Replies

1. 
   nikkiwood | Apr 16, 2005 07:14am | #1

   Wear long johns and gloves....................................

   But seriously, here is a recent thread in which many talked about how they heat their shop.

   Maybe you can find some useful ideas.

   http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=22995.1

   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell
2. 
   notDusty | Apr 16, 2005 07:25am | #2

         Jim ,

               I have a 28' x 45 shop that I heat with an electric furnace that blows out a pretty good gust . I do not keep the heat on 24 hours a day , just during the daytime working hours . It is not such a problem with cold temps as it is with moisture in the shop . If you can keep the shop dry most problems associated with cold will not occur. As an example I can shoot lacquer when its 25 or 30 degrees outside with the heat on of course , but when its 55 degrees and raining the humidity and moisture win over the dry heat .

         good   luck                dusty

3. 
   JMartinsky | Apr 17, 2005 02:08am | #3

   I have an insulated shop that is 40 x 28 with 9' ceilings that is heated with a wood-stove. For me, it is perfect. The only drawback is overnight glue-ups, sometimes I have to make a midnight run to reload the stove, other than that it is quiet, efficient, and gets rid of tons of scrap. (not that I make any) I am also in the "Nutmeg" state so I appreciate the New England climate. Contact the Fire marshall in your town and see what the regs are. Done right, it is a nice setup.

   John

1. 
   twotowers | Apr 17, 2005 10:45pm | #5

   Thanks, how much would you think it would cost to buy and install a small wood stove? It is either that or electrical heat - and I would think the wood stove would be good. Oviously you don't keep finishes or paints there in the winter. When the shop drops to zero and stays that way for a while are there any issues with power machines and power hand tools that come into play?
   Jim

1. 
   JMartinsky | Apr 18, 2005 04:13am | #7

   I have no problems with the tools even after prolonged cold. I have a PM66 which is belt driven as is the PM jointer, if a tool was going to give a hard time, I imagine it would be the belt driven units. I do, however, warm up the shop before use, but I have had the occasion to start them up cold and have had no problems. My shop is dry, but I worry about condensation, more than cold. My shop is on a slab, so that stays cold well into the summer. Nice for cooling, but if I open up the doors on a humid day, the machines sweat, and then I cry. All that iron! But getting back to cold, my routine is probably a time honored one, an hour or so before I start work, I go out to the shop and start a fire, and then go have a coffee or something, by the time I make it back in the shop, that fire will need some building, so I toss a few more pieces in. By the time I am ready to cut, I can usually really stuff the stove full and then leave it alone until lunch. The biggest drawback is that sometimes I want to just sit in front of the stove with a coffee and a friend, smelling the sawdust and watching it snow!
   I bought my stove on Ebay, a 1977 model Vermont Castings "Reliant". It is a little small for the shop, but for $300.00, it was a deal. Ideally, I would like the "Defiant" model, but that will have to wait. So that and a small fan and I am good to go. Depending on your structure, the pipe is what can get expensive. I wouldn't cheap out on it either. If that fails, you lose your shop. Get the best that you can afford. Stainless steel. As far as fires go, good fire wood is a must, but the secret is in the kindling. Good, dry kindling and plenty of it, will make your life much easier.John

4. 
   BarryO | Apr 17, 2005 11:19am | #4

   Insulate walls and ceiling.  What's the 1st floor suraface like?  If it is concrete that was placed without vapor barrier underneath, then it will wick humidity into the room.  When warm weather comes, seal it with epoxy paint.

1. 
   twotowers | Apr 17, 2005 10:48pm | #6

   Floor is wood beam construction on cement block - with a little poured concrete thrown in to help with stability, as it sits in an area that is very wet after the Spring rains.
   No Vapor barrier under the floor - thanks for the advise on epoxy floor paint that sounds like what I need!
   Jim

5. 
   kenshep | Apr 18, 2005 06:16am | #8

   Hi Jim,

     The "shop size and configuration" post is really about heating and cooling a shop.  It has a ton of posts in it.  Its in the General discussion forum.

    

   Regards,

   Ken

   "Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis

6. 
   Alberta | Apr 18, 2005 06:30am | #9

   Hi, I don't know if you have natural gas or propane available, but if so then a gas fired infrared heater would do a good job for you. they heat the objects in their sight, rather than heating the air and then the objects. so you can turn it on and get very quick warmth. works well with our  - down to -40C winters!

    

1. 
   twotowers | Nov 05, 2005 05:27am | #10

   Hi Alberta;
   I am looking at two propane ventles heaters for the shop. One is blue flame and the other is infrared. you suggested the latter but I don't understand how it heats. The blue flame creats reat like I would think a fireplace does. thats to say you can warm your hands and body if your near it. Does the same thing happen with infrared?
   Is one warmer over the other and does one emit less fumes?
   Thanks
   TT

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Nov 05, 2005 05:44am | #11

   Don't ventless propane heaters pump a lot of water into the atmosphere.?   I'd check before I turned my shop into a rust factory. 

2. 
   Raven | Nov 05, 2005 06:18am | #12

   I don't know anything about ventless gas heaters. The infrared units I have are vented straight out through the wall. I agree that a ventless unit would probably give you all kinds of moisture problems. I would be concerned about noxious fumes.

   The infrared units simply give you radiant heat - the same as you feel when sitting in front of a fireplace.

    

1. 
   twotowers | Nov 08, 2005 05:39am | #15

   R:
   Does that mean that that radiant heat doesn't create moisture on iron tools?
   TT

1. 
   Raven | Nov 08, 2005 06:59am | #16

   That is correct. Since the combustion gases - the exhaust, which contain the moisture, are being vented outside, there is no added humidity in the building. As a matter of fact there will be a tendency for the air to be drier. We also bring in the combustion air from outside, so you don't use warm air from the building for the combustion process. I'm in Alberta, and in cold weather you can see the moisture in the exhaust gas being emiitted from the vent, as a "fog'. 

3. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 05, 2005 07:51pm | #14

   infrared is sort of like the SUN!EDIT;; Ventless heaters give off ALOT of moisture.. NOT good in a shop...

   Edited 11/5/2005 12:53 pm by WillGeorge

7. 
   TTF | Nov 05, 2005 07:18am | #13

   You might consider a pellet stove.

   They heat up right away, cool down quickly when they are turned off, and be left to run just about as long as you need. The one I installed only required two inches to a combustible wall (I put masonry up anyway). Mine was about $1500 once I bought the flue, etc. Its a bit expensive, but I have not regretted it one bit.

   A 40,000 BTU unit should meet the needs of your space easily.

   I live in the NW, and pellets are readily available (most are manufactured around here) - you would need to check your area.

   Thanks,

   TTF