Replies

1. 
   JeffBuck | May 18, 2003 08:18am | #1

   drink water and wear a white hat.

   keep the tee shirt on....helps with evaporating cooling.

   Run a fan if you can.

   work in a coupla 100 deg. days so the 95 deg. day feels nice and cool.

   Jeff

   Buck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

    Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite                  

2. 
   PhillGiles | May 18, 2003 08:22am | #2

   Inside a structure, or in the open ? Inside, window A/C's and dehumidfiers help - you have to be careful about dust. Outside, a mister can be a lifesaver (set one up in the shade, make sure the hose is out of the sun, and you can coil some of the hose in a tub with ice to help cool it more).

   I've heard there are some pretty exotic misters around, we just have a fitting of the same type as they use in a gracery store to keep the veggies cool and damp with a hose-fitting on it and a small electric fan behind it - you don't stand under it, or you'll get wet; you mount it high and have the fan blow the smallest droplets towards you from a couple of feet away.

   .

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

   
   

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   Edited 5/18/2003 1:23:33 AM ET by Phill Giles

3. 
   TheCaptain | May 18, 2003 08:25am | #3

   We were framing last summer here in NoCal and set up a misting system. 1/2" pvc with nozzles hung overhead under a 60% screen. Bad sunburns, but felt good. Except Wiley lost his grip on his new $65 hammer and the damned thing took one bounce off the slab and cracked at the neck. He took it like a man and wept silently.

4. 
   PhillGiles | May 18, 2003 08:26am | #4

   Just took a second look at your nom de plume: haven't seen that in years, probably my last trip to Mexico.

   .

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

1. 
   TheCaptain | May 18, 2003 08:33am | #5

   Egads! Your right! I used to drag that stuff home from Baja by the cratefull for two Grandmothers at the time. Never knew what it was all about but now, ahhhh, the ravages of time and wisdom...HD

5. 
   butch | May 18, 2003 04:59pm | #6

   I started a discussion probably a year ago ( it didn't generate much response)about a vest that is called a " cool vest" that stays at a particular temp.  (like 55 degrees) for 3 to 4 hrs. and is recharchable in 15 min. by immersing in ice.  You have a spare insert you replace with while the other is recharging.  there is a company that sells locally, they even had a write up in the local paper (commercial appeal) I believe the cost was around 200.00.   If your intersted I'll scan the article.(i saved it) I've thought about purchasing for my self but, I guess I'm to cheap, work in side and have a 10000 b.t.u. a/c window unit.

   
   

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   Edited 5/18/2003 4:49:10 PM ET by butch

1. 
   lomotil | May 19, 2003 02:34am | #7

   A misting unit sounds great for outdoors though.  But I was wondering about indoor work.  I'm afraid that a window unit would get really clogged up with dust, sanding, drywall, cutting etc.  I was thinking of a portable unit where you can pipe in some cool air using temporary ducts, and keeping the main unit outside and hopefully dust free.  I've found one source at http://www.spot-coolers.com but man, those things cost an arm and a leg.  I'm hoping to find a lower cost alternative that will work as well.  But I figure those machines cost that much for a reason. 

1. 
   ProBozo | May 19, 2003 02:44am | #8

   I've seen lots of ads for the swamp cooler things....evaporative coolers....but here in the humid south, I wouldn't guess they'd work that well?  Last time in SAM's warehouse, maybe it was BJ's, they had a portable air conditioner unit... thinks it was under a thou, maybe 7-800 or so, ducted the hot exhaust air out a dryer-vent type tube.  Really didn't look close.  As Jeff says, you're better to just use a fan and get used to the heat.

   Work Naked,

2. 
   JeffBuck | May 19, 2003 02:45am | #9

   there's gotta be a wat tp plumb a noisy old unit that someone's dumping.

   I don't see anything that's be too portable......but you could probably rig up something a coupla guys could lift into and out of the truck.

   Toughtest would probably be the temp electric hook up.

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

    Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite                  

3. 
   PhillGiles | May 19, 2003 03:10am | #10

   You tape a standard FAG air cleaner insert across the opening and it helps; you have to remember to blow the dust off the out side coils once in a while too.

   a used 5K - 8K unit is usually pretty cheap - add a dehumidifier and you'll get a lot of relief.

   .

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

   Edited 5/18/2003 8:11:51 PM ET by Phill Giles

6. 
   4Lorn2 | May 19, 2003 05:04am | #11

   This is what works for me in Florida:

   Broad brimmed hats. In a light color with plenty of ventilation.

   Loose, light colored clothing helps. A long sleeved white shirt can save skin in the bazing sun and don't forget the sunscreen.

   Bandanas as sweat bands.

   Lots of water. Ice water. Push it. Unsweet tea is good also but avoid sweet, alcoholic drinks or too much caffeine. Sports drinks are OK but a bit expensive. Water should always be the first line and always on hand. Everything else is secondary. I find that if I don't get extra salt, just a taste of common table salt, helps me keep up my energy late in the afternoon. I have been told that this is not necessary or good but it works for me. I can feel the difference.

   Moving air helps greatly. Fans are generally better than A/C. A cheap box fan, $20, at any discount store are OK. centrifugal units, harvested from air handlers are available at a substantial discount. If they really needed it they wouldn't have left it behind when they went of vacation. Power Cat units are OK but a bit weak and expensive. On the other hand they are more portable and storable.

   If the humidity isn't too high, this depends of evaporation and high humidity doesn't allow efficient evaporation  and a supply of potable and pressurized water is available adding a couple of mister nozzles at the outflow can cool the air flow considerably. Combined with a bit of shade this can keep an area comfortable and productive.

   Shade. A tree is best. A patio umbrella, garage sales, or a portable canopy, if you want to go high dollar,  can serve if there is no other sizable shade. A site without shade can be a miserable grind that slows production and demoralizes good workers. Enough heat stress it can weaken, prostrate or kill strong people. Good old boy toughing it out and random half measures don't work.  I have had to carry guys that were too tough to drink enough water or take care of themselves.