How are you keeping your shop cool during the summer?

martinjj

martinjj

Well-Known Member
My shop is a small one car garage that faces the east. I have a few fans placed around but as it warms up it can be a hot steamy buger here in Florida!! I could close the door and let the ac flow in from the house but that would be to costly! Was just wondering what some of you do to keep cool?

Martin
 
Martin, I' not too far from you just outside of Jacksonville. We just built a new house and right now my shop stuff is temporarily set up in the garage. We have a 12' x 20' storage shed coming in next week, and most of my shop stuff will be going in it, along with a small window unit a/c. I have 4 fans running when I'm working in the garage, just as much to keep the mosquitos off as for cooling purposes,LOL. I can't wait to be working in a cooler shop! I haven't had an air conditioned shop since 2002. The forge will still be outside, so that's not too pleasant, but everything else will be cooler. You can get one of those portable a/c units that don't have to vent to the outside, but they are more expensive than I can afford.
 
Shoot Todd, I was thinking you we're from around Tampa .

I'm not much help with the heat. I've got a house style oscillating fan out in the shop but thats it. I keep it aimed right past the bench towards the grinder so If I'm working at my bench or grinding I've got a little breeze but otherwise it's just hot most of the time, LOL No shop AC for me.

Plenty of ice water while in the shop helps a little too ;)

-Josh
 
I''m in Jax. and the skeeters are bad already :(. Like Todd, I have a 12'x 20' portable shed and installed a window unit. You can pick the small one up at Lowes for 100-150 bucks iirc. Another option would be the portable floor standers. I know this place carries a good selection. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial

To be honest, I think I only used it twice last year. I set my grinder outside the door with a fan on the table and do all my wood cutting out the roll up side. With that setup I am in/out too much to keep the A/C on. Even if I'm doing bench work, my shop is a little small to be cooped up in there with all the fumes coming off acetone, epoxy cures, ect. IMO. Lastly, I like looking outside at the birds and other critters every now and then :).

Might wanna check out 'swamp coolers' too. http://www.wonderquest.com/swamp-coolers.htm
 
Josh, I just moved up here last fall from Cape Coral. We were about 2 hours south of Tampa. I like everything about here better, except the mosquitos! We live in the woods, and they are brutal, even in the middle of the day. I can't wait to get set up with an A/C in the shop! My weights will still be in the garage, though. That sux. I usually grind or hand sand in between sets when I'm working out, LOL! I wish I could put my weights in the new shop, too, but the floor probably wouldn't stand it.

Where are you in Jax, Joe? I'm just east of I-95 at the Yulee exit.
 
I just installed a new 2 ton heat pump system in my shop. My 8 year old mini split ductless heat pump's compressor quit pumping and I couldn't get an exact replacement so I decided to install the new split system. It works like a champ!
 
Where are you in Jax, Joe? I'm just east of I-95 at the Yulee exit.
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Hey Todd,
I'm out here off 295 and San Jose Blvd in Mandarin. I do some work in your neck of the woods at that new Gate station.
 
My forging shop sits on a high hill, 24 x 24 with double barn doors on the ends, so there is always a breeze. The grinding and finishing shop is 12 x 26 with r30 in the ceiling and r19 in the walls, cool it with one 15,000 btu window unit.
 
Here in Illinois it can be every bit as hot and humid as I ever experienced when I lived in Florida. My hot shop is open on three sides with open widows except for a bit of lattice work on one end and with a forge going it is hot. No getting around it. My grinding shop is in my basement which keeps it cool even when the rest of the house isn't.

Doug
 
Humidity is the real bummer.
One of the ladies I work with lived in Vegas for 25 years; she came back here a year ago and had an unpleasant reminder of effects of humidity.

If I can get humidity under control, the heat is more bearable.

The small window AC unit in the shed does a decent job at removing excess humidity.

In the basement shop, I have no heating/cooling.
But I run a dehumidifier. It runs constantly (except in winter); I have to empty it twice in a 24-hr period during spring/summer.

A hygrometer is located is each work/storage area, and I try to keep levels around 40-50 % RH.
Comfortable, no rust on tools/tables, and the wood is happy.
 
My shop is a 12x24 storage building, with 2 inch foam insulation in the ceiling, none in the walls yet. I have a window AC unit for the hot days, it is nice to be in the cool.
 
Well it is good to know I am not the only one melting away in the shop! I just wish it would stay cool!!! Thanks all!
Martin
 
My shop is 24' x 24' and heavily insulated. I put a big window unit in my shop that will run you out if it's put on high. I heat it with two of those small oil filled heaters that look like radiators and they get it uncomfortably hot in there if I turn them up to high.
 
My idea was to hire 2 young nubile bikini models to fan me while I worked in the shop,could not get the idea past the supervisor:sad: So I just put in a window A/C unit.

Stan
 
Going to have to look you both up one of these days. I got a shop just NW of Jax in Taylor. I am in the process of insulating my shop a few pieces at a time as the economy has hit home hard. Working just part time now. Not enough $$ for all the supplies I need to work on knives in my spare time. Makes it frustrating. Sorry, did not mean to hijack the thread. I have been thinking about investing in one of those larger shop fans. I go by Turkeyshooter.
 
In Alabama, which is pretty close to Florida's summer torture, I have a fan which helps a tiny bit, but my shop is a converted barn with 30'+ ceiling, lots of square footage there! My saving grace is I am facing North and have BIG doors on both ends that usually pull a nice breeze through the shop...sometimes! I have no windows, and that doesn't help either! The thing I try to do every year is to acclimate to the temps-before the heat really kicks in, drink lots of H20 primarily at night, and abstain from alcohol,<I don't drink anyway> which will dehydrate you in a minute. Florida is brutal with the temps and humidity, as ole Bill C. once said, " I feel your Pain".

The best most economical idea I can think of is to create a cross draft, by putting a strong fan on a window on one side and then having another window/opening on the other to pull the air through the shop, it maybe HOT air, but with a good coating of sweat, it feels WONDERFUL!. Good luck, and be COOL! Rex
 
Tom Militano said:
My shop is 24' x 24' and heavily insulated. I put a big window unit in my shop that will run you out if it's put on high. I heat it with two of those small oil filled heaters that look like radiators and they get it uncomfortably hot in there if I turn them up to high.
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Tom,
What is this insulation you speak of? In a shop? That's just crazy talk!!!!
I'm wishing I would have done it, but the benefit woul dhave been minimal with such high ceilings, I have though about enclosing it, but then I'd be buying an A/C unit... I'm thinking acclimation to the temps and continued working toward making a little money with my blades! Rex
 
I went overboard with the insulation in the walls and ceiling when I did it, but I can heat or cool it, depending on the season, and go back in a couple of days later and it's still comfortable.
 
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