Toolbox Condensation

[N395V]

Search dehumidifiers on e bay. There is a guy that rebuilds De Longhis and sells them cheap.

My entire shop drips inside when the humidity is up. One 40 pint dehumidifier took care of the problem.

You have enough invested in your toools that a dehumidifier is cheap insurance.

[larrynew]

I've been using Indicating Silica Gel to help prevent rusty tools. It absorbs moisture like the "Do not Eat Silica Gel" packets that come in shoeboxes. You can get a 5lb bag from Hobby Lobby for $12.99. Look in the flower section. It's used to dry flowers. I put it in small clear left-over containers with small holes (smaller than the gel) punched in the tops and then put the containers in my tool boxes.

When the blue specs turn pink (about 6 weeks for my garage), just put the Gel in a pie pan in the oven at 250 for 30 minutes and it's good to use again. No problems with rust now. If it's too big for a toolbox (like my tablesaw), I use T-9 Boeshield.

[fl-mike]

I took out the bottom drawer on my roll-around tool boxes and put in a "Goldenrod" heater used in gunsafes (then re-installed the drawer. There is plenty of space under). It does not get too hot, but keeps the ambient temperature raised a bit to fend off condensation. Seems to work pretty well. Environment is half mile from beach on west coast of Florida, unheated drafty hangar. I also shoot my machine tools with LPS-2 and/or LPS-3 regularly and keep them covered. (mill, lathe, shear, brake, etc.) It's a never ending battle. Someday they will get a proper home.

[RVAddict]

Thanks everyone for all the great replies! I appreciate it very much.
Josh

[RVAddict]

Milt,
Do you mean one like THIS?

[DanH]

Here is south Alabama we get the wide temp swings all winter. A cold day chills an airplane in a hangar, the next warm day has it dripping with condensation. The trick is to get the temp of the airplane mass (or in this case the toolbox) to mimic the ambient temperature. All it takes in a hangar is a running box fan to circulate air around the mass. I suspect your toolbox would need nothing more than an old computer fan. Try it.

[RVAddict]

I have a wind machine in my building for the hot summer months. I may just try that!

Thanks Dan!

http://www.electronicsshowplace.com/...oqvehlusevuuc4

[N395V]

Originally Posted by RVAddict

Milt,
Do you mean one like THIS?

Yep thats the one. Has a pump so you don't have to dump the water daily.

Also note what Dan said above about a fan. Mississippi is like Alabama really humid with substantial temp changes at night. I use the fan for the hangar portion of my shop as Dan does. Works great on the plane but it didn't protect my machine tools from rusting especially the ways on the mill and lathe. Thats Why I went to the dehumidifier for the walled off tool shed at the end of the hangar. Operationally it is a lot cheaper than air conditioning.