turning in a cold shop

[John Nowack]

it is about 22 degrees outside and we are iced in her in OKLAHOMA---I read a string on another site that said using your lathe in a unheated garage would danmage it----they were talking about ways to keep the lathe warm threw the winter months---should I be doing something to my lathe that I don't know about during the winter

sure would like to turn something on a snowday

[Bob Noles]

John,

I am not sure where your information came from, but cold weather will not hurt the lathe.

Go turn and have fun.

[Ryan Baker]

I think that the lathe is going to mind the cold less than you will when using it. If it's warm enough to want to be in the garage turning, it's warm enough for the lathe.

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Before I bought a furnace for my shop I would wear my old deer hunting clothes to turn in 22 degree weather. I swear ever time I turned the lathe on I heard the lathe whisper thank You. If you want to turn, just do it. If you have a Nova they recommend to turn it on every once in a while in cold weather or if your not going to be doing any turning for a prolonged time. Mitch

[Bernie Weishapl]

Go ahead and make some chips John. It won't hurt a thing.

[David Christopher]

At 22 degrees I would be more worried about me breaking...LOL

It was 74 degrees today here

[Dustin Cranford]

At 22 degrees I would be more worried about me breaking...LOL

It was 74 degrees today here

Always has to be one in the bunch...... that points out where the green grass grows. Of course I am only kidding. :p

[David Christopher]

Always has to be one in the bunch...... that points out where the green grass grows. Of course I am only kidding. :p



Dustin, sometimes its just good to be me

[Dustin Cranford]

At 74 degrees I would agree it's good to be you.

[David Christopher]

well the temp has finally droped down to 68

[Leo Van Der Loo]

What is it 22 degrees or minus 22 degrees, yes your lathe and other parts can break easier when it gets cold, that is when it gets REALLY cold that is, not luke warm like 22 degrees, just go and turn :p :D

[Scott Hubl]

John,
Here is my thoughts on this.

DITCH this thread entirely!
Now open that other sites thread and (hopefully you have a newer costly lathe for this) show it to your wife and say OMG hon, I would HATE to RUIN my new lathe and then have to go out and buy another one if it gets damaged !

But I can't just sit around looking at it and not turn something, I invested in all this turning stuff to USE it afterall, Maybe I should get some heat out in the garage and that will keep it from getting prematurely damaged?

Then start looking at some type on heat sources.

Menards carries a couple garage natural gas overhead(No floor space used) forced air furnaces and the bigger one was only $600.00, you could get away with the smaller one for a 2 car garage easily.

I have a 2 1/2 car shop and the unit I bought is rated for a 3 car garage and -10 out I can Easily go from 45(I keep it at 45 while not out in the garage) to 70 degrees in a few minutes and enjoy being out in the garage.
(my garage is my getaway santuary) Sanity if you will. lol
Most of my time is spent just putzin around in there these days but it sure is Nice to be putzin in comfort.
One of the main reasons I bought my house was the fact the garage was Heated (bought the new furnace a few years ago after the old wall unit died)been Enjoying a heated garage for about 16-17 years now. AC in the summer months too.(Good for my allergies.)

IF your a good salesman it won't be long before your enjoying comfortable turning for yourself, errrr Lathe I mean.;)

[Jeff Nicol]

I agree with Leo, 22 degrees is shirt sleeve weather here in WI ! It is -15 today and it is not to bad!! But the shop is a balmy 60 degrees with the woodstove going!!

Stay warm,

Jeff

[hank dekeyser]

22 DEGREES ? Time for some sun tan lotion ! They forecasted a high in the single digits for us today. whoo-hoooo- From my experience of years in the building trades (AKA freeze my arse all winter working outside) the main concern is if you make it go too fast too soon. My worm drive skil-saw takes a while to "warm up" on days like today (it has an oil bath gear though) I run my stuff below freezing all the time - LET 'ER BUCK !

[Bob Hallowell]

I live in Pa and turn all winter in an unheated garage. I am not sure how it can hurt the lathe, The bearings get warmed up quick and the motor should have no problems working when cold. What were you told?

Bob

[Brian McDermaid]

I've used the motor on my lathe to warm up my hands. It generates enough heat to get the circulation going again :)

You guys and your heated shops... phfffft.. If you're safety glasses don't ice-up its not too cold to play.

~Brian

[Jeff Nicol]

Well a warm shop is a friendly shop! Not many people want to drop in and chat when the shop is an ice box! Besides I would want to know when I cut my finger off, if it if half frozen might not miss it for hours!! Just kidding, but I think it is definitly safer to turn in a warmer space. Your reflexes are slowed and brain is most likely numb in a cold space, or should I say number than normal like me!!!

Stay warm and turn safe!

Jeff

[Scott Conners]

If you use a heater, keep in mind that burning propane produces a large amount of water vapor, which will most likely condense immediately on all of your mice shop machinery. You might consider electric (not that effecient but effective) or infrared (best choice) instead.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Most people don't know the impact cold temps have on steel, a lot was learned in WWII, as ships and other equipment failed because of that.
I'll add a small piece of info on the problems there are.

[Allen Neighbors]

I believe, and have noticed on my own lathe (Oneway 1640) that it is easier on the lathe, if I turn it on at a slower speed (500 or so) for a little while, to allow the bearings to warm up before getting down to business. That's when I was going to turn when it was down to about freezing. (It's normally quite quiet, but was a little noisy when I first cranked it up.) I hate turning when I'm cold! No, that's not correct. I love turning, but I hate being cold!
It takes a long time to heat up my shop to manageable temps.

[John Nowack]

The string on the other website went on and on about building a light box to keep the lathe warm and using blankets etc. they were aslo saying it would rust really bad in the winter?? it may have been the "Antartic Wood Wuturners Association" for all I know (can't imagine much humidity in antartica though:))

[Nathan Hawkes]

BRRR!!!! I got a used woodstove that I fixed up & added a coat of paint on. I used to have 2 doors to the shop (read-shed), and took out the plexiglas in one and put in a piece of sheet metal for the flu to go through, put down some slate from an old hearth, and boom. I burn my cutoffs, as well as a fair amount of firewood, to keep warm. In all seriousness, its pretty dangerous to turn when you don't have control over your fingers from being cold. I'm embarrassed to admit here that I broke a finger while learning to turn (in the cold, wearing gloves) when a catch at the center of a large bowl flipped a 1.5" wide scraper over, then slammed it down on my finger. OUCH. :mad: Bad words were said, and xrays were taken.....
I may be a little more accident prone than some, but be careful no matter what!!!