(This post was sponsored by 3-IN-ONE Oil; the
content, however, is entirely mine)
For many of us, winter
time brings lots of changes in the workshop in terms of heating and cooling cycles. While many woodworkers live in places with
mild climates, many others need to rely on some kind of heating system to make
our time in the shop more pleasant. And
the range of heating systems, of course, is pretty broad- I know folks who heat with wood,
and others utilize natural gas, propane, or other fuels to get the job
done.
While heating a shop isn’t
quite the topic of this post, it definitely has consequences for our beloved tools, so it is
worth taking a second to consider. When choosing a method for heating one's shop, I’ve
often found that there are three factors that come into play: price,
convenience, and environmental impact.
The best setup would cost nothing, require no work, and have no
environmental impact. In the real world,
though, we’re all trying to minimize these three things, and so we all end up making
a choice that represents our best option.
A key strategy that usually emerges is the fact that shops aren’t heated
evenly at all times. While some
woodworkers do focus on keeping a constant temperature in their shop, I know
many- including myself- who don’t. This
solves a few problems (it lowers my heating bills and minimizes the amount of
fossil fuels that I utilize) but it introduces a new problem. Big changes in the temperature inside your
shop can cause the humidity levels to change.
And while the changes may not create effects that are directly observable
overnight, they can cause problems over time: even small amounts of water vapor
can condense on tools, which can create rust.
So, since I have a conservation-oriented mindset when it comes to heating
my shop, this means that it is in my best interest to spend a little time
protecting my tools. It doesn’t take
long, and it’s worth it.
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| You can apply oil directly to a tool's surface or to a paper towel- whatever works best. |
My favorite
all-purpose solution involves using a light oil product because it’s quick and
easy. It also is versatile; whether we’re
talking about hand tools that are stored in tool chests, or on pegboards or
shelves, it works great. I bring this up
because some companies produce desiccants that you can put inside a toolbox or
other enclosed space, and they work well there to help eliminate moisture from
the surrounding air, but they don’t work so well in open areas- their effects
are pretty much negated, in my experience.
My preference is 3-IN-ONE Oil. It
is available all over the place, and it is pretty inexpensive.
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| This old handplane isn't fancy, but it came from my dad, so it is rather dear to me nonetheless. It's worth a little TLC now and then! |
How do I apply it? That depends, but it’s not rocket
science. If I’m oiling small tools- a
handplane, for example- I just use a paper towel or rag that I’ve dampened with
oil to rub down the tool and make sure it’s free of dust. That’s it.
For hard-to-reach places- like the trunnions and other moving parts
inside my tablesaw- I’ll used canned air to clean things out, then I apply a
light coat of oil. As I said earlier, it
doesn’t take long, and it’s definitely one of those cases where an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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| Yep, this is what happens when you don't take care of business. Now I've got to put in a bunch of elbow grease just to get back to square one. |
3-IN-ONE Oil is available at many
retailers. I’ve purchased it at Lowe’s and
Home Depot, and I’ve seen it at our local Ace Hardware, too.
For even more
information, check out www.3inone.com
