Re: At what point does condensation occur

The amount of moisture in the air of your shop depends on the dewpoint, 
see  http://www.protimeter-usa.com/Support/supdpair.htm  , and http://veggie.org/run/humidity.shtml 

Your metal is colder?  Sounds like an ideal condenser.  The most 
economical method, assuming your shop is enclosed, would be to use a 
passive (chemical) method of keeping the air dry.  Of course, if the shop 
is open, no amount of dehumidification will work.  Depending upon the type 
of machinery and its prime function it could also help to warm the metal, 
but I suspect that would interfere with whatever function it is that 
causes the metal to be colder in the first place.  If it doesn’t bother 
the piece of equipment, it may be simpler to just allow for drainage of 
the condensate.

I am certain there is a formula that exists to describe the relationship 
between the metal temperature, the air temperature, and the rate of 
condensation; but, the ones I know are used in advanced heat transfer 
calculations of drop-wise and film-wise condensation.  I am not aware of 
any simpler tables or formulae for the relationship between the 
temperatures of the metal and air, and the rate of condensation.