Everything is rusting in my shop!

[Anthony Scott]

This season has been very wet here in MI. This is the first time since I have moved here that I have actually had rust on my TS top. Now I have noticed it on router bits, etc.
Sometimes in the morning I can actually see a little condensation on the TS top.
My shop is a detached garage with a large garage door. I suspect this may be part of the problem since it doesn't have a good seal.
I have treated my TS with Boeshield T-9.
What do you all do to keep moisture away in a garage? A de-humidifier?
Thanks

[Prashun Patel]

I doubt a dehumidifier will do much in a garage. You could try, but it'll be running 24x7 and will be nullified everytime the bay doors are opened. I'd just regularly wax. If you want to make it faster, you can make an "Anchorseal" type of liquid by melting wax in mineral spirits until you get a liquid that's thin enough to brush at room temp. At the end of every day, you can give a quick paint to your top. Use paraffin, since it'll dry hard and won't make a wet mess of things that slide on top of it.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

If you are getting condensation on your tools, a de-humidifier alone will probably not be enough. Do you use your garage door to enter the shop? If so, this, and the fact that it does not seal well is the main problem. In the morning the air will be quite different between inside and outside of the garage. Upon opening the rapid change will cause the condensation.

If you use a regular door to enter then the seal of the garage door may be worse than you realize. Either way I think you may have to replace the garage door entirely. You have not mentioned how big your door is. Can you use 2 smaller ones? This may help the seal. It would also not be a bad idea to check if you have air leaks elsewhere.

[David Kumm]

Is the shop insulated? Do you use it year round? I'm in WI and have found a small A/C is better than dehumiddifier if there is some insulation in the building. Dave

[Anthony Scott]

The garage door is probably the size of a two car door.
The shop is insulated pretty well. It is heated in the winter, but no AC in the summer.

[David Kumm]

The long term solution is a ductless split system for about $2500. While it is a bummer, it will give you years of pleasure and protect your stuff. I consider it another machine. Makes it easier to justify. Dave

[Bill Davis]

If there is condensation on the TS it is likely due to it being cooled down at night then as the air warms up for whatever reason the warm moist air contacts the cold TS and the moisture in the air condensed on it.
You can either keep the TS from cooling or you can prevent the warm moist air from contacting the cold saw.
1. Heat the shop at night.
2. Possibly cover the TS with an old sheet when not in use. I've had success with this.
My tools were shipped from dry Denver to tropical Philippines and when I returned to the US for the summers, leaving tools to turn to rust, I covered them all with some cheap material and when I returned there was no visible rust. Can't promise it will work but it's worth a cheap try.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Bill has a good point - condensation is an issue of temperature (cold tools) and humidity. You could keep your shop and tools at a constant temp (or at least always above the highest typical dewpoint) or try to keep the air dehumidified.

[Aleks Hunter]

I have the same prblem chronically here in Vt. My shop is inthe barn, and the condensation in the cool nights is the culprit. I've buffed the tabletops to a nice shine only to see them rust again, that got very old very fast. Treat any exposed unpainted steel or iron with a couple of light coats boeshield, then wax and wax a lot. I use Trewax paste and have had excellent results. Keep everything not in use covered. I use pieces of a shower curtain my wife replaced cut to the size of the table tops of the table saw, planer, bandsaws and jointers. Just cut to size and lay themm flat so there is no space for humid air under them and you'll be condensatiopn rust free.

[Brett Hoffman]

Here’s a trick that I do with my table saw.

I put Bioshield on the tabletop, but I also put towels on top of it. I went through last winter with the table saw in storage and all I got was one really small rust spot that came out easy. It’s been pretty humid here lately and it seems to be helping.

With the towel sitting on top, if the cast iron is cold and it’s humid it doesn’t give the moister a chance to get on the cast iron.

It’s not an end all be all, but it does a pretty good job of keeping the top rust free.

[Brent Grooms]

Since I live in michigan as well and have my shop in my garage also, here is the best advice I can give you.

1. clean and wax all of your iron surfaces at least once a year.
2. when the humidity is high... keep the doors closed if it is not overwhelmingly hot in the garage!

you will run into problems when the iron surfaces are at a temperature that is close to the dew point. if you keep your doors closed, you wont have the big swings in humidity that the outside environment sees. The only reason I get rust on anything is when I dont have a fresh coat of wax each spring or when I get lazy when turning green wood.

[Anthony Scott]

Thanks everyone!

[Myk Rian]

Also in Michigan.
I have Johnsons furniture paste wax, and HTC machine covers on everything.
Thick canvas tarps work well also.

[Anthony Scott]

What about thing like router bits and saw blades? Wiping on some boeshield perhaps?
Thanks

[Myk Rian]

Do you have an open can of muriatic acid, or similar? That will do rust everything in the shop.

Keep bits and blades in cases, cabinets, etc. Put mineral oil on them if you like.