Winter knife making

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

Joined
Sep 28, 2005
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I've had to move this year, and it appears that my new "shop" (read Garage) isn't going to retain house heat as well as the old one. So with me having to rearrange everything, I was just wondering what knifemaking products react adversely to freezing. Gum traganth can't be frozen I think I recall, I'm assuming epoxies, but should I worry about pulling anything else inside? I don't have much "shop" space inside, so am trying to utilize the house as little as possible. I haven't made anything in two years, so want to ask the obvious before anything goes awry.

Thanks all, and good luck with winter work!
 
My shop isn't heated so I have to keep the windex for hand sanding, epoxy, and my entire anodizng setup in the house. I also mix some anti freeze in my dunk and dust collection buckets or it will freeze solid. The most annoying thing by far is the heavy cast iron stuff sweating. I have a 1000lb surface grinder that sweats like a pig with temperature changes along with my mill. I found out the hard way after being out of the shop for a week and coming back to the machines covered in water and rust. Now I have to oil the crap out of them and wipe them down every day to prevent rust damaging the precision surfaces.
 
Last edited:
Ekim1428 said:
My shop isn't heated so I have to keep the windex for hand sanding, epoxy, and my entire anodizng setup in the house. I also mix some anti freeze in my dunk and dust collection buckets or it will freeze solid. The most annoying thing by far is the heavy cast iron stuff sweating. I have a 1000lb surface grinder that sweats like a pig with temperature changes along with my mill. I found out the hard way after being out of the shop for a week and coming back to the machines covered in water and rust. Now I have to oil the crap out of them and wipe them down every day to prevent rust damaging the precision surfaces.
Click to expand...

I have some old blankets that I use to cover my lathe and mini mill. It doesn't stop the sweating but it reduces it significantly. I keep meaning to make tailored 'duvets' for each machine but never quite get round to it.
 
Ekim1428 said:
My shop isn't heated so I have to keep the windex for hand sanding, epoxy, and my entire anodizng setup in the house. I also mix some anti freeze in my dunk and dust collection buckets or it will freeze solid. The most annoying thing by far is the heavy cast iron stuff sweating. I have a 1000lb surface grinder that sweats like a pig with temperature changes along with my mill. I found out the hard way after being out of the shop for a week and coming back to the machines covered in water and rust. Now I have to oil the crap out of them and wipe them down every day to prevent rust damaging the precision surfaces.
Click to expand...

Antifreeze in the dunk bucket is a good idea. I was curious about this also. My shop isn't controlled heat, but my blue flame propane heater can heat it up very quickly. So in the middle of the night when its not being heated, giving a decent below zero night here in Michigan it would be inevitable that it will freeze. I may try this.
 
Haven't been out in my shop for a week due to a living room remodel. Hadn't thought about my dunk bucket. Bet it's frozen solid lol. With the chemicals I just put a cabinet in the mechanical room and put every liquid and adhesive I had in the shop in it. Figured it's better to play it safe.
 
Im building an insulated room in the corner of my garage about 8x8 this year. Just big enough to have the essentials, any band sawing or bigger tool work I'll have to brave the cold for a few minutes.
 
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