It's just a little before 0800 MST and I'm sweating like a pig. We are in the middle of Monsoon, unlike the other 9 to 10 months of the year our RH is high and sweat doesn't cool as well. As and example with RH below 10% and a OAT of 100F skin surface temp (wet bulb temp) will be in the high 60's. With today's RH of greater than 30% wet bulb temp will be in the 80's or even the 90's and instead of the sweat drying it will be dripping in your eyes and on your work. I have a feeling about the only shop work today will be some time on the sharpening bench.
A misconception most have is that the hotter it gets the fewer clothes you should wear and moving air will cool you. That is great for DOM like myself, I may be old but I can still enjoy beauty when I see it. The physics of it is normal skin temp is about 93.5F and once OAT goes above that then heat movement is inward instead of outward. You need to cover up with loose clothes that wick the sweat and allow it to evaporate. There is a reason the Bedouins dress the way they do. Back in my motorcycle days I could ride tank to tank through mid-summer Death Valley and get the giggles because I could feel the heat boiling around me and yet I was almost too cold. The HD bad boys with their cut off T's and do rags would look at me like I was crazy at fuel stops but I was comfortable and they were close to dying from the heat.
But all is not lost today, there is still whisky and the pool with MsBubba, Sweet Maggie Dog and a ball.
At its worst, the desert is a great place to live.
I did glue up the second base unit this AM before it got too hot. It went together a little out of square but I was able to pull it close enough for bench work.
ken
You almost got a bench, yeah!
ReplyDeleteYou are very right about dressing in layers. Wicking and evaporation are keys. Never cease to amazed me that not enough people get that. I bet they never logged around a small house on their backs carrying weapons and all in desert land in some exotic places :-)
And even more fun wearing full NBC suit, AKA portable saunas :-)
Bob, who does not missed that for anything in the world :-)
Bob,
DeleteI never had the pleasure of the small house or the NBC suit but I've sure spent a good part of my life where it is hot and dry. If you pay attention to the folks that have lived there all their lives you can learn a thing or two. But at the same time I'm sure glad women of a certain age have never learned the lessons :-).
BTW, I spent years trying to teach motorcycle riders how to safely ride in the desert. A few learned most didn't and I'm afraid once I'm gone the knowledge goes with me for the most part.
ken
Very nice! You get many overheated scantilly clad beauties in your shop, or do you mean Ms. Bubba? Post pics!
ReplyDeleteStan,
ReplyDeleteI only wish, at my age I'm invisible but shopping trips on a Tucson summer afternoon can be enjoyable.
ken
Hey, wow! Just realized you're a fellow Tucsonan. I have a hand tool shop in my carport near A Mountain -- no cooling of any kind.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.instagram.com/junescarab/
I use the wet T-shirt method (not just for spring break anymore!). It works surprisingly well. I also keep a (clean) rag in a bucket of water close at hand to wipe my head and neck with.
Thanks for the inspiration! Your blog is awesome.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteThanks, We are close, I'm northwest of Silverbell and Grant. Stop by some time.
ken