Reloading in the garage?

[skyfire1]

Well, it looks like I'm getting kicked to the garage The question I have for those of you in humid climates is what do you do to make sure the equipment does not rust or get damaged? Do I also store the powder and primers in the garage? Just for reference my garage can get to the high 80's during the summer and in Florida it is really humid. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

 

[ls0n3]

maybe ammo boxes?

 

[33rowdy]

All of my tools and equipment are in the basement. The house was built in 1860 and has a granite rock wall foundation. Most of my issue is with dust.
Moisture is one of my issue also. My cure was to have everything in cabinets and have a lot of silica packs in some important places. I put things in coffee cans with the silica packs or used corn media also. I believe the gunpowder is secure if its sealed in the original container with the lid on after use. Dies I simple just spray with case lube or something like WD-40 when I'm done. My presses and powder dispencer, I take a large piece of cloth ,like an old T-shirt, and have a light clean oil residue on it and, wrap it up, tie it with a large rubber band. Small tools like my shell plates, primer cup cleaner ect, I'll use small zip lock bags, medicine bottles with again something like WD-40 in the container.
My balance beam scales are the toughest. What I have done was build the smallest cabinet I could that could fit in and have any all the silica packs I can in it.

I hope the above helps.

 

[Bozo]

I am in SC which is also very humid and hot in the spring and summer months. I used to have my press set up in the garage but it is way to hot, well above 80's to load out there now. But when I did, i kept the powder and primers in the house where the air was conditioned. With the powder stored in the original containers, it probably wouldn't hurt anything but I feel better about keeping it in the house.

 

[pathman]

sorry to threadjack, but 33rowdy - your house sounds awesome!

back on topic - i have the same question - if i started reloading, i would invariably be kicked to the shed. my steel shed. in north carolina...

maybe I am just being paranoid but it is probably not a good idea to store things like gunpowder at temperatures that can go into the 100s (and well over in a metal shed)

 

[James Thomson]

I keep my powder and primers in an outbuildng in an old freezer. Most of my powders due fine. I did have a problem with powder in metal cans. One rusted through. The other metal cans seem fine. Primers have done fine, some as old as 30 years old. Except for that one can, all my other powder, probably 50 lbs or so have done great. I bring in to the garage what I need
and store small quanities in a Igloo cooler. I run a dehumifier some of the year. I live in Oklahoma and sometimes humidity is bad. I have a AC in the summertime and usually don't do much in the cold months. I have warmed the garage with space heaters and that works ok. Consider adding insulation to your garage.

 

[skyfire1]

Well, I feel a bit better knowing I am not the only one. My wife is uncomfortable with my reloading and our son running around the house. The little bugger puts everything in his mouth. I'm surprized that dog has survived.

Do you think running a dehumidifier is overkill?

 

[Dave P]

"what do you do to make sure the equipment does not rust or get damaged?"

HA - GOOD LUCK!! You will learn to appreciate the brown tint on all your tools. Remember, rust adds surface texture to your shiny new Wilson dies, which allows them to hold a little more oil, which turns your fingers and t-shirts a nice shade of brown.

If brown is not your favorite color, you can slow down (but not stop) the inevitable process by using oil/wax/grease/sheath on everything, and keep everything covered: Maybe Tupperware boxes, and rags over reloading presses.

You think Pennsylvania is the rust belt? HA! - Welcome to Dixie!

 

[33rowdy]

A dehumidifier is not an overkill. Their is one in our basement and does alot of good but not a cure.

 

[pathman]

for my expensive tools, i purchased desiccant beads. they are like tiny blue rocks that turn pink when saturated. you can chuck them or heat them in your oven at 400 or so. works great, but obviously needs an enclosed case like tupperware or something...again, this is only for the nicer tools.

 

[moooose102]

well, i was going to say, "sucks to be you". but then i read the part where you live in florida, and i looked out the window at my thermometer that says -2. and i thought, "sucks to be me"! i guess if i were you, i would go to a sea-doo dealership and buy some of their moisture displacing lubricant. it will wash the water out of the main bearings on the insides of their engines and keep them from rusting. it should work wonderful in your situation. you will just have to wipe / blow off your equipment everytime before you use it. which is a pain, but it is better than rust!

 

[Devilfrog]

I'm in Florida as well, (this 70 degree weather is terrible, not) about 10 minutes from the beach so its humid, salty air. My reload equip is in the garage and I just keep a light coat of gun oil on the unpainted surfaces of my presses and above the threads of my dies. For a little extra I keep the dies in surplus ammo cans. So far I've gotten very little rust, which is, IMO, not too big a deal.

 

[MaterDei]

I live near the Texas gulf coast and, frankly, my RCBS Ammomaster is rotting away even though I've got it slathered down as best I can with that blue grease you can buy at the store. The equipment is in my barn and on many mornings EVERYTHING in my barn is soaked to the point of being dripping wet. This is not from any rain entering either. When the conditions are right down here things just sweat. I'm sure it's no better in Florida.

Unless you have a decently insulated space, a dehumidifier/AC will not do any good in these parts. So what's the solution? Bring the equipment back inside until you want to use it and take it out with you. This is a pain but I can't think of a better solution short of sealing and conditioning a space in your garage.

I plan on getting rid of one of my horse stalls and building out a tack room that is insulated and air conditioned. Then I can keep my tools and equipment dry and safe.

Good luck.

 

[jjohnson]

You'll make it.

Yeah, I lived in Florida for 4 years and did my reloading in the garage. It's not the best situation, but it can be done.

The suggestion to keep powder and primers indoors is sound advice. I'd keep my dies inside, too, and spray 'em with a little WD40 or other protectant, make sure the press is oiled, and maybe cover the whole thing with an old sheet or something to keep crud out of the area.

For what it's worth, I never experienced any suspected moisture-related problems, even after we had our monsoons and all. I wouldn't want to load competition ammo in that environment, but the 50 thousand rounds or so I loaded in those years all went "bang" when they were supposed to.

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

I reload in the garage and I live in Augusta, GA.

The only time I get REALLY bad humidity is when the garage and the stuff in it becomes colder than outside and I open the door. I have then a flim of condensation water on everything. It is happening when the temperature goes down to about 30 for a few days then it rains outside and the temperature is over 55 degrees.

The trick: Don't open the door and if it is happening, run one or two desumidifier for one or 2 hours and it is ok. Another trick I want to do for next "winter" is to install a wood stove.

Everything is in close containers (spaghetti sauce pots from the grocery store are great! I cumulated them for years) or behind cabinets door and I do not cover the press.

Thank you

 

[pathman]

wow - look at that - beautiful.

i hope you're not using that stool on a dolly to put those beer bottles up there. especially after you drank them

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

There is 3 times more of those bottles now up there... They are all different kinds.

And no, I am not using this dolly. I built it so I am high enough to sit while reloading.

Thank you

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

I live in Ohio and my gear is in the garage with a caveat. Only the presses are there 24x7. Die's, plates, shell holders, powders and primers are kept in locked footlocker inside the house. When I am done loading I take an old rag that I have soaked with hoppe 9 gun oil and wipe down the handles and presses. I have a RCBS single stage Rock Chucker that has been in the garage over 15 years and not a single sign of rust. I also have a 4 stage turret and a Dillion but I am very diligent about oiling before and after each use and no sign of rust. I also put on my surgical mask and use my compressor to blow off my presses and table after each use. I do have some lee 40S&W dies that have a little surface rust on the outside because I let them sit in the garage for a year with no oil simply because I forgot. I little sanding then hoppes 9 oil followed by eezox on those babies and they are just about as good as new.

I think if you just take care of your gear like you do your weapons you will be ok. I mean you will not sit your prized rifle or handgun in the garage without oiling so don't do it to your reloading gear. Heck now I think I only have weapons just to support my reloading habit

 

[oneounceload]

I also live in sunny, humid FL and reload in the garage - I keep the bulk of my poswder and primers in a spare closet inside the house. Watch your dies and use a little rust preventative/oil/WD/whatever you have. Now and again, you might have to disassemble them and give them a good cleaning, but so far, mine are doing fine - They've been outside for over 5 years now

 

[putteral]

Nice set up Kestak. The only thing I didn't see was a cooler for the Beer!
I also reload in the garage here in FL. I keep most of my tools in Plastic storage containers and a ceiling fan is a must.

 

[oneounceload]

and a ceiling fan is a must.

Only ONE?!?!

Two ceiling fans, garage door and side open for cross-ventilation, also use a free-standing oscillating fan - (well, in July and August - right now, it is down-right pleasant)

 

[Sport45]

HA - GOOD LUCK!! You will learn to appreciate the brown tint on all your tools. Remember, rust adds surface texture to your shiny new Wilson dies, which allows them to hold a little more oil, which turns your fingers and t-shirts a nice shade of brown.

Same here near Houston. I keep primers and powder inside. I keep my loose dies in their original boxes in a cabinet drawer in the garage. The sets in 550b toolheads get a spray of silicone oil before they are wrapped in a rag and placed in a 50 cal ammo box. The rag is just for padding. No matter what color the presses are the handles are a uniform shade of brown.