# WW'ing withdrawal -- help!



## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Temp in my shop is only a couple degrees cooler.

Its been 97+ degree's for over a week and no end in sight.

I lasted about 45 mins the other day till I had to quit.

I work till about 3 every day so no mornings available.

I've got 3 projects on the boards…....

I can only do so much carving.

Thanks I feel better just talking about it.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

Big Fans and Work at Night.

Good Luck


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## AZWoody (Jan 18, 2015)

I hear ya. It's been in the 115s or so and I do have AC but it's a pretty large area to cool in my shop so I have been laying low lately.

Sadly, I have some projects I do have to get done and I'm putting in 15 to 20 hours a day at work so I'm having problems getting my creativity going.


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## changeoffocus (Dec 21, 2013)

I have a vested interest in suggesting air conditioning or maybe a swamp cooler for AZ. 
For the most part It's less expensive to cool a building than heat it.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I had the same problem. Just couldn't work, so…
I insulated my garage/shop and installed a 11K mini split AC unit w/heat pump. 72-74 deg F. no problem when it is 95 outside.

I know, it was a little costly. But, I don't have the HOA complaining about an AC unit sticking through the wall.


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## Luthierman (Jun 4, 2015)

It hasn't been terribly hot here, but it has been incredibly wet. We have had feet of rain in the last few months, no joke. I cant get the shop humidity below 75%. My shop is climate controlled, but it is really difficult to control with all of this rain. Nice and cool in there, just wet. Thats no good for thin pieces of wood trying to stay flat. And then there is the rust on all my tools. It is a different problem, I know, but I can relate in not being able to work.


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

That's rough, I hate working at anything over 80 deg in the shop. I recently drywalled my ceiling and will soon blow in insulation. I'm debating installing an AC unit too, but I can open the door to my house and let my evaporative cooler blow through the garage which helps a bit.


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## AZWoody (Jan 18, 2015)

> I have a vested interest in suggesting air conditioning or maybe a swamp cooler for AZ.
> For the most part It s less expensive to cool a building than heat it.
> 
> - Bob Current


I don't know if I would do a swamp cooler as the added humidity might be a problem for the lumber.
Also, a swamp cooler is only good when the humidity is already very low. Around here, we can get humidity along with the heat. We can get 30-40% humidity in the middle of summer easily along with the high temperatures and it's miserable.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

> Around here, we can get humidity along with the heat. We can get 30-40% humidity in the middle of summer easily along with the high temperatures and it s miserable.
> - AZWoody


Are you serious?
Try 75% to 90% humidity and 98 degrees like we are used to in Tennessee.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Sounds like weather is tough a lot of places. We have had so much rain and the humidity it bad..currently 84%...wet.

On top of that the mosquitoes are huge and hungry….glad my shop inside with AC.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

I been hanging OSB for a ceiling in my garage for the last month and can only stand the heat for 6 hours! Just can't work like I use to when I was 25 !!!


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## JollyGreen67 (Nov 1, 2010)

Mini-split with heat pump is the only way to go! ) Was 101 in Albuquerque, and my shop is a nice cool 74.


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## AZWoody (Jan 18, 2015)

> Around here, we can get humidity along with the heat. We can get 30-40% humidity in the middle of summer easily along with the high temperatures and it s miserable.
> - AZWoody
> 
> Are you serious?
> ...


Yes, but when the temperature is 115-120, that 30-40 percent turns into 170 heat index really quick, no different than any other place that has high humidity but lower temperature.
Then try walking a field and the humidity rises up to 80% or so instantly.


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## RobinDobbie (Aug 25, 2013)

Gotta be prepared to work in the heat. Trade the denim jeans in for some thin khakis. Maybe even khaki shorts. Get away from cotton tighty whities. Consider some boxers, or maybe even go commando. Be extra careful when zipping up, though. If you have lots of window light, think about blocking it off and going LED. Paint the shop exterior white/light colors. Put up some overhead fans that allow a circular motion so that the whole workspace has circulation, not just where the fan is pointing. If 45 minutes is your breaking point, do a 30-on-30-off type thing so you can keep it going.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Alaska weather is great.


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## pauljuilleret (Nov 16, 2013)

I have to agree with AZ Woody as a former resident of Chandler they were starting to go out of popularity when I retired a few years back Now as I am living on the Akron Ohio area it's like living in one big swamp cooler most of the summer swamp cooled air is just way to hard on your tools when cast iron surfaces come in to play


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I just had a separate 200A service put in my barn (where my shop is) so AC is not out of the picture one day…..
But the thought of installing insulation in my "at times leaky" metal roof is a little daunting.
I do have a 14X16 room I call my "studio" which is AC'ed.
Planning on putting a small workbench in there.

Alaska Guy - go away!


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> I just had a separate 200A service put in my barn (where my shop is) so AC is not out of the picture one day…..
> But the thought of installing insulation in my "at times leaky" metal roof is a little daunting.
> I do have a 14X16 room I call my "studio" which is AC ed.
> Planning on putting a small workbench in there.
> ...


I did go away. All the way up here, that's why I'm enjoying our summer. Heck I had to turn the heat on in the shop today to bring it up to 70 so I could spray some waterborne finish.


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## Dabcan (Feb 1, 2011)

I've been lucky, we've had one of the coldest springs on record, so far it's still great in the shop. I do this full time, but generally work much less in the summer to take care of my daughter who's off school then, that and it's too hot + humid to get much done in the shop.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Yesterday afternoon the deerlies (yellowflies down here) are back!!!

I would love to move to NC in the mountains, but unfortunately have to do something called "work for a living".
I have a business that I can't leave yet but until then

WW'ing for REAL men down here, that's what I say….....


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Between the heat and the GNATS I can only stand about 3 hours in the shop each day. It is insulated and I have 3 fans that rotate to circulate the air, but it's like working in a blast furnace. 
Yesterday morning I mowed the lawn (at 7am) and by the time I was done (2 hours) I was soaking wet. I really miss living in the mountains of Tennessee where even when it was 90* I always had a nice breeze blowing thru my shop


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Click for weather forecast


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

Sorry to hear, and see that temperature you are enduring, here in the great North West we don't have that discomfort yet, maybe later on in the year it will get up to 90 on one or two days, then the maritime air moves in and everything gets back to normal, 70 - 80.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I have to work out in my uninsulated shop this summer,What helps me is several fans and I put on a shirt that I wet,Sometimes I keep a couple wet kitchen sized towel in the cooler to hang around my neck.Its been high 90s here with monsoons coming next week.I still drink hot coffee when it's hot in the shop,I know it's weird.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

> I have to work out in my uninsulated shop this summer,What helps me is several fans and I put on a shirt that I wet,Sometimes I keep a couple wet kitchen sized towel in the cooler to hang around my neck.Its been high 90s here with monsoons coming next week.I still drink hot coffee when it s hot in the shop,I know it s weird.
> 
> - Aj2


Not weird. I used to hear that eating or drinking hot stuff raised your body temp a little and made the environmental temperature seem closer to normal.
As far as the coffee is concerned, I drink two pots a day. My wife keeps the house 73 degrees. I have to sit out on the patio to get comfortable.


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## IAMike (Apr 30, 2014)

It's been at least in the mid 80's and 70%+ humidity here in Iowa for most of the summer. The only way I can stand working in the insulated-but-not-yet-air-conditioned garage is to do it later in the day, with a couple 22" fans up at chest level, and I wear workout gear. Gym shorts, compression shorts, dry-fit t-shirt. My neighbors probably wonder what sort of exercise I'm doing that ends up with me covered in sawdust!


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

Well, thanks guys. Hearing about your 100+ heat makes my paltry low 90's here in NC seem like a polar vortex.

I just hope somebody will revive this thread in about 5 months when we're all bitching about how cold it is.


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## WoodNSawdust (Mar 7, 2015)

I feel your pain. We are finishing our third week of 90s with heat index 100-117. Yesterday temperature hit 100.

Today the ductless heat pump finally came online. Temperature dropped from 90 to 75 this afternoon. I am planning on woodworking tomorrow in the shop


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