Need advice: putting in a reloading room in an out-building

[cpirtle]

Hi All, I need some opinions/advice...

I just build a new workshop that's 32x56. It's a pole building, raised 2' off grade with a concrete slab floor. There's no A/C in the plans but the building is heavily insulated and stays cool. In the winter I will have two thermostat controlled electric blower heaters and I'm installing an attic fan to vent the building in the summer. We're in NE Ohio so humidity can get pretty high during the peak summer months.

I've decided to put in a reloading/clean room in the back of the building that will be 10x12. My plan is to seal the room from the shop as much as possible to minimize on dust and install a vent to the ceiling so the attic fan can ventilate the room some.

I'm trying to decide if there are any other steps I should take to maintain a safe environment for my reloading supplies. What do you think about a dehumidifer? Is there a relative humidity I should keep the room under?

No guns will be stored in the room so that's not a concern.

Any other thoughts you can suggest that maybe I have not thought of would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ReloaderFred]

It sounds like you've got it pretty much covered. I'm really jealous of the shop building, though. I can't even get a car in my garage, but I've got a neat loading set up.

I haven't found humidity to be much of a problem here on the coast, as long as I keep the heater vent to the garage open during the winter. We don't have the heat you have, but certainly do have the high humidity. Just keep the primers in their original containers and the powder containers sealed tight. Don't store anything on the concrete floor without putting wood under it, or it will attract moisture through the concrete. I learned this from experience. You also may want to put in a room air conditioner if you're going to be loading in the summer months. I've been back there in the summer and it gets warm and humid, but since I'm used to temperatures that rarely get past the mid 70's, everything over about 68 degrees seems hot to me.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[ARGarrison]

I've thought about doing much the same thing. I figured I would put in a window AC unit to begin with though. I'd also build a heavy wooden box with hing lid to store power maybe even with a lock.

I currently store my reloading supplies in the garage. It has no heat or AC. Besides keeping componets in original containers, I store primers in a 25mm plastic ammunition box and power in a cooler.

 

[wcwhitey]

I am also jealous, I have envisioned doing the same as you only I was going to build it and also be surrounded by my guns. My idea was a small wall mounted A/C unit, 5200 is more than enough for a 10x12 room. Most newer units have a dehumidifier function built in with thermostat control and engergy saver functions. This would give you the ultimate in comfort in the summer. There are portable units that have the vent tube that also have a heat function as well, they are a few bucks more but will give you year round climate control.

 

[Walkalong]

I have a 12 X 20 metal building out back I use for a shop/storage. I have to go through my tools and clean and oil once in a while and still get some rust. The only reloading activity I do there is tumbling. I have my own room inside where my reloading stuff is set up. The humidity here in Alabama drove me inside years ago. I would have to run a sizable dehumidifier 24/7. Rust, Rust, Rust.

 

[koja48]

What Walkalong & Fred said. Powder, primers & other components can be effectively sealed & properly stored. Of greater concern is the threat rust poses to metal tools, presses, etc, not to mention your own comfort. Remember, reloading is a precision business, so rust & corrosion represent serious concerns relative to metal tools & firearms with tight tolerances & fine finishes. I used to reload in the garage (at that time aka "large toybox for the Kids' toys, cuz a car sure wouldn't fit in there." Now that it's just me, the same space is filled with quads, tools, toolboxes, & other big boy toys.). Summer humidity isn't an issue out here, but heat & cold made for some miserable loading sessions, and even then I noted light rust on things on occasion. Definitely consider A/C & some type of humidity control. I installed a powered attic ventilator for the house years ago & control it with a combo humidistat/thermostat . . . it works . . . house stays considerably cooler in the summer & the moisture level in the attic during the more humid winter months is significantly reduced.

 

[Doug b]

You'll want to be carefull moving air around your powder scale it will tend to give inaccurate readings.

 

[Clark]

I wish I had that much room.

Where I used to live, the nieghbor had a 40x50' pole building built, and he built a loft inside it.
It took him 5 years, but he filled it up with good stuff: boats, jeeps, saddles, etc.
Then he started to fill up the 4 lane garage in the house.

Junk expands to fill the space alloted.

Right now my reloading is taking up every cubic inch of the rec room in the basement.

 

[redneck2]

My reloading room is a finished 8x14 room that's on the end of my garage. I've got a gas wall heater for the winter and window AC for the summer. Works fine. Dies pick up a little rust once in a while, mainly in the fall and spring when you don't need heat or A/C so it's just ambient humidity. One of the things I've noticed is that RCBS rust the worst by far. Hornady is not as bad. Lee dies have never rusted.

I picked up some base cabinets from a school that was remodeling. Works exceptionally well. I find the draws are great for bullets, dies, etc. Other side has a REAL heavy oak workbench where my press and extra powder thrower are mounted.

I got some carpet free from the local carpet store (some they had torn out). I use the AKRO bins that hang on the wall racks.

 

[kimbernut]

A/C recommended

I would recommend a wall A/C unit. Living in Florida there was no doubt as to the necessity of my 10x20 metal building having an A/C unit. Mine has a heat pump as well so it was about $350. You have that covered so A/c only will run about $100-$150. We insulated with 1/4" reflective foam and it stays at 75o F year round. The A/c will of course take care of your humidity as well.

 

[cpirtle]

Thanks for all of the replies, lots of great info.

I had especially never thought about the concrete.

I worked most of the weekend getting the room built. I'm not going to do anything for AC right now since the shop stayed around 71 all weekend when outside temps were over 90. If it starts getting too hot the entire building will get air, I'm not one to enjoy the heat.

I'm also checking out a dehumidifier that will service the entire building as my shop equipment needs to be kept nice too.

About cabinets,,, fortunately I live 5 miles from the primary Kraftmaid distribution center and every Saturday they have a warehouse clearance sale. I can get $500 - $800 cabinets for under $50 each, planning a visit there this weekend.

I'm excited to finally be finishing this project. We moved from the city where I had a woodshop in the basement to the country with no shop. This has really been a dream project but doing it all myself has taken a while. We started last fall and I hope to start moving equipment in in the next 2-3 weeks.

Thanks again!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would think you made a good decision to buy a de-humidifier. that will keep your room and shop in good condition. Keeping moisture away from all your shop tools, reloading equipment and components will work out well. One thing, make sure you get a unit which will cycle automatically. Also, make sure you have a drain near the unit so you can run a hose from the unit to the drain so you won't have to empty the de-humidifier manually. If you forget about drains put them in the plans now. You will probably like being able to hose down the shop area when needed too.