Shop Heat

Think I've got that problem pretty well taken care of now. The winters here in central NC aren't bad - not compared to MI winters, that's for sure. My shop is wood, small, 8X12, and not insulated.

I started out by closing both doors. This help, but still got chilly. Then the older son gave me one of those oil filled heaters that look like a radiator. The thing works well enough it would seem, but also seems to take forever to get warm, and even longer to hat the shop. I think it would be great for maintain the heat, but for the initial heating, it sucked.

Then I got one of those little ceramic electric heaters, with a fan. Doors still closed. Noisy, but puts out heat almost instantly, and seems to work pretty well. I got the impression it sucked up a lot of electric tho.

About this time I beliee it was, I got the idea for a plastic strip door. Probably most of you have seen, or at least seen pictures of, long clear plastic strips allowing people and machines to pass thru, but keeping heat or cold from entering or leaving, as the case may be. So cut some pastic window dovering and hung that. This actually works quite well. If I redo it I will use couble strips, and wider, next time. This lets some light in and keeps away the feeling of being in a large box.

Awhile back got one of the Mr Buddy propane heaters, the small one. Finally tried it out. Worked nicely. Heat whthin about a minute, and heat in the sh op going up noticably withing 5-10 minutes. The hard part then was dedicing where to put it. Finally decided to hang it from the ceiling, near t he back. Ah, works. With a however. No matter what anyone tells you, thee is almost always a h owever. This however was, it was too high. So made a wooden extension to hang from the wooden hooks I had put up before, so it will hang about 22 inches lower. That'll put it low enough it'll direct heat at me even when I'm sitting. And, if it turns out it's a tad too low, it'll be plenty easy enough to raise it however much is wanted. Behind the heater is the window, that's cracked open, with a fan blowing air in. The fan is mostly blocked, so just a small amount of fresh air is coming in, not much to heat, and it keeps any fumes, and fine dust in the air floating toward the front, and the plastic strips. This should make those winter days much more tolerable, even pleasant. Summer is no prob as the shop is shaded most of the day and the fan keeps air going thru - don' need no steenkin' air conditionin'.

Oh yeah, I glue up in the house. Even when it's warm enough to safely do it in the sh op, I generally just do it in the house. Live is basically good.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T
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Update. I took the entension out and tried it. Worked perfetly, of course, after all it ain't rocket science. But I hadn't allowed for the side pieces of the two hooks I'd made, so it hung an inch or so higher than I'd figured on, and an inch or sor more forward. So, turned it around. Ah, better, that way is an inch or so lower, and an inch or so further back. I'm thinking I may cut out enough to allow for the side pieces of the hooks, which would let it come down an inco or so more, and let it move back another inch or so, which should b just about exactly what I want. Some days even things that aren't quite what you're after still come out right. Life is basically good.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

INSULATE INSULATE INSULATE have you got it

Reply to
Roemax

Hi, just read your post and wondering if your shop is near your house. I live in Maine and my shop WAS also unheated. The house is hot air [OIL] and I bought some flex insulated tube and cut into my bathroom duct with a T and bought heat into my shop. It's a toasty 50 degree when it's ZERO outside.... Dave

Reply to
lance

when it's ZERO outside....

By my definition 50F is not toasty, it is not even fit for human habitation.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Sat, Dec 29, 2007, 2:10am (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@vernal.net (Roemax) doth mumble: INSULATE INSULATE INSULATE have you got it

No, I haven't got it. I did once, but the doctor gave me some pills.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

Fri, Dec 28, 2007, 8:02pm (EST-3) snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com (lance) doth wondereth: Hi, just read your post and wondering if your shop is near your house.

Well, it is within walking distance. About 30-40 feet maybe.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

Fri, Dec 28, 2007, 8:54pm (EST-3) snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net (Lew=A0Hodgett) doth sayeth: By my definition 50F is not toasty, it is not even fit for human habitation.

It's all relative Lew. Up there 50 would be the same as a warm summer day.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

My neck of the woods was a beautiful 43F yesterday, so I went for a nice bike ride.

Being as much of a boat guy as you are, I totally understand your attraction to warmth!

Reply to
Bonehenge (B A R R Y)

Sat, Dec 29, 2007, 9:21am snipped-for-privacy@DunderMifflin.com (Bonehenge=A0(B=A0A=A0R=A0R=A0Y)) doth sayeth: My neck of the woods was a beautiful 43F yesterday, so I went for a nice bike ride.

I know exactly what you mean. Here it was 72 today. ROTFLMAO

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

It was 76 here, INSIDE!

We did see 50F outside, which is really good for near New Year's.

Reply to
Bonehenge (B A R R Y)

What are you using for the propane: 20 lb or quart bottles? How do you find the cost of running the Buddy?

Otoe

Reply to
Otoe

If the appliance operates with small bottle, that means high pressure.

You can use 20 lb and larger bottles by going to an industrial propane distributor and have them make up a 10 ft, high pressure hose.

If the appliance uses low pressure propane, add a regulator.

Standard stuff on a cruising sailboat.

SFWIW, major difference in price between 20 lb bottles and 1 lb bottles.

BTW, heat rises, mount heater accordingly.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Sun, Dec 30, 2007, 1:01am (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@DunderMifflin.com (Bonehenge=A0(B=A0A=A0R=A0R=A0Y)) doth sayeth: Here it was 72 today. ROTFLMAO It was 76 here, INSIDE!

Can't match that. It's about 10:50 PM here, and my inside temp according to my wall thermometer is approx 71.5. Of course I have had the frond door open, and just the screen door, for about the past 4-5 hours. BSIG.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

Sat, Dec 29, 2007, 8:45pm snipped-for-privacy@none.com (Otoe) doth query: What are you using for the propane: 20 lb or quart bottles? How do you find the cost of running the Buddy?

For now, just the small bottles. Today didn't even have to light it. Only had it going for a day or so, so not sure what the consumption is; but, for me, here, I'm thinking I can get maybe a week's use out of a bottle. Just don't know yet. If consumption is more than I'm thinking, may go to a 20 lb bottle instead. So far I'm happy.

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

JOAT, you've probably seen this, but if not: Harbor Freight and others sell a gauge/refill adapter that you can refill those little bottle$ from a 17/20 lb tank. Probably not legal to transport them afterward, however. Not sure if they do a complete refill, or how they work with low supply tanks, but IIRC they run about $15. FWIW,

Greg G.

Reply to
Greg G

Sun, Dec 30, 2007, 4:14am snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com (Greg=A0G.) doth sayeth: JOAT, you've probably seen this, but if not: Harbor Freight and others sell a gauge/refill adapter that you can refill those little bottle$ from a 17/20 lb tank. Probably not legal to transport them afterward, however. Not sure if they do a complete refill, or how they work with low supply tanks, but IIRC they run about $15. FWIW,

Yep. Not sure if I'll go that route, or just get a adapter and hose to use a 20 lb bottle. Still contemplating and analyzing. And haven't had to use the heat for several days. LOL

JOAT If you can read this you're in range.

Reply to
J T

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