# A couple of questions for you guys in the Pacific Northwest



## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

Here in Atlanta we are blessed with pretty good (or at least tolerable) working weather year round. Winters are mild and we seldom see snow so the only thing that will seriously affect a job is rain. We lose some days in the fall and spring but usually not enough to worry about. 

So I was wondering; how do you guys in the Pacific NW deal with the frequent rain? How does it affect things like sitework, concrete, framing and roofing? Assuming you work in it how do you keep your tools from being destroyed? 

Also, for anyone who works near the ocean; how do you keep the salt spray from messing up your tools? 

Thanks!


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

:laughing::laughing:That's a good one. First of all the rain won't hurt your tools, I know I'll get slack for this:blink: but I have worked in the rain in rain gear and with a good ground, used the skillsaw and all was good. The tools will dry out The nail guns (air) are fine in the rain no elec. in them as far as the salt spray never had a problem with that and I have worked on the beach at Velesy Land when it was so big only the big boys were out:blink: but the wind is off shore there. I have had salt water drip off my windsurfing stuff into my skillsaw and it not work so I get some this and spray the heck out of it and she fires up, in fact the saw I'm using now has been douched about 3 times now:laughing::laughing:


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

I shut down the week of Christmas unless I have inside work scheduled, or I will do a few inside jobs that will come in during the winter season... If not I just hang out around the house, take a few trips someplace warm, etc.... By the end of March back into action.


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## Jimmy Cabinet (Jan 22, 2010)

I lived in the pacific northwest for a while (Vancouver, BC) and while I did not work that year (I took a year off from life) I was always curious about the construction trades in an unfamiliar place. I hung out at new home tracts if for nothing else but to observe.

Funny thing about those who live there and the rain. They don't get wet. The rain drops fall around them. Sound silly? Yea I know it does. They stand in the rain with eyeglasses and they don't get wet!!

The locals are so used to it that they will stand in the pouring rain having casual conversation when just 15' away is an overhang or awning where a sane person would seek when raining. Yet they stand there in the rain and don't get wet. Here I pull up, get outta the truck and run for the shelter of an over hang or awning and can hear them laughing at me while mumbling the words: "damn tourists". 

Contrary to popular belief, though it does rain 10 months out of the year in the pacific northwest, it rarely rains hard enough to stop work and the total annual rainfall is not really that high because it's mostly drizzle. Tradesmen work out in the rain rarely with rain gear of any type. The most I seen was a big rimmed hat which keeps eye glass wearers dry where it counts. 

They pour concrete in light rain and cover it with heavy mill plastic, heavy enough to prevent droplet imprints in wet concrete. Where I always see Electricians pulling wires through framing before sheathing you will not see that up there. A home must be weather proofed before wiring. Roofers generally start instantly after the roof is sheathed. I see lots of waxed OSB sheathing which is water resistant to some degree. 

Most of us could not imagine working 8 hours in the rain while our cloths are soaking wet and our feet sloshing in our shoes. You have to realize those who live there know nothing different. They think nothing of it. Locals will go out shopping on a cloudy dark day and proudly announce what a beautiful day it is while greeting you. Time to get out into the outdoors for a walk in the damp smelling park or get errands done. On a miserable rainy day people go to Vitamin D Studios to get some vitamin D treatment which they are lacking due to lack of sun. Depression is high. The suicide rate is the 2nd highest in the world in the pacific northwest. 

Hello to my friends in Canada!!!!!!!!!!


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

Up in the valley we took the sunny days off. We did always wear rain gear though never saw guys out working without it. 10+ hours a day 6 days a week of drizzle for up to 3 months straight sorta gets to you. I like the desert side of the state alot better than the coast.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

There is no way I could handle weather like that. I'd be contributing to the high suicide rate. I don't like having my tools out in the rain. I think it is bad for them. Have to clean them off and keep them lubed if they get wet.


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## rock16 (Feb 25, 2010)

I have lived in the Seattle area since 97. It took a long time to get used the the never ending drizzle. The short days in the winter are the worst, going to work in the rain and dark then coming home in the rain and dark.
Wet tools require a little attention I use a compressor to blow all of the wet sawdust and fibercement off everything before putting them in the truck.
Putting wet bags on first thing in the morning is a drag and your tape will last a couple weeks to a month tops.
Keeping the muck on the jobsite and not running out into the road or into adjacent streams is a big deal when moving dirt around. You will get shut down pretty quick if you do not have straw bale barriers in place.
Getting the roofing on and WRB installed allows for all the rest of the trades to get inside and do what they need to do.


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

I used to throw all my framing tools in an open bed. They got rained on constantly. Doesn't hurt them one bit. Still have them and all work as they should. 

Same with houses. We called it a day if we went through 3 pullover sweatshirts. Never wore rain gear. Tried but the water goes in your tool bags. It finds a way to get in, one way or another. 

Still, like others said, drizzle mostly. You learn to adapt. Took me about a month before I realized that I was going to go broke if I didn't get busy. 

You can ask the same question of Florida or Arizona. I don't think that I could do it. Just too hot for me. 

And others wonder why we pound nails in zero degree weather.... gotta pay the bills.


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## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

Rains more in Atlanta than Seattle


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## darr1 (May 25, 2010)

we do have driving rain in ireland the worst kind , when its to bad time for the high stool


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## Mrmac204 (Dec 27, 2006)

the only thing that I see that stops construction here is a foot or so of snow. And that's because most of the guys can't get to work.

We unfortunately have a lot of folks who think that bald summer tires will do just fine all year round, so they attempt summer driving "skills" in the snow, thereby clogging up pretty much all the roads.

When I worked on a crew, I had rain gear, but I found it easier to do what Jimmy Cabinet said, just take two or three sweatshirts with me. Change at coffee, lunch. Dry it all off when you get home  Mind you the coffee room smells like a wet dog by afternoon coffee LOL

It's the price we pay to live in the north lattitude rain forest. we're here anyway might as well go to work cause no one's paying us to stay home.

This spring sucks! man it's been raining a lot. The garden folks tell us that we are 4 weeks behind due to weather.

I do understand that suicide rate thing. it's darn dark for a few months, and it can get you down. I personally think it's the loopy politics and crappy driving that's making folks do themselves in.

On a brighter note, from my home its only a 23.9 kilometer drive to the festool dealer.


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## Tsar (Feb 26, 2006)

I've never had a problem with water ruining tools. It's the occasional time you pull the trigger on a saw and get that unnerving shock through your hand that bugs me. Then you notice the puddle of water your cord end has been dangling in. The shock doesn't hurt, its a similar feeling to biting on tinfoil or licking a 9 volt. 

Rain gear is for girls.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

KentWhitten said:


> You can ask the same question of Florida or Arizona. I don't think that I could do it. Just too hot for me.


It's too hot for me too! Seriously..... I really don't know why I live here. Where I am at it is usually 5-10 degrees cooler than Phoenix and surrounding areas. I have no idea how those guys work out in that. I love it when we are working outside and it rains while doing so. But if it stops.......the humidity SUCKS!


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

Thanks for the great information everyone. Anti- is absolutely correct. It is a little known fact that Atlanta and many other places you would not suspect get significantly more rain than Seattle. Only we tend to get it in a downpour rather than all day in a drizzle. 

Slightly off-topic, but I remember a pair of brothers I worked with in college. They were in their 60s and worked every day rain, shine or snow. They had done just about everything in their years in the trades and ran my 20-year old ass ragged. I am still impressed how they did roofing in upstate NY in January and February, just swept off the snow from the night before and went to work. 

Sheesh, I wonder how tough it is to work in Alaska


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

I lived and worked in the Seattle - Tacoma area for 5 years. 

I was framing, siding and doing all the concrete work.

I can build one helluva mean tent over a concrete pour.

I can find a way to dry out a chalk box in a steady drizzle.

It took a while to understand the weather forecast. When there is a 30% chance of rain, that means it will only rain 30% of the day.

There are two seasons; There is July and August, then there is the rainy season

That took time to come to terms with seeings how I moved from San Diego where it never rains and its always 75 degrees.:laughing:


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

EmmCeeDee said:


> Sheesh, I wonder how tough it is to work in Alaska


NOW you are talking about rain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan,_Alaska

I had a guy who worked for me that used to log up there. Something like 200 inches a year.

Where I lived in the Seattle area was at the base of the Cascades. It rained about 65 inches a year. 5 miles west it dropped to about 40.

For some reason they measure the rain in Seattle at SeaTac, which is south of Seattle a ways. It's where the airport is, so I guess that's the "official" total. Probably not much difference. 

They had a spot up by Woodinville roughly called the convergence zone where you could get dumped on pretty good all day long and 5 miles north or south, bright and sunny. Weird weather.


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## Hardly Working (Apr 7, 2005)

I live and play in Seattle. Rain what rain. Oh that Chit. You just get use to it. Like Kent said a couple of hooded pullovers and your good to go. For me I wear a fleese jacket and it helps shed the water. You loose about 10-15% in production due to the fact you move slower to be a little safer.

Alaska. Can you say layers. I spent 6 months in Prudhoe Bay lets just say COLD. The guys told me when I got there that to ditch the jeans. You wear your long underwear, then a pair of sweats (more flexablity) then your cold weather suit, lined gloves, head sock and your Bunny boots.


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## Hardly Working (Apr 7, 2005)

KentWhitten said:


> They had a spot up by Woodinville roughly called the convergence zone where you could get dumped on pretty good all day long and 5 miles north or south, bright and sunny. Weird weather.



I live right on the edge of the convergence zone next to Woodinville off the I-405. Rains 2 mile south of me in Kirkland and my place stay's dry all day :wacko:

Kent where did you live here in WA?


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

Hardly Working said:


> I live right on the edge of the convergence zone next to Woodinville off the I-405. Rains 2 mile south of me in Kirkland and my place stay's dry all day :wacko:
> 
> Kent where did you live here in WA?


Snohomish, up 522 a ways. Ever heard of the Rainbow store? Not sure it's called that anymore. Beautiful area to live, just dreary. And traffic blows. Especially Totem Lake. I worked mostly in that area, Woodinville, Snohomish, Everett...few times in Seattle on the postage stamp lots.


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## rock16 (Feb 25, 2010)

KentWhitten said:


> Snohomish, up 522 a ways. Ever heard of the Rainbow store? Not sure it's called that anymore. Beautiful area to live, just dreary. And traffic blows. Especially Totem Lake. I worked mostly in that area, Woodinville, Snohomish, Everett...few times in Seattle on the postage stamp lots.


Rainbow Market is still there, on Echo lake rd. Traffic is getting worse out that way Hwy 9 is baaad.


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