Does anyone have experience refreshing silica gel packets? I’ve heard that they can be microwaved and I’ve heard that they can be heated in an oven, but I’ve never tried either.
I have a large drawer under my workbench where I keep my planes. The drawer box is airtight and the front fits against the box with a layer of 3/16ths closed cell foam weatherstripping so it’s reasonably airtight. I keep a large pile of silica gel packets in the drawer that come from dog medicine and other packaging.
I have to watch my tools carefully in the winter; the damp can rust them quickly. They’re in a garage that is heated irregularly only when I get a chance to work. And water comes in under the door during big windy storms and flows out a small drain hole in the foundation that a previous owner made to drain the driveway (through the garage!) Only one of a variety of DIY sins that I’m correcting over the years.
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you might consider investing in some aluminum canisters of silica gel.
http://www.jakesmp.com/CSD_Silica_Gel/CSD_Silica_004_M.html
If your planes rust that easily, it sounds like they need to be waxed, or waxed more regularly. I noticed my block plane rusting this winter and decided that I would take all of the smaller items made of cast iron inside for the winter. I waxed the crap out of my TS, BS, jointer and so far, they have been rust free. I just finished removing as much of the old rust from the rest of my planes and it was from previous owners, so after sharpening and honing the irons, everything is getting waxed twice.
You can buy bigger packs of the silica gel. Here's a link to one company. I lay mine out on the heater vents in the house when I want to dry them out.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
You can dry out silica gel by spreading it on a pan and placing it in an oven at the lowest setting, around 250 degrees for a few hours, or as suggested, placing it on a heating vent.
An alternative for your situation is to supply just a small amount of heat in the drawer by placing a drop light in the drawer, with a 25 watt, or smaller bulb in it. Use the smallest wattage that works well, and leave it on all the time. When you first try this, check the drawer regularly for the first few hours to make sure you aren't overheating the drawer and creating a potential fire hazard. Small heaters are made to serve the same purpose or you can just mount a small light fixture permanently in the drawer.
John W.
Graingers sells a 30 watt solid state heater that is great for keeping moisture out of tool drawers etc. About $60 but will (should) last for ever.
I had my silica gel packs out in the sun today on a flat black painted piece of ply; seems to dry them out when sun is available.
Duke
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Edited 2/10/2006 12:19 am ET by dukeone
I regularly expose fist-sized packets of silca-gel to 4 minute intervals in my home microwave, vaporizing the moisture within. Smaller ones get shorter times. You can tell when they have been dried out completely, some requiring two or more cycles. Be careful not to overheat the glass turntable, pausing between cycles to let it cool. I let the packets cool down on a wire-hot pad before returning them to my large tool chests.
The oven also works well, but both will scorch the linen pouches I've sewn for some that began to spill their contents. Some were repackaged to fit in each drawer of a Gerstner box. I repeat this every several months here in East Texas .... when we get regular rainfall. Last year, we received 20" less than normal, but this year's back on track. May have to go to monthly!
John in Texas
Hi, Mike -
Lots of good advice to you so far. Here's my 2-1/2 cents' worth:
Either micro or std oven will work. If there are colored bits, look for pink to go to blue when the medium is dry. You can purchase the stuff in bulk at craft stores - some folks use it in large containers for drying flowers. A stocking or similar very fine-mesh material will hold it nicely.
I agree absolutely with Highfigh - a good paste wax is indispensable, and can be found on virtually every tool I own. It works.
Another little trick is to place a mothball (or two) in your toolbox. The naphta keeps water vapor nicely at bay. Just don't overdo, or you'll drive yerself outta the place....now how do ya think I know that ... ?? har...
Finally, I endure the expense of pretty regularly cycling a small space heater in my shop during the wet months. It doesn't take very much to get the interior above dewpoint, which will go a long way in helping to protect tools.
---John
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