Freezing shops and sharpening stones

[Glen Johnson]

I was wondering what others do with freezing shops and sharpening stones. I work in my unheated garage and only turn on a portable heater when I work on weekends. I have a set of Norton waterstones but never use them because I get tired of moving the in and out of the garage and don't want them to freeze. I have found it just easier to use scary sharp. What are others doing? I don't see many discussions on oil stones.

[David Weaver]

If my shop froze, I would use oilstones.

[Jack Curtis]

I don't leave stones soaking in water and I tend to prefer using natural water stones dry. I also might resort to sandpaper on the odd occasion.

Jack

[Bruce Haugen]

Sometime before it becomes obvious that the temp in my shop is going to stay below freezing (usu. November) I put all my water stones, epoxies, glues and rechargeable batteries in a box and bring them inside the house. Then I go into mourning.

[Carl Beckett]

Sorry Glen, no good tips that I can think of. My shop is also unheated, so I migrate to an attached unheated garage for the winter. (wish it wasnt so, but such is reality sometimes). The attached unheated garage doesnt freeze water but I assume yours must or you wouldnt be asking.

You might make an insulated box just for this, and use one of the goldenrod heaters (or other suitable, safe heating element).

You might try adding alcohol (lowers freezing point) - but might be a problem with evaporation and separation. Certain surfactants can be useful and might also help with wetting and operation of the stones themselves (sodium laurel sulfate or something like this??)

Windshield washer fluid? (I believe is methanol?)

Salt/sugar helps a little (but might not lower the freezing temp low enough for your area).

What is the minimum temp your environment gets to?

[Stuart Tierney]

I was wondering what others do with freezing shops and sharpening stones. I work in my unheated garage and only turn on a portable heater when I work on weekends. I have a set of Norton waterstones but never use them because I get tired of moving the in and out of the garage and don't want them to freeze. I have found it just easier to use scary sharp. What are others doing? I don't see many discussions on oil stones.

I keep a set of stones in the freezer, and boil them when I remember to.

I don't recommend this at all, and there are very few stones that can survive this kind of treatment, and Norton stones are absolutely not on the list.


As Dave mentioned previously in another thread, it's all well and good to have a stone that can survive a freeze/thaw cycle or 12 intact, it's a whole other ball of wax to actually use a stone in those conditions. Fortunately in those conditions I also have a kerosene heater working and a kettle on that with boiling water for coffee or tea, and the boiling water won't harm my stones either. I think Norton stone should be ok with hot water, as are King and similar (clay binder) Bester and Sigma ceramic (vitrified) and naturals (warm, not hot).


(I know all this because I've tested some stones for this. I know someone is going to leave a stone in the cold and it might well freeze. I'd like to be sure of what's going to happen, so I keep a full set in the freezer and bring them out occasionally, boiling them in a pot to thaw them and to give a severe case of thermal shock at the same time. After a dozen or more cycles, no change at all. It's a comfort to be able to tell someone that if they leave their stones in water permanently, absolutely nothing is going to happen to them. But I don't recommend allowing stones to freeze if you can avoid it.)

On the subject of water additives, I don't think it's not a great idea. I've used Hone-rite Gold, and it does do what it says on the can to a point. My fear is that whatever you do put into that water is also going to end up on your hands. Not only that, if you slip and cut (or grind) yourself, whatever is in that water may end up in your bloodstream too.

If you're not adverse to drinking what you put in the water, then by all means give it a shot. I restrict myself to a little kitchen bleach to keep growth down, and nothing more.

Hope that helps, but prevention is still the best policy I think.

Stu.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Build yourself a small box/cabinet for your stones, and keep a light bulb burning in there. That should certainly keep the temp well above freezing, no matter where you live.

[Rick Fisher]

A box with an Aquarium heater for reptiles.. Costs about $10.00 and fire safe.. you never see a lizard ablaze.. lol

[Jim Koepke]

When it is freezing in the shop, I switch to oil stones.

There is a hi-lo recording thermometer in my shop so I can see the daily low and high temps. I also watch the weather reports and don't use water stones if freezing temps are predicted.

jtk

[Jack Curtis]

Great stuff, Stu; but I see the real problem as using those icy stones, burrrrrrr, boiling makes sense, hadn't thought of it. Have you tried this on any natural stones?

Jack

[Stuart Tierney]

Great stuff, Stu; but I see the real problem as using those icy stones, burrrrrrr, boiling makes sense, hadn't thought of it. Have you tried this on any natural stones?

Jack

NO!

Don't even contemplate it, but warm water won't harm them. Freezing will kill a natural that is wet pretty danged dead though too.


I've boiled a King #1000 and most of the Sigma Power stones. The King was fine, and the Sigma Power didn't care. I've not yet torture tested the Select II or the #400, but I'm sure that heat won't harm the Select II, cold won't affect the #400. The other way round, not sure.

Anything else, do it at your own risk, I'm not responsible for your stones turning to chunks.

Stu.

[Jack Curtis]

OK, will not blow chunks.

Jack

[Bill Bukovec]

I have a box (empty Grain belt case} that I put my stones and other items in. In the winter I haul it into the house when it will freeze in my shop.

It's a pain, but thats life in the Great White North.

I plan to retire in ten years and move to Virginia. If my Grain Belt box gives out, I'll just have to empty another.

Bill

[Glen Johnson]

Thanks for the advice. What kind of oil stones do you use or recommend?

[willie sobat]

I now work in a heated/cooled shop. But for my first 12 years of woodworking I worked in an unheated space. For that reason I have never adopted water stones. Since I already had sharpening tools and supplies that worked for me I never made the transition and don't feel it is necessary. I use a combination of sandpaper and diamond plates. I do have a nice set of oil stones. They don't cut very fast and can't recommend them over my other methods for that reason. I mostly use sandpaper (silicone carbide) stuck to a flat substrate with a high quality spray adhesive. For me this works exceedingly well and is pretty cheap. I use the diamond plates (DMT duo-sharp) for reshaping and high speed steel.