Air conditioned shop?

[Dottonedan]

Sort of a (throw a shoe at him) kind of question, but do any of you run an air conditioned production area?  I know of one shop that has his only dryer, a large dryer set up half way in his shop and half way out. The exit of the dryer was sitting still inside the building, but on the outside of the shop area and it was walled off so not a lot of hot air was coming back in the air side. The shop area was probably 75-80 degrees inside (in Florida) during the summer.

Anyone else do anything like this?

D

[balloonguy]

I think about it every day. When I own the building I will do something like that.
Matt

[Prosperi-Tees]

I would love that. With temps in the 100s outside in the summer even 85-90 degrees inside would be nice.

[Northland]

I think Fred (Duke of York) had one of those setups.

[Get Shirts]

I've thought about running a vent over the loading areas and the end of the dryer, just to take the edge off.

[shirtz]

We are an air conditioned shop in central Fl. The production floor is 2000sq ft with two autos and a mini sprint dryer.
During the summer we are at 80-82 degrees depending on if the flashes are on on. I wouldn't do it any other way.
 

[bimmridder]

We are air conditioned. Three autos and one manual. Nine flash units (3 are quartz). Two Sprint 2000 dryers. I've vented, and insulated, but still need AC. It was over 120
last summer. I can't expect people to work in that. Might be different if it was just me. I set the AC at 85. It still kicks in once in a while, like today, when it's 20 degrees
outside. 

[jsheridan]

worked in a bunch of shops with AC. Mostly on the East coast but it sure makes the job easier.

[Prosperi-Tees]

There is a 2500 sq ft shop with AC for 1100 a month that I would love to be in but I am locked into a lease.

[alan802]

When I took over the screen printing department, I had several goals in mind.  One was to get new equipment, press and dryer, and the one of the other main goals was to AC the shop.  It might take another year or two but I can't expect the guys to work in 115 degree heat for 3 months straight.  It really takes a toll mentally more than physically.  As many of you know, it will start to drive you crazy, it will also wear on your relationships at work and at home.  This past summer was the worst on record.  Something like 90 days of 100+ heat, with no rain.  I've done it for 6 summers now and I'm done with it so it's my next major goal.

[jsheridan]

I can't expect the guys to work in 115 degree heat for 3 months straight.  It really takes a toll mentally more than physically. 

The first 9 years of my printing life were spent working in Florida shops printing shirts with not a single AC in sight.. 9  months out of the year it was over 95 in the shop, the other 3 it was over 110. It's a right of passage, let em sweat it out.

[blue moon]

AC here, too. . . my guys don't know how good they have it!

pierre

[Sbrem]

In my first job, we had AC, but it was graphic printing, no dryers. But since '75, proudly serving in the heat. 12 foot ceilings make AC not realistic. It's mid nineties all summer, with occasional 100° days...

Steve

[alan802]

I can't expect the guys to work in 115 degree heat for 3 months straight.  It really takes a toll mentally more than physically. 

The first 9 years of my printing life were spent working in Florida shops printing shirts with not a single AC in sight.. 9  months out of the year it was over 95 in the shop, the other 3 it was over 110. It's a right of passage, let em sweat it out.

I do want the new guys to have it rough but my crew now is tenured long enough to know how good they would have it with an AC shop.  One guy has been here 3 years and the other just over 2 years.  But this past summer was plenty enough to where nobody will ever forget it or take the AC for granted.  I always tell the girls next door when they get a little attitude just how good they've got it.  Imagine doing all that work they do in 115 instead of 75, then that makes them understand they've got it pretty good.

[alan802]

We have 25 foot ceilings now but I would put a drop ceiling and insulate the hell out of it.  I wouldn't AC the entire shop though, just about 1/2 of it and leave the rest to the heat.  With the new dryer, I don't think we would have the problems that we would have with the old dryer, that american just put out so much ambient heat that the AC would really struggle, regardless of whether or not it was twice as big as it should be for the square footage.  Overall, about 2500sq/ft would be AC'd, with an 8' ceiling.