How big of a problem is humidity?

[wespor]

Well I'm ordering my Desktop tomorrow morning but I don't know where to put it. I'd intended on sticking it in my garage but I regularly do silkscreen printing in there and use a pressure washer and washout booth to clean my screens. It stays very humid and on top of that, I live in Houston which is always ridiculously humid.

Is that a big problem? I could buy a dehumidifier but I don't know if that'd be enough.

I could bring it in the house and put it in a spare room, I'm getting the spindle so the only noise pollution I'd worry about is the shop vac but I could build a noise canceling box for that. Getting it in that room would be tricky though, there is no harm in shifting the Desktop on it's side to get through a doorway is there?

[Burkhardt]

....... I'm getting the spindle so the only noise pollution I'd worry about is the shop vac ..........
The spindle is reasonably quiet (at least the liquid cooled ones). But keep in mind, the bit may be screaming loader than any router, dependent on the material and the bit type. I packaged a previous machine in a housing for noise suppression and it does help but the reduced access may become a real nuisance.

[scottp55]

If in house(or shop for your lungs)highly recommend HEPA and dust deputy works great and will pay for itself in filter savings. Fein hepa filter still looks pristine after a month of cutting a black dusty wood. If you can get a fein 2 with hepa most cutting on tiny stuff can be done on the second power setting with no dust if the dust skirt stays fully on the material. G. is right and some 1/4"(starter 1/4" down) is LOUD and needs vac at full speed. Fein turbo2 is about same sound level as my $500 Sebo house vac.
Warning tone for tool moving may drive people nuts in house but would not turn it off or down. Any chance of of building 2X4 partition room in garage with a layer of Homasote covered with sheetrock(fire) and small dehumidifier in that room?

[tlempicke]

Shopbot sells a complete enclosure for the desktop and you can find it on their site. Unfortunately it is priced at $995 which makes it pretty pricey for what it is. They also have a 3/4 enclosure for $200. I saw one of those in operation at a show earlier this year and was impressed with the job it did keeping things neat.

I ordered one and they agreed to put it in the crate with the desktop that they are shipping to me today. That means no shipping charge.

I, like you, will probably be operating this in a spare bedroom at least part of the time. I have hopes of finding a rolling cart that will make it through a 36 inch door (depending on the door I think the tabletop will make it) to make it more portable.

[scottp55]

For carrying the Desktop(I just measured) It's exactly 29.5" in the Y, but Z plate connection can be removed and gain you an inch(nothing you can do about spindle interlock switch except maybe kitty-corner it). Outside to outside of levelling feet is 29.5" in the Y, and 31" in X. Recommend .5" solid lip around edge of cart as small rapid cuts definitely can "walk" Desktop, for that reason I would also use retractable casters with leg levellers on bottom of cart so it can rest on a firm surface(caster rubber wheels I think could give you a resonance). I had some Fosgate sound deadening material(1/16" neoprene on both sides of a lead sheet-car audio installers) which I think may have made a big difference in sound and vibration. Fosgate also sells a sound deadening "paint" plastic they use on car door/body panels to reduce sympathetic vibrations for audio competition cars. 36" doors no problem, tipping it up to 30 degrees was no problem. Hope this helped.

[wespor]

That does help thanks! I would have to get it through a 32" pocket door though, so it would need to be carried fully on it's side. Think that's okay?

And back to the original question, is humidity really bad? I'd still like to put it in the garage, all things considered.

[scottp55]

Shouldn't have to put it on it's side, you'll have 2.5" clearance. No Idea on humidity.

[dmidkiff]

Weston, I don't think the humidity will be a problem for the Shopbot. It will cause things to rust, so keeping it oiled will help. You might have some trouble with the wood you use. If you let it acclimate before use, you should be fine.

[coryatjohn]

I would think the computer controlling your ShopBot will be more affected by heat and humidity than the ShopBot. The computer isn't hardened against the environment and will fill with dust and mold eventually. If kept clean it should be fine though.