Too cold to run lathe? Michigan with no heat in garage...

Pretty cold her in Michigan... 20's-30's and even colder soon.

Unfortunately there is no heat in my detached garage so it will be almost as cold in the garage as outside. Is is too cold for proper oil transfer in bearing surfaces to run a lathe in this weather? Would like to try it out and do a couple small projects if possible. I piced it up earlier this fall and haven't run it except for 30 seconds or so to see if it's set up ok. The spindle turns nice and smooth and the countershaft set up seems like it is working fine.

On my way out later this afternoon to Production Tool in Redford, MI to pick up some way and spindle oil...

PS- Production Tool has a sale on either way or spindle oil (can't remember which) at around $20 per gallon.

Thanks

Mike, I hear you! I have the same situation. shop is seperate room in detached garage, it is insulated. We just got snowed on so will have to snowblow a path to the shop door.

First of all I am old enough that my hands will ache all day, if I try and handle steel in temperatures like that. I also will not work on the lathe or shaper with a bulky coat that may catch.

Second, I also cant afford the risk of damaging my equipment, so dont try. If I am planing on going over to the garage I either throw in a few logs in the woodstove or turn on the propane heater (15-30,000BTU) with a fan blowing the heat onto the lathe. Go back in the kitchen finish my coffee and look over my sketches then go back over to the garage. 20-30 minutes and it is warm enough to work in light clothing, sleaves out of the way.

Today it is -15* Celcius (-10* F I think) Heck My florescent lights dont even want to come on properly when it dips this low.

Pick yourself up a few electric IR heaters like this and mount over the lathe: RedStone™ Ceiling Mount Quartz Heater - 2171132 | Tractor Supply Company

Let them and the spindle run for a while before starting up and actually cutting metal. I am not very knowledgeable about South Bends so I'll let others chime in on lubrication issues but this is advice from someone who has machines in a COLD shop.

Edit: You may also consider using a magnetic "oil pan" style block heater from one of the auto parts stores to thaw your spindle lube to a few grades above heavy crude at the same time, before firing it up.

If it's so cold that you're teeth are chattering and not the lathe, then it's too cold.

Steve

Well, it's not that bad for me... Haha..
Just wondering about proper lubrication of the bearings..

I don't get nearly as cold here in PA; however 2 suggestions. 1 I use a propane heater in my detached shop, making sure to leave a door or window cracked for some fresh air, CO bad. Second I know there are numerous devices for cars that keep the oil warm in really cold climates. Maybe something like that could be adapted for your lathe. There are skinny ones that fit where the dip stick goes on an auto engine and others that mount in the ........not sure what the proper term is.........but they go into the holes for freeze plugs in engine blocks. Ya know the round thingies that are supposed to pop out before the block cracks.

Just my .02

One problem with combustion heaters is that they generate moisture, so rusting can be an issue.

Nice thing about the overhead radiant heater is that you just heat where you are and not the whole space.

Steve

If you decide to use an unvented propane or oil fired "jet" heater, be very careful for two reasons -- First, the unvented means that there will be a buildup of carbon monoxide in the room - and that can kill you real fast. You need outside ventilation.

From a machine point of view, these heaters also produce a whole lot of water vapor in their flame. Picture this - you have a zero degree shop, you turn on a jet heater and come back an hour later. In the mean time, water has condensed on the cold metal - if its cold enough, you will find a layer of ice on the tools. Regardless, you have condensation where you don't ever want condensation.

That happened to a friend of mine years ago - he built a large steel weldment in his unheated shop, then built a poly wall around it, then used a jet heater to warm it up. He then painted it. In the spring when it warmed up, his paint fell off. He wasn't painting the steel-he was painting the ice on the steel.

I'd probably use my work lamp to put a little heat in the headstock.

mikesSB said:

Pretty cold her in Michigan... 20's-30's and even colder soon.

Click to expand...

It's about time it got cold here. Now if we could just get 10-12 of the white stuff I'd be a happy camper.

I would not aim a infrared style heater at the lathe.
The top will be 40 degrees warmer than the bottom and those kind of temp differences are never good for fits.
Overhead infrared are great for making you feel warm, machine tools, large surface plates, and gauges do not like them.

My 14-1/2 used to live in the garage up at the cabin and I used it mostly in the cold fixing stuff on sleds.
I would put two small plug in box heaters in the garage and run them for about an hour so it was warm enough to work with the gloves off.
The machine was still very cold to touch and stiff, but I never noticed a problem.
I would guess there is a "too cold" point but these machines will take a lot of abuse.

This lathe is now in my shop here.
Recently I had some vistors in and after looking at all the LCD screens and robots they spotted the South Bend and said "Do you stiil use that thing?"
My reply was "Heck yes, it's the most useful piece on the floor". Mine has seen a lot of abuse, I'm pretty sure you can not kill these machines.
Bob

Not a bad idea in the cold weather to hang a 40 - 60w shop light underneath and cover the lathe with a blanket. It won't keep it that warm but enough to prevent condensation and rust. Just make sure nothing is touching the hot areas of the lamp.

JR

+1 for the infrared heater. I have a insulated but not full time heated shop, so I hung a 4' dayton quartz heater between the lathe and mill. In about 1-2 hrs the area is warm enough to work. As I understand it, radiant heaters are better at warming things up rather than air, which is probably why the controls are useable.