Anyone got any tips for cooling down the garage?

[Bi11Hudson]

As a rule, I am opposed to AirCon in any form. So long working in foundries and steel mills, I suppose. .

That is why I stated up front that I am was a "mill hand". The mills are insulated and air conditioned in the offices and computer rooms. But out on the floor in production areas, it was ambient. But such facts swing both ways. In early Janurary, even Alabama freezes sometimes. A particular incident had me on a "torch bridge", some 20 feet long. The steel under the bridge was orange hot, barely solid. It was still so hot there was no magnetism. The bridge catwalk was kept cool by a pan of water under the grating. Steel mills usually cast north/south because of the magnetics. In this case, the runout faced due north with the end of the building open to the weather. There was a heat shield on the north side of the bridge, protecting the electrical cables and gas lines.

During a breakdown, I had a maintenance crew on the bridge and talking (by radio) to a crane operator who was lifting the bridge back to the start position. The steel kept running, stopping production took 90+ minutes on a perfect day to turn around. At $4K per minute. . . It was so hot (in Jan) that the soles of my shoes were melting on the grating. Above the heat shield, it was snowing inside the building. From the cooling water sprays further down the production line. So my shoes were melting while I had snow on my mustache. Now tell me again about your garage shop. . .

I realize that I worked in that environment because I enjoyed it. I also dealt with my brother, an engineer for cable TV distribution. He can't breathe when the ambient goes above 85F or so. 2/3 of his electricity bill is for air conditioning in the summer. If you worked in an air conditioned office and go to air conditioned beer joints and movies, then you need AC at home. But when I was tending mainframes in the South Pacific, the computer rooms had to be air conditioned. And I had to wear a jacket when I went into the computer. In most of the places, even the Government offices were not air conditioned. The air conditioning was for the computers. The locals had lived their entire lives without it. 85F and 85RH was the year round norm there. It's all a matter of what you're used to. On Guam, there are many military units that cannot live without air conditioning. God help them if they ever had to fight without it.

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[Watchwatch]

Can anyone recommend a good window unit ac/heat pump/dehumidifier? I want to keep the shop dry once my new mill shows up next month. I’m hesitant to go with a mini-split because I’ll probably move in the next couple years.

I have a cheapo window unit that can’t keep up. It will keep the garage around 80. I use a buddy heater in the winter which does just fine. The doors are insulated.


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[pontiac428]

Can anyone recommend a good window unit ac/heat pump/dehumidifier? I want to keep the shop dry once my new mill shows up next month. I’m hesitant to go with a mini-split because I’ll probably move in the next couple years.

I have a cheapo window unit that can’t keep up. It will keep the garage around 80. I use a buddy heater in the winter which does just fine. The doors are insulated.

Those portable R2-Units do pretty good. Also, if one window unit doesn't do it, try two. Or three. You'll reach a comfortable equilibrium eventually.

 

[jwmay]

Well I lucked into a free portable unit. As luck would also have it, the heat wave seemed to ease off, just about the time i plugged it in. I can still get to sweating out there, but it's not oppressive. I actually have to be doing something other than being in the garage. That works for me! Thanks for the suggestions everyone!