Most of use who work wood as a hobby struggle to find time in the shop. Day jobs and family come first of course. The remaining time is typically restricted by the noise generated and the weather. Some are working in apartments, have close neighbors or are working in attached garages or basements and noise becomes an issue. Then there is the weather. Many struggle in the winter months with unheated work spaces others struggle with the summer heat.
Far and away, summer presents the most challenging time for me and my woodworking. There are several chores that need to be completed to maintain my property and home. Not the least of which is mowing grass. But the heat and humidity are the real show stoppers for me and this summer has already proven to be particularly challenging. Spring weather lasted for what seemed only about four days and then the heat came on.
Today was the first day since last weekend that I had any time to be in the shop. I lasted about three hours and had to throw in the towel. 86ºF and 68% humidity take a quick toll.
I did manage to size and thickness the sides and rear of the larger interior drawer. I even managed to cut all the joinery for that drawer including the grooves for the drawer bottom. The large exterior drawer received sides and they were dovetailed to the front. 
That’s it. Pitiful I know, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
Greg Merritt
HILLBILLY DAIKU 
I am just amazed with how clean and sharp you make everything look…..especially since we are dealing with pine here! I am struggling to get my pieces to come together with the tolerances you so easily seem to manage. Who ever said pine was easy to work with is crazy.
Thanks Doug. I’m not sure I do anything all that special. With pine sharp tools are essential and I tend to sharpen quite often. Another thing to keep in mind is the compression factor of pine. You can cut joints quite “fat” and the pine will compress for the joint to assemble. Then, when the glue is added, there is a swelling effect that further closes any remaining gaps.
I know what you mean. I got in some woodworking this morning and then did chores and family stuff the rest of the day. I think it hit 90 today. I usually stop when sweat drops on a tool or lumber.
Mornings are usually pretty comfortable. But that limits me to two days a week at the most. Hopefully this heat wave will settle out in the next week or so. The mid 80s is comfortable if the humidity drops down a little.
For me the humidity is killer. I don’t mind the heat so much, but as the old cliché says: it’s not the heat, but the humidity. Even then, I wouldn’t mind it so much, but for whatever reason, my garage is like it’s own weather system, and the most stable stuff warps uncontrollably. I learned my lesson and I now leave the window closed in there year round. It makes it stuffier, but the humidity is lessened.
Yep, humidity is the worst. When it gets high outside I do the same as you. Leave the windows closed and turn on a fan. When it becomes too hot in the shop to continue, I quit. The joys of an unregulated shop!
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