Winter is coming

[gfvermont]

With winter approaching here in Vermont, I've been thinking about how to deal with my Tormek T8. I usually turn the heat off in my stand alone shop when I'm done for the day. Even though it's insulated, on really cold evenings, the temperature can go down into the mid- 20 degrees F. I realize, to make sure my grindstone (original 250) doesn't crack, I should bring it into a heated space during the evening or when my shop heat is  turned off.

I find that I can go days only honing, not filling up the water trough and grinding. My question is, if it's been 1, 2 or 3 days since I've grinded, will the water drain from the stone thereby leaving no chance for cracking? I'm pretty sure I know the answer...better safe then sorry and bring the stone into the heat. But I thought I would see if anyone has any experience with this?

[tgbto]

Hello,

My SG-250 takes about two weeks to really dry up. I can tell from the quantity of water that I have to add before it stops sucking up water from the trough.

So clearly, after 3 days you still have plenty of water inside the stone.

And it will crack/microcrack somehow if it freezes.

Cheers,

Nick.

[gfvermont]

Good to know.
Not going to risk it and will be bringing the stone into heated area during the winter.
Thanks,

[Ken S]

Gene,

Your post reminds me of a comment about Maine, ten months of winter and two months of rough sledding.

For several years, my "shop" with my Tormek was an unheated attached garage in Northeast Ohio. Granted, that's not Vermont cold, but it's still far from balmy. For some unknown benevolent reason, my grinding wheel never cracked. I never left my wheel in the water though except when it was empty.

Hopefully the past ten years have given me some wisdom (as well as a heated basement workshop). The thrifty New England Yankee in my background never stores my grinding wheels wet and would certainly bring grinding wheels into the heated house during the cold months. My hero in this is the late Leonard Lee, founder of Lee Valley/Veritas, who grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan. Lee wrote with displeasure about his uncle who carelessly ruined a prize ax by not sleeping with it on a bitter cold night on a logging trip. The ax head cracked due to the cold.

Devise an efficient way to transport your grinding wheel of provide above freezing temperature to a small cupboard.
A tungsten light bulb on a dimmer with a thermometer might do the trick.

Keep us posted.

Ken

[gfvermont]

Thanks for the advise Ken. The wheel on the T8 is so easy to take off, think I'll just make a habit of taking it out of my unheated shop during those cold Vermont nights. I assume the rest of the machine is OK to stay out...right?
Gene

[RichColvin]

Gene,

I had my Tormek in the garage which was not heated for years. I left the stone on the machine, but certainly dropped the trough down so the stone was not in water.

What I found was that it it was too cold that I would be concerned with freezing the stone, then I didn't care to be in the area either.

I never had any problems with cracked stones.

Rich

[cbwx34]

Do a forum search for "freeze" and/or "frozen", you'll find a few posts on the subject.  (One where a stone was left in a pan of water that froze, without incident).

I even found a video a few years ago, where the water was freezing on a stone during use.

Obviously, anything can happen, but if the stone wasn't soaked in water, my guess is, it would be OK.  If nothing else, I wouldn't sweat it if you forgot to bring it in.

[gfvermont]

thanks for the feedback everyone.
Gene

[Petergreycat]

For me, I would make an insulated cover and a small cabinet heater in there. I would worry too much about dropping my stone!
Regards

[Petergreycat]

Is three really any issue with adding anti-freeze to the water?

[Herman Trivilino]

Is three really any issue with adding anti-freeze to the water?

I wouldn't do that. Embedding the grindstone with anti-freeze might cause more damage than allowing it to freeze.