Author Topic: Shop Smells  (Read 8476 times)

Offline bert

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Shop Smells
« on: February 19, 2013, 06:47:48 PM »
Hi all. 
I am looking at having to seriously downsize my shop.  We are in the process of moving and I am going to have to give up a 24 foot by 36 foot shop. My present shop is separate from the house and there in lays my problem. My new shop is going to be in a basement and unfortunately considerably smaller, may be 12x16 if I am lucky.  My wife is quite concerned about the oily smells created when machining. You know, cutting oil, hot WD40, grinding and other hot metal issues.
 
So my question to you guys with basement shops, how do you keep your wife happy? Is a simple exhaust fan sufficient, or do you employ a different measures to accomplish, blissful happiness, with a spouse, who has the nose of a Blood hound?

No !!  Trade in the spouse is not an option I am willing to consider…..

Thanks …..Bert

Offline black85vette

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2013, 07:26:45 PM »
Mine doesn't complain about the shop.   (Actually she doesn't complain at all)   She has mentioned that my clothes carry that smell into the house.

Offline Walsheng

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2013, 08:02:58 PM »
When I was working full time in a shop and I came home NOT smelling like EDM oil my wife would want to know what I did that day!
I have my shop at the office so I haven't had to address the smell issue at home (yet) but at the office I have a physical therapy office upstairs from the shop and they like to complain about EVEREYTHING. So I have a simple bathroom type exhaust fan and it does the trick.

John

Offline pgp001

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2013, 08:08:42 PM »
When I come inside the house after machining with coolant, my wife accuses me of smelling like metal !!

I reckon she thinks all metal must smell of soluble oil.

Phil

Offline Jo

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2013, 08:29:29 PM »
Phil, the smell of the bacteria in the soluble oil is easy to get rid of put a spot of bleach in it.

I don't know what all the fuss is about I have my indoors workshop in the room next to the master bedroom, I have never had any complaints  ;)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Mosey

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2013, 09:03:08 PM »
Mine never complains about smells, on me or from the basement shop. Guess I'm lucky that way. Only when the cat eats swarf and barfs it up.

Jo, How is your sense of humor today? I was going to risk asking which place didn't garner complaints.

Mosey

Offline Jo

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2013, 09:04:58 PM »
And I haven't had any complaints about my cooking either.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline black85vette

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2013, 09:21:13 PM »

.......with a spouse, who has the nose of a Blood hound?

No !!  Trade in the spouse is not an option I am willing to consider…..

Thanks …..Bert

swimmer's nose clip??  clothes pin??   scented candle??

Offline pgp001

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2013, 09:24:15 PM »
I suffer from Phantosmia so the smell doesn't bother me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantosmia

Phil

Online steamer

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2013, 11:21:37 PM »
Heh....good luck with that...I have an  attached garage shop....even with the door....I get Mama riled up sometimes....

Scented candle maybe....try some of the biodegradeable cutting gels....they don't smell as bad..

Dave
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Offline mklotz

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2013, 11:25:42 PM »
A cotton ball saturated with Hoppe's No. 9 and left sitting on the workbench will hide a lot of odors and not leave the impression that you're running some sort of perfumery.
Regards, Marv
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2013, 11:40:16 PM »
My shop is in the basement too. No complaints about unusual odors...just the usual ones.
But I find that when I do create machining related odors...they don't last long and don't get noticed.
I'd wait and see if there's complaints. Then address it.
From my point of view...it'd be a shame not to be able to enjoy shop smell. It's part of the experience.

[EDIT:] Real bad vapors may indicate something dangerous. If you're used to using large amounts of dangerous (smelly) fluids in your outside shop...they don't belong in a basement. And keep a fire extinguisher near the stairs. (Don't mean to tell you anything you don't already know.)
« Last Edit: February 19, 2013, 11:45:35 PM by zeeprogrammer »
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Offline Mosey

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2013, 11:45:43 PM »
And I, dysgeusia.
Things taste strange.

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2013, 11:47:18 PM »
Wot Zee said. Odors won't linger long. If you fragrance with anything make it lemon scented. When mixed with an oil smell it has the essence of furniture polish. Are you allowing my thinking now?

Eric

Offline black85vette

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Re: Shop Smells
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2013, 12:43:40 AM »
And I, dysgeusia.
Things taste strange.

A Doc I know was describing dysgeusia and said "it means the patient doesn't taste good".    We wanted to know how he went about tasting the patient.   :Lol:

 

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