Heat
#21
cputnam said:


Was 126° in Palm Desert yesterday and 106° here. Our favorite Costco is in Palm Desert - needless to say, we didn't go there.

So that rip roaring start to the 1st day summer has got me wondering what woodworking materials, finishes, tools, etc. are affected by heat. My shellac flakes are in the fridge - what else should be.

Does wood behave differently in the heat? I'm not thinking it does anything but dry faster - the RH has been < 20%.

What about stuff like waterstones?




Hi Curt

Typical average summer temps in Perth hover around 108° (42° Centigrade). It is not uncommon for it to go higher in Perth, and very common for it to be higher in the northern end of Western Australia.

My shop is in a brick double garage without aircon, but fortunately has an office above (a suite of rooms for my private practice) which insulates the shop from the heat of the sun. Outside it is very hot - essentially a desert climate.

Some days I can last just 30 minutes before taking a break.

I do not have a problem with wood moving during summer. Our heat is very dry - very low humidity. There is more of an issue comes winter, with the moisture in the air. My finishes are OK since I keep them in steel cabinets which are situated in a shady section of the shop (out of direct sunlight).

Old-ish photo of the finish and glue cabinets (everything is nice and tidy!) ...



Regards from Perth

Derek
Articles on furniture building, shop made tools and tool reviews at www.inthewoodshop.com
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#22
In my shop (Standard 2 car garage) that faces east, but with styrofoam insulation on the single roll-up door, the air temp is about 10°F below outside ambient. Which means that it is often around 100°F. Turns out that my shop is uninsulated. I know where the next home improvement bucks are going.

So you are a little warmer there in Perth. Average temp in your shop is ? and your finishes are surviving in their cans? That's a heartening piece of news.

The commercial cabinet shops around here tend to work from 0400 hrs to 1200 or 1300 hrs unless they are totally indoors with A/C
Thanks,  Curt
-----------------
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#23
Lots of tradesman start early here in Florida as well for same reason. The Summer months are hot and humid for sure. But it is better than cold and snow .


Steve
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#24
My gosh, I would never get anything done if I could not work at near 100F. Now is start of rainy season:

actual temp about 92F
Feels like102°
Humidity87%
Visibility10.00 miles
UV Index4 (Moderate

Summer HOT HOT HOT. My shop has no aircon. This time of year can work most all day. In the hot season, usually just in the morning and late afternoon.
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#25
My shop is in the west end of the basement which is the part that is underground. Its been pushing 100 in St. Louis lately but I"m always 68. Its nicer in the shop than upstairs
In the winter its 68 as well, maybe a tad cooler but long sleeves make it perfect.
pat
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#26
Back on the 20th we were having 88+ temperatures now the last couple of days have beeen having 50 to 77F with scattered rain.
homo homini lupus
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." Yeats
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Quodcumque potest manus tua facere instaner opere Ecclesiastes
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#27
The heat is killin' me. Just look at this picture out my garage door. It's so hot, I see a mirage that looks pure white, like hail......oh, wait, it is hail. Third day of summer in Calgary. 55 F. Geez!


True power makes no noise - Albert Schweitzer.       It's obvious he was referring to hand tools
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#28
we should switch locations - forecast is at or about 100 for the 10 day.
Thanks,  Curt
-----------------
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#29
1:00 pm Saturday in Perth, mid winter, and it is 61 F (16 C). Sunny, clouds in the sky. Rained last night. We consider this chilly and weather to rug up.



Regards from Perth

Derek
Articles on furniture building, shop made tools and tool reviews at www.inthewoodshop.com
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#30
Pat Zabrocki said:


My shop is in the west end of the basement which is the part that is underground. Its been pushing 100 in St. Louis lately but I"m always 68.


So what's the humidity level in your shop in the summer? If my garage shop was at 68°F in the summer, the humidity would be unbearable at ~80% or above.

We get dew points that are in the 70's and we're well north of you.

I just added a layer of jojoba oil to my planes this morning.

Blaine
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