Freezing shop supplies

[DaveNay]

With winter approaching, I am considering building a heated cabinet for my shop. I would like to put items in here like PVC glue, caulk, cans of paint, adhesives, spray lubricants, etc. How much of this type of stuff really needs to be protected from freezing? I was thinking of a simple plywood cabinet, some ridgid foam insulation and a 40 watt light bulb on a thermostat switch. I don't need to keep it real warm, but 40-45 F would be nice.

For you southerners and Australian desert dwellers, freezing is when the ambient air temperature drops below 32 degrees F or 0 deg C, and water based products turn into a solid. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Dave

 

[slowrev]

I just move all Latex based paints, caulk, etc into the basement and leave them there. I leave Oil based paints, RTV, solvents, etc in my workshop, which is not heated all of the time. Has worked so far.

Not sure on your idea of a heated cabinet, probably will need some insulation at least.

Ben

 

[rockinmywaypa]

an old fridge might work as well and save construction costs. even has light sockets although some rewiring would be in order to add thermastats.

 

[Boondox]

Dave -- Over the years, having lost a lot of stuff to winter cold, I've developed a system. Anything subject to damage or loss from freezing that is normally kept in the shop or garage in warm weather has a blue band around it. I use blue electrical tape. About this time of year, with the first freezing spell just around the corner, I go thru the unheated spaces with a tote, gathering all the blue striped items and moving them to the basement.

For all you folks who confuse "chilly" with "freezing," even cans of WD-40 are rendered useless by a few days of minus 30. The spray mechanism gums up and never recovers, so every spray bottle or can, no matter what's inside it, is a blue stripe item.

I've never relied on heated storage since around here the power supply in winter is subject to failure.

Pete

 

[RobS]

<font color="blue">so every spray bottle or can, no matter what's inside it, is a blue stripe item </font>

OK Pete, what the heck is a <font color="blue">blue stripe item??? </font>

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( OK Pete, what the heck is a blue stripe item???

)</font>

I bet it's Vermont's version of K-Mart's <font color="blue"> Blue Light Special </font> ! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[daedong]

Dave,

<font color="blue"> For you southerners and Australian desert dwellers, freezing is when the ambient air temperature drops below 32 degrees F or 0 deg C, and water based products turn into a solid. </font>

I will tell you how to store stuff in winter if you tell me how to keep my beer cold in 45c
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Boondox]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( OK Pete, what the heck is a blue stripe item???

)</font>

I bet it's Vermont's version of K-Mart's <font color="blue"> Blue Light Special </font> ! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

Jeez, you guys don't really read posts, do you? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I put a stripe of blue electrical tape around every container in the garage or shop that has to be removed before freezing weather arrives. Pete

 

[Golfgar4]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Jeez, you guys don't really read posts, do you? )</font>

Actually Pete, I had planned on mentioning to Rob what you had put in your original post, because I had read it.

But it wouldn't have been nearly as funny! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DaveNay]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I will tell you how to store stuff in winter if you tell me how to keep my beer cold in 45c)</font>

Place your beer in a mesh bag, with a couple of rocks for weight. Tie the bag to a long rope...SECURELY! Tie the other end of the rope to something solid, and then toss the beer-in-a-bag into that nice cool river you have. Cold beer in about 30 minutes.

Dave

 

[Boondox]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( I will tell you how to store stuff in winter if you tell me how to keep my beer cold in 45c)</font>

Place your beer in a mesh bag, with a couple of rocks for weight. Tie the bag to a long rope...SECURELY! Tie the other end of the rope to something solid, and then toss the beer-in-a-bag into that nice cool river you have. Cold beer in about 30 minutes.

Dave )</font>

We have several abandoned springhouses on our property and since I like to walk in the woods I got in the habit of stashing beer in the water. Chills nicely. But I made the mistake of taking Tetley with me a couple of times. Tetley, my 100# reddish champion hunting retriever likes beer. The big lug took note of where I stashed it. A couple of days later he was acting sort of strange after a long un-Tetley-like absence. He belched a lot, then slept for hours.

Next time I went up in the woods I found three empty cans with tooth marks all over them. Can't prove it was my dog, but I'm deeply suspicious!
/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Pete

 

[Egon]

Anybody having trouble keeping Beer cool just send it my way. I'll look after it.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[slowrev]

Egon,
I will fax it right over to ya /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ben

btw on the origional topic I have never had WD40 be damaged from cold, nor spray Paint. I also leave all my oil based paints in my shed during the winter.

My rule on this is if it says to clean up with soap and water I put it in the basement. If cleanup with some kind of solvent it staly in the shop.
Also if it says flamable freezing probably won't hurt it, plus I don't want it in my basement anyway!

Ben

 

[daedong]

Dave,

Actually the best way to cool beer is to put a couple of hand fulls of urea into a small bucket of water and put the bottle in that......................presto ice in 2 mins no fridge. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Necessity was the mother of invention /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mark4510]

Now thats a dog!
Cant argue with the fact that he takes a nice relaxing stroll through the woods, enjoys a few cold ones and then ambles home for dinner.

I can see why he is a champion...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Now thats a dog!
Cant argue with the fact that he takes a nice relaxing stroll through the woods, enjoys a few cold ones and then ambles home for dinner.

I can see why he is a champion...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

Hmmm. Sounds like me. I wonder if I'm a dog or a champion?
I guess the better half makes the call if/when I come in for dinner.

Vin - I like the urea idea. Hadn't thought of that one.

Anyone use coolers with ice anymore?