Reloading in a Garage

[WoodyTX]

My previous reloading bench was in an air-conditioned garage. I'm not sure if I'm going to climate-control my current garage or not (it really depends on the insulation), but does anyone know if an Austin TX area garage is too humid and has too much temperature variation for reloading?

 

[cfullgraf]

Don't know about the reloading stuff but I know it would be too humid for me. I lived in New Orleans for a while. Admittedly, Austin might be a bit dryer than the coast.

The humidity might wreak havoc with the steel stuff like dies and presses.

 

[wingman]

Super hot in most I've been in to use as reloading room would need to insulate
and finish out + air, summer in Austin on 100 Degree day can be toasty.
You could reload but storing any components would be a mistake IMO.

 

[SWAT1911]

Well I live in Kyle and my reloading bench has been out in the garage for about a year now, had a little bit of surface rust pop up on the press of the arm but nothing I couldn't get rid of. Otherwise i've had no problems with loads or anything else on/in the bench, I keep my press oiled now. But not sure long term wise. Hope this helps

 

[DennisB]

I'm in Fort Worth and it's not any different than Austin (where my folks live)once the summer heat sets in. I reload in the garage, un-air conditioned, year-round but store primers, powder and loaded stuff in a closet in the house. Most years from about mid-june through September it gets just too stinkin hot to do much out there, so I do the press work at the bench then drag my powder scale inside and work from there. I also get my bullet casting out of the way before summer gets serious.

 

[capreppy]

Once summer hits, your garage will not be someplace you'll want to be for any stretch.

I thought about doing it in the garage, but my wife kindly reminded me I lived in TX and that the garage gets kinda warm

Humidity is obviously another concern. I keep all my components inside the house and reload in my home office. Only thing that happens in the garage is brass tumbling.

 

[wingman]

Huge mistake to store powder in an garage(store in a cool dry place)it will
degrade over time.

 

[lightman]

I'm really thankful that I've always had my loading set-up in the house.At first it was a whole bedroom,then a small corner of the kitchen,then back to my own room.I would be cautious of storing any powder or primers in the garage.A little regular maintenance should keep your tools in good condition. Lightman

 

[Quoheleth]

I'm in Houston and reload soley in the garage. It's air conditioned in the winter and heated in the summer. Surface rust is more from my sweat/salt than anything else. And there is plenty of sweat in the summer.

All components are in the garage. I keep primers in an army ammo can and powder is in the original containers on the shelf. It easily hits 120 in the garage in the summer. My powder might deteriorate over a really long haul, but my jar of titegroup from '07 hasn't missed a lick yet for my daughter's light .357 mag loads. The '08 Bullseye is chugging along just fine, too.

Chances are your components will last longer than you.

Q

 

[nojoke]

I haven't started reloading yet (don't have the press) but I plan on it.
I planned on keeping as much as I can in containers (home depot buckets w/ lids maybe) and desiccant.

I'm in a VERY humid area. My craftsman socket set is rusting.

Hope this will work for me.

 

[UpTheIrons]

I'm just a bit northeast of San Antonio, and I've been reoading in my garage with no problems. I keep powder and primers in the house, and have only had a tiny bit of surface rust show up on the press (before it was oiled again). Sure, it gets warm in the summer, but, hey, it's Texas!

In the midst of summer, I do what I need to later in the evening or early in the morning. You can make it work, it just takes a little more ingenuity and flexibility.

 

[Old krow]

I'm on the Gulf Coast, I'm sure that it's a little more humid here. Vinyl rusts here. I'm moving it all inside this year, but it worked okay in the garage previsouly. I prefer to do everything in the morning. By the time it cools off enough to work in the garage during the summer time it's past my bed time. Like others have said, I kept a lot of it stored inside.

 

[ollifl]

I live in SE Florida and have all my gear in non insulated garage, put in a window A/C and a de-humidifier, works pretty good so far. A/C is 82-85 deg. when I'm not doing anything, 78 when I reload or do something else and de-hum is set at 60%

 

[amlevin]

One of the benefits of living in a 4 bedroom house with all the kids long gone. I get one whole room to my reloading efforts.

 

[Rokman]

I live just north of Dallas and reload in an insluated garage (except door), but without AC. I store powder and primers inside and sweat like crazy in the summer. I really amp my my reloading in the spring. It's doable, since no kids are moving out to give up a bedroom to the cause for a long time.

 

[oneounceload]

Here in inland central FL, the humidity is very high most of the year - my equipment in in the garage, but I keep my powder and primers inside until I reload - a ceiling fan or two helps move the air around

 

[brainwake]

in Oklahoma, and ..yeah.. the wife pushed me off to the garage too. Last year I bought one of those portable AC units. Then ran a vent up to the attic to connect to. So when it gets hot. I can turn it on and drag it close and have some cool air blowing on me. One of the interesting things is that that AC unit has a "dehumidify" setting. It pretty much pulls the water out of the air and that actually cools better than the traditional AC cooling when the humidity gets high. I ran a hose to the drain by the heater/blower unit for the water to drip into. So not only does it cool, but it also takes the humidity out of the air, which should help preserve my tool and loading equipment.

Just food for thought for you fellow garage guys.

 

[Otto]

does anyone know if an Austin TX area garage is too humid and has too much temperature variation for reloading?

Summer and fall in Austin are pretty brutal. Even in winter it can get warm (our high temp on March 18th was 87°). But the humidity is more of a problem than the heat. It's always a battle to keep tools from rusting no matter what season it is.
Heat can be managed in the summer if you reload early in the morning but humidity levels will be at their highest.
Suggest either moving indoors or renting a climate controlled storage unit to reload in.

 

[ron59]

I live near Charlotte, NC... and it gets very hot/humid here. I load in an uninsulated garage. I keep my powder/primer indoors though. It does get hot, I pretty much just do it in the mornings or evenings, with a pedestal type fan blowing on me.

What is tough, is if I'm doing load development. The fan blowing will interfere with my electronic scale, and it can be breezy here. So I'll have to lower the doors and have the fan off.... can only do that for 30 minutes or so late in the evening. But I rarely have to do that.

I've loaded 30,000+ rounds in less than 2 years, all out in that garage.

 

[TheCracker]

If you are going to reload in a non ac garage in Texas you need to plan to do it only late October through Mid March or do it nude! I hate the summer heat and humidity. I just reload at my computer desk with my 2x6 mounted presses C clamped to the desk.

 

[1SOW]

I'm in S.A., and reload in the garage. I have a very small fan behind the press at chest level and aimed at my face. In the summer, morning and early evening are okay 'most days'.

I use a drawstring plastic garbage bag to cover my press when it's idle. No corrosion problems at all, but I keep it lubed.

 

[788Ham]

Reload in the bsmnt, about 68 degrees summer/winter, keeps powder cool, yet here in the Rockies, not much humidity. Sometimes in the winter, I wear a sweatshirt when I reload.

 

[BigBob3006]

Woody,

I can't speak towards the humidity but the summer temperatures are much to high for the storage of primers, powders and loaded ammunition.

 

[lmccrock]

I reloaded for 15 years in a non-climate controlled garage in northern California, hot dry summers, cold wet winters. No problems, no rust. Moved back to Texas (Bastrop County), continue reloading in the garage (not climate controlled) and now the Dillon dies and pretty much every tool are covered in rust. Stuff which was rust free after living in Houston (where my house flooded) and made the trek to California and back over a few decades, had rust after a couple years in central Texas. Oops. So, there is something about the air here. If you are storing stuff or reloading, try to climate control the space.

Lee

 

[amlevin]

If reloading in a garage in a hot climate it might be a good idea to have an extra refrigerator. Just set the temp higher. The refrigeration process also keeps humidity down. Makes for good ammo storage too rather than in 80+ humidity.

Won't be cold enough for beer (unless you're English) but those primers and powders won't be subject to the heat.