Power Tools and the cold...

[Brian Patterson]

My wife and I moved this past summer into a larger house. I was lucky enough to get 1 bay of our detached 2 car garage for my shop... With all of the moving, etc. I didn't have a chance to winterize my shop. I made sure to clean all the major power tools and put a new coat of Boeshield on all the cast iron surfaces and covered them with old blankets. I brought most of the hand tools inside as well as anything that could freeze, pretty much shutting down for the winter.

We have enough projects inside (painting, etc) that I figured I would be busy all winter. Here's the thing though... I need to build a door for a flush mount medicine cabinet. We've been looking around for one and I know I can build something with out too much trouble...

So here's my question; I live in Pittsburgh where right now its a balmy 31 with 1 1/2" of snow on the ground. Is it safe to use a tool like my table saw when it's been sitting in the cold like this for a month or two? I also worried about my hands being too cold as well.

Any thoughts or precautions?

Thanks in advance.

[George Bregar]

Won't effect the tool. As far as your hands, they will get cold. You can always use a garage heater but that cast iron is going to take forever to warm up. A small door isn't worth the hassle and you can cut and warm up inside if you need to.

[Steven Wilson]

You can run your tools at that temperature and much lower. Try to keep the tools under 50F so you don't get condensation problems (warming and cooling through 50 can lead to condensation and then rust). Run a small heater so you can warm up your hands.

[Chuck Lenz]

I'm not so sure covering machinery with a blanket is a good idea. The blanket may absorb humidity.

[George Bregar]

I'm not so sure covering machinery with a blanket is a good idea. The blanket may absorb humidity.

I cover mine...car exhaust has a lot of moisture. Better to have a barrier.