What Do You Cover Your Machines With?

Bed sheets! Just don't let the wife know!! :eek 2:

Yup, my choice as well. Not heavy, breathes (no condensation), and cheap to replace. I just asked my Significant Other to pick up some cheap sheets the next time she visited WalMart.
 
Personally, I do not worry about a light coating of saw-dust too much. I've never had it cause a problem.
I worry about grinding dust/grit and move things around so the big machines with ways and slides are not "in the line of fire".

However.........one big DON'T, since you mentioned welding in that space.....

I needed a quick and simple dust cover for a welder when doing some sanding directly above it. I though I was clever by quickly fashioning something out of left-over 6-mil vapour barrier that was sitting right there. Using just a few folds and an office stapler I made a basic 5-sided "box" to fit the machine. It worked great for the sanding dust.

A few weeks later I was using one of the other welding machines and a spark landed on that cover.
I had no idea that vapour barrier was so flammable, it was self sustaining flames, melting and dripping.
I did not notice with the helmet on.

Luckily once I saw it I was able to grab an intact corner and throw it out the front door with no real damage....just a little melted plastic everywhere.

Play Safe!
-brino
 
I found the plastic bags from mattresses are great. They're HUGE and the guys who deliver mattresses are glad to throw you a bunch of them for a little lunch money. They just toss them in the dumpster at the end of the day anyway.
 
I use the HF moving blankets because winter gets very cold here. I have a baseboard electric heater behind the machines I keep on very low just to keep the area above 40*. The blankets catch enough heat to keep them warm enough they are willing to run without a long warm up period.
Dave
 
If you have a friend in the canopy business custom fitted covers could be made with snaps or velcro flaps for easy removal.
 
I would think canvas too stiff for a very good cover. I have bunch of old sheets that I use for drop sheets or covers. They drape loose fit well around the contours.

For moisture control, the best way is to keep the shop from getting too cold, so water doesn't condense on the iron when it warms up.

My jointer used to rust like crazy until I noticed and where some plywood was stacked on one end, it wasn't rusty under it. I cut some MDF to fit the bed and back fence and rusting is a thing of the past n that machine. It would work on any unprotected flat surfaces, I would speculate.

I have several HTC machine covers that I got at Rockler. They are coated and supposed to breath without letting moisture in. They are a bit expensive and to be honest, they are kinda stiff and don't cover the machines tight. I would think an old bed sheet would work just as well.
 
I use a gas BBQ cover for my lathe - perfect fit for my small Myford.
 
I also use old bed sheets, easy to use and conforms to machine well. During the winter I put a shop drop light under the drops to stop the condensation.
 
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