Nobody has mentioned what they are doing or what they are wearing at the
time in question. It's one thing if I'm running a board through a
table saw. It's quite another if I'm beating on iron for hours at a
time at the coal forge. Or being off-bearer at a well run sawmill. Or
putting up sheet rock.
As for sweating on the wood, wear a sweat band. It also keeps sweat
of of your eyes. When IT starts to drip, take a break. Don't drink
beer while working in the shop on a hot day. I don't know about you,
but it runs right out my sweat glands!
I guess I have different rules for different jobs. My shop isn't
aircondtioned, but it is dehumidified (no condensing environment for my
tools). Also extremely well insulated. It usually runs at about 48% RH.
Temperature gets up to low 80's at worst in summer.
In winter, the issue is what the temp is at floor level, particularly
when doing relatively sedantary activities. At 55 degrees I am
uncomfortable. But, if I am moving around, 45 degrees at the floor line
is okay.
It also depends upon how I dress. Bermuda-type shorts are good for
about 5 or 10 extra degress of heat.
Long johns and GOOD insulated boots are good for 5 or 10 degrees colder.
For winter, consider gloves with the thumb and first two fingers cut
off at the first knuckle (except where safety prohibits it).

Pete Stanaitis
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NoOne N Particular wrote:
I was in my garop (garage shop) yesterday fiddling around. Late last
year I bought a clock for the garop that has time, temperature, and
humidity dials on it. It was going to be a hot day outside so I thought
it would be interesting to see just what happened in the heat.

I was doing ok as the temperature rose from a starting point of about 80
when I started. When it said 85 I was still ok. Sweating a little, but
it was tolerable. When it said 90 I wasn't ok anymore, but I kept
fiddling anyway. Sweating a lot too. When I would go back into the
house, the 82 degrees in there (a/c is great isn't it?) felt GREAT.
When the temperature got to 95, my clothes would almost instantly stick
to me when I would go out there because of the sweat. Not fun anymore.
I started thinking to myself that I must really be a pussy. (Any women
out there, please substitute the word wussy from now on) Can't even take
95 degrees anymore. Then I thought to myself, "So what if I'm a pussy!"
and went into the house. The last time I looked it got up to 98 in the
garop. I think it probbly hit a hunnerd in there before it was all over.

So I started wondering how many other pussies are out there. I like to
think I have earned my "pussyship". I remember in my younger years
working with my dad wrenching on his trucks in 110 deg heat with no
shade. Had to be VERY careful where you put your tools down because if
laid them down in the direct sunlight you weren't picking them back up
again without getting some serious burns (well, that's what it felt like
anyway). I can remember driving across the SoCal desert in 125 heat
with no a/c. I can also remember much more recently being out in my
son's back yard digging trenches (by hand shovel) for his sprinkler
system and it was well over 100 that day. I have quite a few other heat
related memories too. So I have earned it.

The outside temp finally got up to 105 yesterday and for the first time
in several weeks THERE WAS NO BREEZE. The humidity hovered in the 45%
range which is a little bit higher than usual for this heat. At that
temp it is usually more like 15% to maybe 30% (I have other gauges
around, just a new on in the garop). Also my uninsulated aluminum garop
doors face west so I get the full sun in the late afternoon. If I open
the garop doors all I get is hot air coming across the concrete in
front, PLUS the sun heating up everything else inside. If I leave the
doors closed I can't get too near them because they feel like tools left
laying in the sun.

But back to the question, how hot is too hot?, etc. Obviously, this
question will only apply to people that do not have air conditioned work
shops. Many if not most of you probably don't even have a thermometer.
But about what temperature do you finally give it up and go back into a
less hostile environment? I know you can't say "I go in at 90
degrees." Too many weather variable for that. But for me, I think I'll
probably stick to around 90 or so for heat, and maybe 50ish for cold.
Any colder than that and my hands start hurting from the cold and I just
hate wearing gloves. Any hotter than 90 or so and I could ruin a
perfectly good piece of wood with sweat droppings. :-) I have pushed
both ends of the scale for shorter periods of time (couple of hours or
so) and I'll do it again, but as a general rule of thumb I think these
limits are close. Won't really take a thermometer to tell either. If
my hands start aching from the chill, I'll go in. If I lay my arm on
the bench and I have to peel a piece of wood off of my arm, I'll go in.


Wayne