Too Hot in the Shop This Afternoon

[Stew Denton]

Hi All,

I just came in from the shop to cool off. (My main shop is better known as saw horses and planks on the concrete slab.) It is on the south side of the brick 1st floor. We have full sun today and both weather sites are showing it at 108.

Carpentry again, on my day off, working on rebuilding a deck. One hour is enough at a time, and then I have been taking at least an hour break. Right now I am about finished rebuilding the frame.

However, right now I am drinking a Gator aid in front of a fan, and am contemplating a nap. Our company has safety training on working in the heat. For me I consider the rest/work times given as a minimum, because I normally work inside. Right now it is break time.

Good advise: Drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks to cool down.

Regards,

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

We haven't been getting the hot weather this year. Today's high is predicted to be 75º. It'll have to get a bit warmer outside to hit that.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Stew,

I've spent a lot of my life in the deserts of the world. While your safety training is probably good I expect it leaves out some of the most important aspects of working in the heat. Human skin temp averages a little over 93*F once ambient temp is greater then heat transfer in internal instead of external. In other words once the temps go much over 95*F folks need to cover up instead of shucking their laundry. What helps the most is wearing close fitting underwear that will wick sweat from your skin and keep it dry but at the same time holds moisture for evaporative cooling. One brand name and one that works best is LDRider. Then cover the rest of your body with loose clothing. Done properly you can create a "bubble" of air that is near the "wet bulb" temperature. The Arabs know what they are doing.

Most of my life I rode motorcycles, much of the time in the desert Southwest, I've showed many riders how to ride through places like Death Valley safely, tank to tank, through the mid-day heat and do it in comfort. One ride through the Mojave the temps were 118*F and I got the giggles because I was chilled while feeling the heat boil around me. All it takes is a little knowledge.

BTW, most of the time anymore, I just say the heck with it and spend the hot part of the day in the pool with a hat on and a tall cold one in my hand. But if you really need to work outside through the heat of the day there are ways to do it safely.

ken

[Jason Lester]

It was pretty hot and humid here today too. The rain finally came late this afternoon and cooled things down though. I always like working in the shop while it's raining with the doors all open. There's something relaxing about it.

[Tom Vanzant]

Jim, it’s not nice to tease folks with talk about 75* highs. We’re in a heat wave of 98-101* highs, RH in the mid 50% range. This is expected to continue thru mid-week. My outside thermometer shows 85* and 74% RH at half past midnight. My garage shop is in shut-down mode.

[Brandon Speaks]

Honestly even a Minnesota summer gets too hot for me sometimes. I would take -40 over 95 all day long.

I was in India in June this year on a business trip and it was pushing 120 with high humidity, any time out side was rough.

[Phil Stone]

It was 101* here yesterday, which means about 108 or so in the garage/power shop. If I have a fan blowing directly on me in there, I can take it for up to a half hour or so. Many breaks for water in the cool house keep me from getting stupid enough to make a (potentially dangerous) mistake.

*As we tend to say around here, "but it's a dry f'ing heat".

[Bruce Page]

We've been in the upper 90's which translates to about 85 in the shop with my too small swamp cooler on high. Too warm to be comfortable.
We're getting some much needed rain tonight. It should be cooler tomorrow!