Cold Shop

[Dave Shaffer]

The weather is now changing and my shop, being a stand alone building, gets cold. I have a kerosine heater that knocks the chill off on those cold mornings. But there is always something in the back of my mind. I always let the shop warm up for a while before I start doing anything because I worry about the cold bits and blades. I worry that the cold steal can shatter and send pieces flying all over the room.

Does anyone else worry about this?. Any thoughts or comments? I know I am probably just worrying about nothing, but it still sticks in the back of my mind.

[Cecil Arnold]

I don't think you need worry until the temps. are sub zero.

[John Miliunas]

Dave, I agree with Cecil BUT, what I may worry about more are the fumes from the heater! I've used one before, as well as propane and even the expensive electric heat. Last winter, I finally broke down and got a Hot Dawg. Hangs from the ceiling, exhausts through the wall and has an external thermostat, just like your house HVAC. I elected to put mine on a setback thermostat, so that it gears down considerably during the night and "off" hours, but kicks back in about an hour before I get home from work. Nice and comfy, no smell, no fumes and the tools ain't complainin' either!

[Bart Leetch]

Hi John Will that heater heat a 24' x 30' shop with a 9 foot ceiling well insulated & would you post the model if it will.

Thanks.

[Mike Cutler]

Dave. It's good to worry about machine performance in cold weather. I don't worry so much about bits and blades, as I do about bearings, and belts. The grease in the bearings could be adversely effected by the cold, and I know belts are effected by the cold. I use a Kerosene heater also, but I'm thinking of putting in a pellet stove this winter.

[Lloyd Brown]

I have the same size shop in upstate NY. I use a 75,000 btu Hot dauwg heater too. here is the place I purchased mine www.littlegreenhouse.com .
My gas supply installed it and spec. They could not even come close on the price, he tolled my to buy it from the web site.
The heater runs about 10. min. they it will cycle, that is from a start temp of 50 (to save the finishes). Best "tool" in the shop!

[Lloyd Brown]

I have a 20 amp.240v elecrtic heater I am willing to part with. Thats 17,000 btus
E mail if interested.

[Dave Shaffer]

I am not so woried about now but when it gets below freezing. As for heat, I got the Kerosene heater at a second hand shop for $10. Im not ready to replace it yet. I smoked for over 35 years and I am still walking around. I think the dangers from kerosene fumes is overrated. People have been using them for a long time without adverse effects. I dont think 3-5 hours a week is gonna kill me.

[Clint deal]

Dave, I agree to a point about the kerosene heaters. I've used one for years also.
But! my wife is a Paramedic here in NC, she ran a call last winter where a person was found dead. He was using a kerosene heater for heat. The heater checked out fine and so did the carbon monoxide in the house. he even had a CO detector in the house. The final finding was that he had a build-up of carbon monoxide in his system that finally killed him. It was told to my wife that carbon monoxide is cumilitave (sp). In other words it can build up in your system to a dangerous level.
After her call I pulled my kerosene heaters out of the shop and went natural gas. it's still an unvented heater but it's supposed to burn so clean as to be safe.
Mine is a 45,000 BTU wall-mounted natural gas heater with it's own built in thermistat. It heats my 24x32 sqft shop with a closed of 9.5 foot ceiling in NC very well. It cost about $175 not counting me running the gas line too it.
Clint

[Michael Stafford]

Dave, I don't worry about it so much as my feet limit my shop time in the winter. How so you ask? Well I failed to insulate the slab when I built my shop and now as I get older I find I cannot stand on the cold floor for long. I have tried heated mats but I just limit my shop time until it warms up. Fortunately winter is not too long or severe here...

[John Miliunas]

Hi John Will that heater heat a 24' x 30' shop with a 9 foot ceiling well insulated & would you post the model if it will.

Thanks.

Bart, I have just a touch under 1000sq/ft. with decent (not overabundance, but decent) insulation. I bought the 45K Hot Dawg by Modine here:
http://www.qcsupply.com/Products/2097.aspx
Very quick shipping and, at the time, the best price I could find anywhere, although as Lloyd points out, littlegreenhouse is another good alternative. Be warned that if you shop at your local HVAC vendor, you can probably expect to pay 1/3 to 1/2 more! I checked with four local outfits and that's exactly what I found. One of them was a bit less, but they would only sell it to me if THEY did the install, which was astronomical! I'm really happy with my outfit!

[Joe Tonich]

I bought 2 of these : http://www.vogelzang.com/bx42e.htm at the Tractor Supply ( $175 ea.) and put one in my basement and the other in my garage/shop. I haven't used the shop one yet but the one in the basement will blast you out. In 36deg - 44deg. weather it kept my house at a steady 70deg. It would definitely keep an insulated shop warm, and, with the price of natural gas nowadays, pay for itself in a year. If you know a tree service, split your own wood and the years heating is FREE!

Joe

[Scott Parks]

Dave, I agree to a point about the kerosene heaters. I've used one for years also.
But! my wife is a Paramedic here in NC, she ran a call last winter where a person was found dead. He was using a kerosene heater for heat. The heater checked out fine and so did the carbon monoxide in the house. he even had a CO detector in the house. The final finding was that he had a build-up of carbon monoxide in his system that finally killed him. It was told to my wife that carbon monoxide is cumilitave (sp). In other words it can build up in your system to a dangerous level.
After her call I pulled my kerosene heaters out of the shop and went natural gas. it's still an unvented heater but it's supposed to burn so clean as to be safe.
Mine is a 45,000 BTU wall-mounted natural gas heater with it's own built in thermistat. It heats my 24x32 sqft shop with a closed of 9.5 foot ceiling in NC very well. It cost about $175 not counting me running the gas line too it.
Clint

Now you've got me scared. I use a Kerosene heater. I have ceiling fans in my garage and one heater gets my 24X30 garage nice and toasty! But then yet, I only burn about 2 gallons per winter...

When I lived in North Dakota, I was more concerned with getting a parka and gloves caught in machines, than breaking them when it's cold... Try changing a power steering pump when it's -25 degrees!

[Kurt Strandberg]

I have a 30 X 40 pole building with 9 foot ceilings and I use a 75,000 btu hanging heater (like the Hot Dawg, but different brand) I use a digital thermostat that only goes down to 45 degrees, so I keep it at 45 when I am not in there(I could turn it off but it's nice going out to some heat when I go to work) and I turn it up to about 60 when I work out there, takes about 10 minutes to heat up.

Kurt in Minnesota

[sascha gast]

hi guys, reading this post just makes me realize, I LOVE LIVING IN LOS ANGELES. Winter never gets below 50 degrees. so how do i heat my shop?? uhm, i wear another sweater,hehehe. I feel for you guys, good luck with heating your shops and enjoy working.

sascha