Shopsmith Forums

I have 2 10ER's. One is a dedicated drill press (works great), and the other was a dedicated lathe, until I got a new Jet 1640evs in the summer.

The 10ER dedicated late has been outdoors (covered under a plastic tarp) under a deck protecting it from the elements, except temperature. It has been used outdoor mostly for sanding or buffing, as well as a welding table. I may use it as a lathe outdoors for really messy bark removal.

In any event, I have run out of space in my workshop which is half of a 2 car garage (10' x 20'). I may need to leave it outside this winter. The only issue with the elements is temperature. The winter temperature here occasionally go below zero and regularly in the teens, rarely going above freezing.

Is there any issue with the 10ER, particularly the motor, withstanding the cold?

I believe the bigger concern would be moisture. Even though your area is a little drier than mine, here in the Northwest it gets rainy and snowy. Moisture is going to cause rust. If you can find a bit of room inside to store it, I would take it apart rather than have it outside.

I agree with Russ. Moisture is the bigger concern. If it is truly out of the elements under the deck then I would not use a plastic tarp. That will just trap moisture and cause lots of rust. Use a cloth material that is breathable to cover it. The key word is breathable.

Like John said, if it will not come in contact with rain/snow, a breathable cover would be good...

something like this might work: https://www.amazon.com/RockyMRanger-Bre ... breathable

Before storing it outdoors, I'd also all spray all of the exposed ferrous parts with Boeshield T9. Back in 2004, Wood Magazine tested 14 different rust preventative products (including JPW) under extremely humid / wet conditions. Boeshield T9 was the hands-down winner, preventing rust formation for more than ten times longer than any of the other products.

Thanks for the responses. I guess I had my concerns in the wrong place (temperature vs. humidity). However, I'm not too concerned about humidity here. This part of Idaho is very dry. When it snows, it is often so light that I use a broom to sweep it away. If I recall correctly, the humidity is usually around 30% in winter.

However, the breathable tarp is an excellent idea, and will likely take care of any potential humidity issues. I'm going to go see if my old nylon (or similar material) boat cover can be made to work.

Dennis is correct. I was going to suggest a good coat of light oil but T-9 is great stuff. Your humidity is like ours down here in Utah. It is very low (under 30%) most of the time. Right now at 3pm it is 68º and 20% humidity. I have very little problem with rust the same as you.

John, T9 sounds like a good way to go regardless of the lack of humidity around here. I've been meaning to try some of it, and just haven't gotten around to it. I guess it's time.

Dansmith wrote:John, T9 sounds like a good way to go regardless of the lack of humidity around here. I've been meaning to try some of it, and just haven't gotten around to it. I guess it's time.

I saw your update over in this post, saying that it had weathered the winter just fine. Out of curiosity, was that with or without the Boeshield T9?

BuckeyeDennis wrote:

Dansmith wrote:John, T9 sounds like a good way to go regardless of the lack of humidity around here. I've been meaning to try some of it, and just haven't gotten around to it. I guess it's time.

I saw your update over in this post, saying that it had weathered the winter just fine. Out of curiosity, was that with or without the Boeshield T9?

Without.