I'm gathering I can see the toys ending up in a building inside a building. The poor welders can do with a cover. Anything that resembles a machined surface (or a machine that can make machined surfaces) are going to end up inside a smaller,easier to climate control shed...(ok the welders might have a spot inside the shed but will be moved out to play...)
Air movers and another door on the back wall were in the plans. Insulating is too... a bit on down the road.
Thanks again
Clif

By 803056

Date 03-16-2016 12:03

I used to rent an old sheet metal building. So, I know what you are up against. It sounds like you have a plan in play. Good luck, it sounds reasonable.

Al

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-18-2016 23:56 Edited 03-19-2016 21:11

for that kind of structure shot foam...similiar to shot crete.....in other words a spray on insulation would be the most cost effective if your going to subcontract it. They would have it done in a day and the bid should be low, no moving hoses and pumps, probably no scaffolds at all. You can rent the tools if you want to do it yourself. Another way to do it yourself on a good price point would be to have a blanket made....same thing they wrap stick frame houses in nowadays. Get some ladders and a few friends and roll it on and tack it down yourself....relatively inexpensive. Anything else will be just stopgap measures. If I was putting expensive tooling in there, I would insulate it, walls, doors and ceiling.

Again if i had expensive tooling aka mills and lathes....they would not sit in there. Even with well lubed surfaces, unless used VERY regularly you will get creep oxidation on the ways, screws etc. There is dang good reason even the most basic of tooling shops have climate control.

Other than all that .....Looks like a nice roomy place to work....I am JEALOUS! I have yet to even start on my new shop....the price of a floor is a killer. I always did thought experiments on that type of building ....how to to maximize storage and use up the area near the floor/wall point. Hope things are all good for you Clif!

By Trackergd (**)

Date 04-06-2016 11:07

I could never have a building like that. I'm too much of a hoarder when comes to tools, machinery, pieces of metal (hey, I might need that some day) and vintage electrical stuff. My son would be spending months trying to clean it all out after I passed.... How do I know this you ask? I had to clean out my dad's barn after he passed.. It.took.for.ever. :roll: