Anyone put their goldenrod in a wooden chest?

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

There have been quite a few threads lately regarding rust, tools and storage. The goldenrod has come up in several posts and I am now considering it in my wooden tool chest that I am building.

I know this was designed for gun safes but is it appropriate and safe for use in a wooden box? I am concerned about the fire risk and excessive cooking of the chest. Also, in the summer in my garage is this likely to add any benefit or is more for cool locations?

Thanks

[Jim Koepke]

The Goldenrod comes with mounting hardware.

I have one inside a wooden chest and it doesn't get hot enough to cause me any worries.

Here is something I wrote about it when I bought mine:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?173926

I have since learned Cabela's Sporting Goods is a national chain. I am not much into sporting goods stores other than when shoes are on sale or I am looking for a source for an item.

As for use in the summer, if humidity isn't a problem then, it could likely be unplugged until needed.

jtk

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

Here in nc, humidity is always an issue in the summer, dew points outside can be in the 70s, but will the rod, heat the space up in the summer too?


The Goldenrod comes with mounting hardware.

I have one inside a wooden chest and it doesn't get hot enough to cause me any worries.

Here is something I wrote about it when I bought mine:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?173926

I have since learned Cabela's Sporting Goods is a national chain. I am not much into sporting goods stores other than when shoes are on sale or I am looking for a source for an item.

As for use in the summer, if humidity isn't a problem then, it could likely be unplugged until needed.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

It should be able to keep an enclosed space a few degrees warmer than the ambient temperature.

If you have doubts, check their web site:

http://www.goldenroddehumidifiers.com/index.htm

One of the pages has an 800 number to call and talk to them.

If you do that, then you will be the expert. :D

jtk

[paul cottingham]

I have one in a wooden cabinet, and have never been concerned. And to be blunt, when it comes to fire....I am genuine nervous nelly.

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

I think I will need to give them a call then. It makes sense for cool damp areas like basements but I a not sure how much releative drying it will do in an 85 degree NC garage in the summer.

[Steve Friedman]

I think I will need to give them a call then. It makes sense for cool damp areas like basements but I a not sure how much releative drying it will do in an 85 degree NC garage in the summer.
I contacted them (don't remember if it was phone or e-mail) with some questions I had and they were EXTREMELY helpful and willing to offer suggestions. In my case, I was using it in a large (2' x 2' x 4') 12-drawer metal parts cabinet that I repurposed as a tool chest. I was concerned that the drawers would prevent the heat from ever reaching the stuff in the drawers at the top. They has some excellent suggestions. My tools express their gratitude every day by remaining rust-free!

By the way, I got mine from Midway USA and am pretty sure they still have the best prices.

Steve

[Bill White]

Check out a piano 'DAMP CHASER".
Bill

[John A. Callaway]

I contacted them (don't remember if it was phone or e-mail) with some questions I had and they were EXTREMELY helpful and willing to offer suggestions. In my case, I was using it in a large (2' x 2' x 4') 12-drawer metal parts cabinet that I repurposed as a tool chest. I was concerned that the drawers would prevent the heat from ever reaching the stuff in the drawers at the top. They has some excellent suggestions. My tools express their gratitude every day by remaining rust-free!

By the way, I got mine from Midway USA and am pretty sure they still have the best prices.

Steve

That is where I ordered mine from... Should be here in a day or two. I am hunting down a metal cabinet to use until I can find the time to build a proper chest... What sort of suggestions did they give? Drilling holes in the shelves?

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

Also, are there any concerns with over drying the totes or the wooden chest itself?

[Michael Ray Smith]

I gather you're not talking about the wildflower, huh?

[Steve Friedman]

I am hunting down a metal cabinet to use until I can find the time to build a proper chest... What sort of suggestions did they give? Drilling holes in the shelves?
They said it was not necessary, but a good idea to drill a couple of holes in the drawer bottoms to allow air to flow. While they thought larger holes (like 1" diameter) would be better, I think it's the total area that counts. When I asked about tools falling through the holes, they suggested using those rubber tool drawer liners (which I use anyway to keep the tools off the metal drawer bottoms).

I ended up not drilling holes for a couple of reasons and there has been no problem. There might be if it was built like a wooden dresser, but in a typical metal cabinet, there is plenty of space between the rear of the drawers and the back panel of the cabinet. Also, the drawer backs are not as tall as the fronts, so there is tons of unrestricted space even with the drawers closed. You are supposed to install the goldenrod near the bottom rear of the cabinet (heat rises). If I thought air flow was a problem, I would have installed a second rod around half-way up the cabinet to make sure the upper half was getting sufficient heat. It woud have been much easier than drilling holes.

I did not do that because my drawer bottoms already had a grid of small screw holes. It had been a parts cabinet with a bunch of metal dividers attached to the drawer bottoms with tiny sheet metal screws. When I removed the dividers, my drawer bottoms still had a grid of small screw holes (at least 100 holes per drawer). I figured more holes would be an overkill.

I installed mine in the beginning of the sumer, after seeing the rust damage caused by the absurdly spring weather we had in the Northeast. So far so good.

Steve

[Steve Friedman]

Also, are there any concerns with over drying the totes or the wooden chest itself?
Bruno,

a 12" goldenrod gives off the same amount of heat as a 12 watt light bulb. Warm, but you can touch it with your bare hands. I have one in a 24" x 24" x 18" wooden cabinet and the heat is not a problem. I don't know about wooden totes, but I don't think it gets hot enough for the to be an issue. It's not an oven. As Jim said, it's just a tiny bit of heat to keep the temperature in the cabinet just above the ambient temperature. I don't think rust cares about temperature - it cares about humidity. Rust tends to be less of a problem in the winter, but (I think) only because the humidity is usually much lower. A hot humid summer is precisely what the Goldenrod seems to be made for.

No affiliation with the company, just a happy customer.

Steve

[Dominic Greco]

That's exactly what I did. Only the "wooden chest" is a wall mounted wooden cabinet

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/toolcabinetdehumdifier2.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z287/DominicGreco/toolcabinetdehumdifier1.jpg

I've had a GoldenRod Dehumidifier installed in this cabinet for over 2 years and it has worked perfectly. I no longer have to worry about rust caused by condensation buildup.

[Zach England]

If I cut down some of the solidago from my front yard will it keep rust off of my tools?

[Justin Green]

How airtight do the cabinets have to be for the goldenrods to work? I have a herd of planes and chisels that have rusted up yet again. This year I will be building a saw, plane, and chisel cabinet. Is the typical cabinet door fit tight enough for them to be effective? Also, I was thinking about glass in the doors. I'm wondering if that would negate the benefits of one of the goldenrod dehumidifiers. My workshop is an uninsulated garage in central Texas. I also plan on some silica gel packets and camphor blocks as well. I have literally put off buying some new LN planes and saws because of the rust issue here. I could not stomach buying a $300 plane, $150 saw, etc., and having them rust.

[Zach Dillinger]

Nope, but I did put my raw sienna in my chest.

/Crayola!

[Jim Koepke]

How airtight do the cabinets have to be for the goldenrods to work? I have a herd of planes and chisels that have rusted up yet again. This year I will be building a saw, plane, and chisel cabinet. Is the typical cabinet door fit tight enough for them to be effective? Also, I was thinking about glass in the doors. I'm wondering if that would negate the benefits of one of the goldenrod dehumidifiers. My workshop is an uninsulated garage in central Texas. I also plan on some silica gel packets and camphor blocks as well. I have literally put off buying some new LN planes and saws because of the rust issue here. I could not stomach buying a $300 plane, $150 saw, etc., and having them rust.

I do not imagine the cabinet needs to be air tight as long as there isn't a breeze blowing through it.

The goldenrod keeps the air in the cabinet warmer than the surrounding air. The only real need is for there to be vertical openings in the cabinet so the air (heat) can rise.

Glass is also not likely a problem. One thought though is that as more tools accumulate, the more likely it would be better to have wood on the doors so tools can be hung on the inside of the door.

jtk

[John A. Callaway]

I ordered mine and in the interest of solving my rust problem immediately, and a extreme lack of time to build a proper cabinet, I went to sears and grabbed one of these....


http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j87/trainman0978/IMG_0005.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j87/trainman0978/IMG_0001.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j87/trainman0978/IMG_0002.jpg

and it is not airtight at all... and , more importantly, the rust problem has STOPPED , COMPLETELY !

Sold, convinced, and a very happy customer!