Garage Setup Question

[Greywolf18]

I recently got into reloading after seeing the prices of bullets sky rocket. I got the gear in, and the components are slowly starting to trickle in. So now I want to start setting everything up so I can start reloading some rounds. I live in Eastern NC where the weather is hot and humid in the summer and cold (ok, not like back home in Utah where I'm from or Maine where my wife is from) in the winter. My garage is not heated/cooled so the temperature changes a lot. I was just wondering if it is safe to leave all of my reloading gear and components out in the garage year round. I have a safe in the house where I can move the powder in I guess, but was wondering if the rest of the gear/components/brass would be okay out in those temp's year round? I would like to keep the powder out there, but with temps over 100, and the humidity 90% most of the summer I doubt I will. Once setup, I don't want to keep shuttling things in and out of the house beause that would be a royal pain in the *** and things will eventually get lost. Just wondering how everyone else has their stuff setup and if anyone else has the same problem as me? Thanks for the help!!!

 

[boomtube]

'I would like to keep the powder out there, but with temps over 100, and the humidity 90% most of the summer I doubt I will."

Two thoughts for you.

One, come over to the Asheville area with me, the temps are a bit colder in winter but not bad and the summers are MUCH nicer! Failing that, don't worry about it.

Low temps and even changes in temp aren't what bother powder and primers at all. As you rightly fear, it's high temps that drive off the voatile solvents in them. IF you can get an inexpensive refrigerator (a small apartment type or old used full size) that you can set on 50-60 degrees you will have excellant storage that will safely maintain your components for decades.

Know that it takes a lot longer to damage components from "normal" heat, meaning anything a human can endure, than many seem to think. Storing powder in an east coast garage for three or four years in their factory container should be fine, you would likely use it up well before it degrades at all. Put your primers in a "tupperware" container to exclude excess humidity and they will do good too.

 

[Greywolf18]

I wish I could live in Asheville! My wife and I have been trying to take a trip out there for the past year but something always comes up. We were hoping that we'd win the DIY Blog Cabin Giveaway up there The area, the hunting, the mountain bike trails, etc. would be perfect. Unfortunately the commute would be a pain in my truck lol Oh well, maybe I'll win the powerball and move out there!

 

[MagMan]

I have a safe in the house where I can move the powder in I guess,

In my eyes this is a very bad idea especially if you have a large quantity of powder. Not only for you but for the fire and rescue personnel who may or may not decide to put the fire out (purely hypothetical) because you have a rather large bomb awaiting.

I have my reloading stuff set up in my garage and I store powder / primers inside the house on the top shelf of a coat closet.

 

[Crane]

Greywolf asked something I've been wondering myself since I live in Alabama. I like the fridge idea, just happen to have an extra one in the garage for refreshments.

 

[loaders_loft]

I live in Sacramento where it gets hot in summer, and especially my garage gets blazing hot in summer!!

I keep the primers in the coat closet, inside the house. The powder is kept sealed in its original containers in the garage. All the other components stay in the garage.

My rationale is that the only explosive materials are the primers, and the only materials not in sealed containers are the primers, so I keep them in a climate controlled environment.

 

[nheninge]

Primer/powder storage is now an issue more than ever. Especially since you can't order/beg/borrow any of the above materials d/t the never underestimated human PANIC! Listen to boomtubes advice on constant temp/humidity. Take care of what you have.

Seriously, when will this primer/powder shortage END?????????????????

 

[dwm]

What about all your tools and dies rusting ...

 

[FEENIX]

Send them my way and I'd gladly store them for you. My entire garage is a freezer during the colder months and a refrigerator the rest of the year ... very very very low humidity.

Ed

 

[Greywolf18]

The equipment was another big concern of mine. For those that are in similar conditions and leave your equipment in the garage, have any of your equipment rusted or had any issues with them?

 

[boomtube]

"Seriously, when will this primer/powder shortage END?????????????????"

When human gulibility and frantic panic ends and common sense prevails. Sadly, common sense is an uncommon virtue and, unlike the Y2K nonsense, the current panic sybdrome has no clear cut-off point so it will take awhile yet.

Look on the bright side, When the hoarders do quit, the store shelves will be under low demand for a LOONG time so I expect prices to drop below the levels of a year ago! Unless our new masters in DC don't louse things up.

Judging by the rising furrors our masters are already facing, the chances of them fooling around with us seems less likely to occur soon than I had first thought.

Never expected the professonal idiots in DC to be as stoopid as they have actually shown themselves to be over the last few weeks! Bad news for our economy but it will keep them distacted for awhile, I hope.

 

[KQguy]

I do all my reloading in my shop,it's heated in the winter,but has no air conditioner.I plan on putting in a dehumidifier in soon before summer gets here.I will still keep my powder and primers in the house,but I just want to keep the moisture down so my equipment doesn't rust.I am planning on running a tube from the dehumidifier out of the shop wall,so I don't have to worry about emptying the water from from the dehumidifier all the time.

 

[boomtube]

My loading room is a walled off section of my gargage. It was unheated and uncooled but I changed that!

I use a portable electric heater in winter , store it in summer. Installed a window type 110 volt AC in one wall. No window to put it in but it was easy to cut a correct sized hole in the wall and seal around it afterwards. That made a LOT of difference to me and the small AC unit from Sam's didn't cost a lot either.

 

[johnnyk]

"I live in Eastern NC"

Where at? I'm originally from Duplin Co.

I keep all my reloading equipment/supplies in my office/reloading room. JohnnyK.