Living in a humid environment without a permanent reloading area.

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  • Last Post 15 January 2012
cbshtr posted this 16 November 2011

My family is thinking of moving to Alabama since losing my job over a year and a half ago. New Jersey is too expensive to live in with little money coming in. All my life I have had a basement and could have a permanent reloading bench set up. The homes we can afford in Alabama have no basement and the humidity is bad down there, so they say. I am curious as to how other reloaders cope without a permanent bench and storage area as well as what can be done to prevent all my tools and dies from rusting up. I'm trying to figure all this stuff out before moving down there. I know I can oil everything up after use and shoot only one caliber to simplify things but I seriously don't see that happening. Imagine a 60 lb. 8 year old shooting a 45/70. Get my point? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Robert Homan

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RicinYakima posted this 17 November 2011

I don't know how to do it without any dedicated set up, except for 310 tools. However it doesn't take much space. Attached is a picture of my loading area; 24” by 24” with one shelf for a Kennedy tool chest. Plate is screwed to the top with threaded holes for all my tools to bolt down too. Everything else is outside in a shed in ammo cans or plastic bins, etc. It does take planning and fore thought, but I still make lots of trips outside for forgotten stuff (not enough primers for example).

Don't have a clue for the rust issue, I live in the desert. Make Ed's Red by the gallon and keep everything damp with it?

 

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j35nut posted this 17 November 2011

I use plain drug store Mineral oil for dies, molds, press and ammo cans for storage when not in use, ice chests for powder and primers. This works for me in a three car garage with no AC or heat in E. VA

Ed's Red is a great solvent but I don't want to be touching it every time I reload.

Good luck -- J

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Dale53 posted this 17 November 2011

My first home (in SW Ohio) had an attached garage and no basement. I set up my reloading stuff in a workshop I built in the garage (along with a dark room). It was only a one car garage and, of course, there was no room for a car. I did have a decent workshop.

I had to keep after the tools to keep them from rusting. However, it IS doable. I had no option and did quite well.

Eight years later, I was able to upgrade the home with a basement. I have moved several times since and always have made certain I had a basement.

You can make it work for you.

FWIW Dale53

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Brodie posted this 17 November 2011

I started reloading when I lived in Long Beach, CA.  The humidity there is  probably not as bad as Alabama, but it is significant, it's bad enough that dies left out on a reloading bench will rust, and iron moulds turn red over night.  What I finally did was use VPI (Vapor Phase Inhibiting powder) available from Brownells.  I put about a teaspoon in the plastic boxes my RCBS dies came in.  When kept closed this solved the reloading die problem.  For bullet moulds I used 30 cal and 50 cal ammo cans with VPI powder (Tbsp) in the bottom.  When I finished a session I just put the moulds with handles attached in the appropriate can and closed and latched the lid. Sizing dies and top punches went into appropriate sized tuperware and the lids sealed on.The press was just treated to a light coat of oil.  Primers and powder were just left in their origional containers.

Good Luck Brodie

B.E.Brickey

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gunarea posted this 17 November 2011

Hey cbshtr

   Cmon now, Alabama is a great place to call home. The humidity can be an issue depending on where in Alabama you are talking. Another thing you may consider is how gun friendly the south in general is. As a central Floridian, I can converse intelligently about dealing with humidity issues. Permanent work areas are of the same nature as quitting smoking or drinking. It is what it is until it is no longer as it is, then it is something else.      (pretty profound, eh?)

   When you make the move to deep south you will adapt to conditions as easily or difficultly as you choose to make it. Just as I would prefer not to move to New Jersey, there are enough people there, it is obviously possible. In my past, I resided within the boundaries of a small but very bustling city. It was without doubt, the most scary and difficult one year lease of my life.

   No matter where you may end up, within a short distance will be someone who shares some of your same interests. Answers for questions will be there as if by magic. Having residence twenty miles from the Atlantic ocean on the East and ninety miles from the Gulf on the West, I know humidity. It is easier to live with humidity than cohabitation with a creature from a different species. (If you get my drift)  My bulleteering experience here in Florida extends almost fifty years now. The man who mentored my start was from New Hampshire. My current repertoire includes but is not limited to, smelting, casting, reloading, scavenging, hoarding and coveting. All done successfully whilst in humidity central. In my possession are many of my original purchase, reloading/casting equipment items. Some are probably older than you. Most of them are in better physical condition than me, at least they are capable of doing their job as well as they ever were.

   Here is a tip you can get a jump on and will serve you well, save the empty margarine tubs with lids and reclosable plastic bags. All the advice given was with the best of intent and you must gleen what works for you best. Heck you already have a handful of folks pulling for you. 

   I am willing to bet, pert near everyone on this forum has reloaded in some sort of tiny, cramped, out of the way, barely tolerable, uncomfortable, scratched out dung hole they called their reloading room. Maybe they will chime in and give you some confidence for your move. Rest assured I will be here to lend assistance to your shooting endeavors.

                                                                                                              Roy  

Shoot often, Shoot well

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cbshtr posted this 18 November 2011

These are great ideas. I'll have to have my wife save those containers Chinese takeout comes in. Could take a couple years for as often we get it. I did go thru a short stint with Lee Loaders when we were first married living in a small mobile home with positive results. No desire to return to that but the idea of a tool swap out set up is promising. I know anything is possible but as we age we tend to move forward not backwards. But it is what it is. As long as I can continue to shoot its all good.

Robert Homan

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RicinYakima posted this 18 November 2011

I used to reload in my shop with 6 foot of bench space with shelves. But it is 105 degrees in the summer and -20 degrees in the winter. Now that I'm old, in the house with 24X24” is better.

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hunterspistol posted this 19 November 2011

:coffee    I save the dessicant from welding wire at work.  When you get to Alabama, send me a pm and I'll mail you a small flat rate box of them.

    It's mil-spec : http://www.desiccare.com/unitpaks.html>http://www.desiccare.com/unitpaks.html

     I scrounge these because they're free but, I don't need many of them in Texas.

     Ron

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cbshtr posted this 19 November 2011

I'll take you up on that as soon as get an address. I've heard that a charcoal briquett works well too though I have never tried it. They say to throw them in the oven every once in a while to freshen them up. Saw one of those chinese take out trays today but couldn't grab it.

Robert Homan

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hunterspistol posted this 20 November 2011

Just let me know and I'll send 'em.

Ron

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slowshot posted this 20 November 2011

I lived in line cabin on a ranch for a few years,loaded with a 310 tong tool .44 mag only ,dipped the powder charges ,now I use a lee hand press (more leverage) shot bullets as cast hand lubed ,kept the whole works in wooden cigar box . Not production loading ,I had only a ruger SBH .44 and used it for everything and generally would shot a cylinder full a day . Soon every shot counts and I simply didn't need anything else-sometimes less is more

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51colt posted this 15 January 2012

This is my modest loading setup it lets me load anywhere i want and it comes apart for storage. But to be honest a lot of my loading is done with a Lee loader i sit on a chair with a log on end. I have a TV and a heater in the garage what else could a man want. 51

http://s246.photobucket.com/albums/gg95/51colt/Mobile%20Uploads/?action=view&current=IMG_6404.jpg>

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