re: Shop time.

Tool maintenance comes in many varied types, and yes often due to your specific weather. I try to listen to music as I do it, and sometimes it's not too boring. The time it takes it what it takes, or I have always looked at it that way. I can see it takes away from the much more enjoyable things. I really like stock prep, but just like sanding, something that is a part of it all.

I do find in my humid climate that wax/oil in all types is my friend, and I do a careful application of it at least twice a year. Paste wax on the cast iron surfaces, and Camellia oil on hand tools, and other rust prone things. I find it takes away a goodly portion of the "reconstruction" time that often happens if rust gets a foothold. Sometimes other waxes, and oils are the best bet, but that is still a work in progress after ~~~ 60 years of tool use. 

One of the many reasons coming to places like this work so well for me, you never know enough, or are too old to learn new tricks. :-)

I'll also add that 4 years ago I added heat to my shop. I always wanted heat, and or "Conditioning" but it never got top billing. I can say with certainty that since I can keep the shop a constant 55 degrees through the colder months has almost removed the need to do harder tool maintenance, at least as far as rust prevention applies to it. I suppose some of you hotter, sweatier, folks down South might need cooling, more than heating, but it is a for real difference in my humid corner of the world. Going through a Winter without rust was luck, now it's a given. Beside just comfort, and ability to apply finishes it's worth the $$$$ to me.