protecting from rust

Just to add a thought to the desiccant vs. refrigerant discussion - I had a desiccant unit in my workshop for two years and it worked well; the background few hundred watts of heat seems to help. Then it all gummed up with stuff contaminating the silica gel and the removal of water stopped. I sent the unit off and they replaced the silica gel cartridge and all worked again, for two years, then guess what… My workshop is pretty clean but the silica gel cartridge is too a good filter.

So that went in the bin and I have had a refrigerant unit working now for fours years and it is just as effective. I note the relative humidity every now and again and measure the condensate coming from the pipe that I have pushed through a wall to the outside. When the workshop temperature drops to 5degC then water removal virtually ceases but, and this is the important bit, the outside air at 0deg is carrying much less moisture and if your workshop heats during the day the dehumidifier will keep the relative humidity low, ready for the next cold night.

At 55% Rh I never see rusting, even on freshly cut metal left out for a week, and a dry workshop atmosphere is much more pleasant on a cold morning.

Hi Richard

My workshop (garage conv.) has been boarded out with studding frame in filled with 25mm Celotex with 25 mm air gap behind, covered over with 12 mm OSB, the loft area has 6" space blanket insulation, the roll up door is 20mm insulated (foam filled panels) plus to which I have stuck on Celotex panels, the entrance door has a Celotex panel stuck on so it is quite dry & warm, maintaining a temp of 5 - 6 *C even when the outside temp has dropped to - 7. In fact during the summer (   I have to have the entry door open to cool it down. For extra boost during winter I have two small oil fired rads which I put on for about 15 - 20 min if needed, one at ea. end which are set to bring it up to a comfortable 12 - 14*C... coseeee!. As you can deduct from my & other comments... insulation is the ultimate answer

George

Beginning to think not insulating my roof was a mistake. Not that it's cold in here - just I have got a mystery rodent running a round between roof and ceiling!

Where are the cats when you need one?

Neil

......and you feel sorry for it not having any nice warm insulation to make a nest from. Easy trap. Get a plastic topped jar and make a hole in it, screw to ceiling with corresponding hole through plasterboard, put bacon bit in jar and screw in place. Mouse will climb in for food and not be able to get out, ditto spiders. Then easy to remove.

Insulation is less helpful if you have no heat source, though it does keep temperature swings down. A decent dehumidifier is the answer and better than a heater as it recovers the heat from the moisture giving warmth as a side effect if you also have some insulation, or just protection if you don't. And you can use the condensate in your steam engine or sell it to the wife for her steam iron.

I Finally insulated all six sides and released the dragon (delongi that is) as a foot note this also keeps tea/coffee warm, I use to get surface tarnishing pre dragon and found having Oak / Beech hard woods around in the same sanctum seemed to help keep the moisture at bay, also found a rub down with an oily (clean engine oil) rag/cloth when long periods of in activity were expected, (although my missus said it made me smelly).

The ultimate alternative is to make room in the kitchen for tools during winter (he who dares needs heating in the shed now referred to has your new address).

Also Chaps Duck Oil, Spray it and leave it,

I feel, thousands of pounds on all manner of tools and machines needs a few hundred spending long term to protect them, Wife disagrees ?, but what if it dosen't work when she needs somethink doing and it keeps you out of her way, that's gold to any housewife

Bazyle and Neill

Don't cook the bacon and add HP sauce to it. If you do so, you would be well advised not to tell Rufus Roughcut or Steve Withnell where you placed the jar. Those who have been following "What did you do today?" from its inauguration will know what I mean.

Cheers

Bill