Storing tools non-climate controlled

[Bert McMahan]

I'm planning on moving and building out a new shop fairly soon and will need to store my large tools (bandsaw, jointer, tablesaw, etc) for 2-3 months. I live in the southern US, where it's going to be hot and humid nearly all the time.

Will I be OK storing this stuff in a non climate controlled area? I can get a controlled space but it's about $75 a month more expensive and it's a little harder to get to.

I'd feel better about not being controlled if I was using it, but it'll be sitting where I can't really get to it to rewax anything. Will I be OK waxing the heck out of it and leaving it alone for a while?

[Jim Becker]

You could, perhaps, coat the surfaces with a thicker "petroleum" product, not unlike many tools are shipped with. That stuff handles crossing the ocean in containers where the humidity is also "salty".

[Mike Cutler]

How much work do you want to do after you remove them from storage?
So far, the best stuff I have found for long term storage is LPS 3. It goes on like WD-40, but after a day or two, it sets to a waxy, greasy, coating. Kind of like cosmoline in an aerosol can.
I've used the Boeshields products, and they're definitely nice, but LPS 3 is a step or four above Boeshelds.

[Jim Becker]

How much work do you want to do after you remove them from storage?
So far, the best stuff I have found for long term storage is LPS 3. It goes on like WD-40, but after a day or two, it sets to a waxy, greasy, coating. Kind of like cosmoline in an aerosol can.

That sounds like a real solution for what I was thinking above...

[Mike Cutler]

Jim
I used it when I knew I wouldn't be working in the shop for quite awhile. Like, over two years.(It ended up being almost three. )It was some work to get it off after that time, but a quart each of lacquer thinner and acetone did most of the work.

[Erik Manchester]

If you don’t mind spending the time cleaning it well afterwards I would liberally coat all bare metal with Fluid Film as it will prevent rust and will not dry out, even if things go much longer than three months.

[Julie Moriarty]

We put everything, including all my tools, into climate controlled storage for four months while between houses. The only cleaning I had to do with the tools was a tiny bit of rust on some and removing bubble wrap marks. The bandsaw, tablesaw w/router table, miter saw, lathe and mortiser ended up in the garage - no climate control. The spindle sander, drum sander and all hand tools ended up in a bedroom converted to my workshop - climate controlled in the summer, opened house in the winter.

I learned very quickly that rust in a Florida climate is a huge problem.

I used several types of "rust preventatives" with little success until I read an article on rust prevention for woodworking tools in FWW. The one that sounded best for me was CRC Technical Grade 3-36. I ordered three spray cans from Amazon. Since switching to CRC TG 3-36, the battle against rust had eased dramatically, almost to the point of nil. If you were looking to coat your tools rather than pay the extra $75/mo, I'd recommend this. But personally, if you own a lot of valuable tools, paying the extra for climate controlled storage might be worth it.