--- In 7x12minilathe@..., broken003@j... wrote:
What would be the best way to determine if a location was acceptable
for a shop. I plan to setup my shop in an old basement, I am
wondering if it might be too humid and cause corrosion of my tools.
Is there any way I could determine if things will be OK?
It may not be the best, but an easy way to test your location is to
hang a piece of clean steel in it for a few days. If it rusts, just
repeat the test using simple rustproofing methods - oil or grease
first, then as exotic as you may want to use _all_the_time_ on your
machines and other tools.
The results of the test with "clean" steel will depend on just *how*
clean you get it. If it is really clean, it will probably start to
rust in minutes in any but the driest air. See the reports on the
many derusting methods - they all emphasize that you must immediately
oil the part to prevent rust.
Just laying the test piece on a concrete floor almost guarantees
that it will rust. Hang it up near bench height, out of the way of
anyone who might come into painful contact with it...
There are many other considerations than just how rust-susceptible
it is. Is there sufficient electrical power available? How about
lighting? Accessability? Etc... Few if any shops are in perfect
locations, but we use what we have available, anyway.
Hope some of that helps.
RA
