Help, I need to heat my turning area.

[Jack Gaskins]

Currently it is 36 degrees in my garage and I want to get out there and do some turning. What can I use to heat my turning area without setting my garage on fire or making me pass out from fumes??? The only thing that really gets cold are my legs and feet for which I just bought some thermal bottoms yesterday.....:rolleyes:

[John Keeton]

Jack, were it me, I would get an overhead radiant heater. That way, you will stay warm, but you won't spend a fortune heating the entire garage. No fumes, and the risk of fire is minimal. They are relatively inexpensive, and very effective. We used one over my wife's desk in a business we owned, and she loved it.

[Alan Zenreich]

Or perhaps an electric oil filled radiator that you can place on the floor right next to you.

[Nate Davey]

I have a cheap little ceramic block heater I put next to the lathe while turning, does alright

[Gary Conklin]

Jack, were it me, I would get an overhead radiant heater. That way, you will stay warm, but you won't spend a fortune heating the entire garage. No fumes, and the risk of fire is minimal. They are relatively inexpensive, and very effective. We used one over my wife's desk in a business we owned, and she loved it.


+1 this is a great solution and 1 I use.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Well, I'm going to be in the minority here, but I have to ask do you have any windows in your garage?? I ask because during the winter, I take out a window from a screen in one side of my shop (its really a 12x16 shed with an addition about 8' by 16 on one side.) Anyway, the screen door is replaced by a piece of sheet metal cut for a flue pipe. I also put sheet metal panels completely surrounding a small woodstove. Underneath the woodstove is slate salvaged from my parents' trash when they replaced theirs with a propane insert. The reason I'm suggesting it is that many turners end up with a LOT of wood that doesn't get turned. I have just now burned the last of my "bin", chicken wire surrounding a 4x4x8 bin with two old shipping pallets in the bottom to hold all my cutoffs and non-turnable wood. I have also burned about a half cord of split firewood as well; gotta keep the fire raging when you don't have insulation. I do have fire extinguishers handy just in case, but keep the stove on the opposite side of the shop as the lathe. I sweep daily! In a garage, this would be much easier and safer, just don't let your fire marshall see it unless you put a proper pipe anchored at the fire code distance from the exterior wall.

[Rick Boyett]

I bought a Big Buddy heater yesterday and I'll be giving it a go in my garage today. It is freezing here in Texas today so I think it'll give you a good idea if it will work for you. The Big Buddy runs on propane. You can use either the small 1lb bottles or the big 25lb bottles that you use with a grill. They have a max output of 18000 BTU, which is far higher than anything electrical. My understanding is that a large propane bottle will last well beyond 100 hours when heating a typical 2 car garage.

Northern Tool has it for $119.99, which is cheaper than anyone else. They are marked as $129.99 at the brick and mortar store but they'll give you the website discount if you ask..

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307957_200307957

I'll post up here tonight or tomorrow on my opinion of the heater..

[Brian Kent]

There are rally strong warnings against using propane heaters indoors. A quick web search shows warnings about the need to vent outside, have good ventilation to the outdoors, and having a carbon monoxide detector installed in the same space.

[Michael Mills]

My shop is not well insulated and the heat tended to go straight up. I put a small (think desk-top type) fan behind the heater and let me blow the heat to me about knee height.

[David Reed]

It is commonly believed that the catalytic or infrared propane heaters largely produce CO2 and water as their byproduct emission. This is true under certain circumstances but not all. Here is a link describing the hazards of propane heaters used indoors. :mad:
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia05/os/co03.pdf
It discusses both the accumulation of unburned propane as well as the increase in CO production if oxygen depletion occurs in an enclosed space causing decreased combustion rates and completeness.
Two more very important things to consider. Oxygen depletion does not make one breath harder or faster and unless one notices becoming lightheaded, oxygen depletion is usually undetectable. CO effectively causes the same thing by binding firmly to hemoglobin, not allowing O2 to bind which is also usually undetectable by the affected individual.
Use propane heat (without exterior forced air exhaust vent) with extreme caution and a forced air fresh air source. CO detectors are useful but may be affected by the dusty environment. I also would not trust my life to a cheap O2 sensor built into this heater (also at what level of O2 does it shut down the heater or trigger an alarm, assuming it even is reliable?).
Electric radiant may be a bit more pricey to operate, but far far safer - NOT just IMHO.

[Scott Crumpton]

Does anyone know of a portable propane heater that can be vented to the outside? My electric bill was almost 2x normal from trying to keep the shop temp up.

[Clint Baxter]

This may not help for most, but I've found that you can get a good amount of heat from Halogen lights. Even though my shop is insulated, it gets real cold up here and generally stays that way. I used to use an oil filled electric heater to keep the shop above freezing temps, but when I wanted to go out and work, I would turn on the halogen lights in the shop and let them heat the place up to a comfortable temp. I generally needed the light as well! You'd probably need some fans to move the air around and get the heat down to your lower extremities, but it might be another possibility.

Clint

[Gary Conklin]

One of the really nice things about the overhead radiant heater is that if positioned over a cast iron tool the tool will heat up and throw off a lot of heat too in addition to "holding" the heat in the shop longer.

[Curt Fuller]

Just one more suggestion, it's pretty hard to get heat to stay at the floor level and it takes an awful lot of heat to warm up a concrete slab. So I use two of these mats http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Shop___Safety___Safety_Supplies___Max_Mat___max_ma t?Args= doubled up to insulate my feet from the cold floor. Plus it seems to make my back hurt less when standing on a soft surface. I think you can even buy heated mats if you search the WWW.

[Reed Gray]

If your shop isn't properly insulated, heaters are a waste of money. When I had mine (24 by 36 pole barn) insulated, I found a local company who installed and put up a white film type barrier for $50 more than the insulation would have cost me. Mine is good for the area (below freezing is unusual). I use an oil filled radiator. Doesn't keep it warm, but does keep it comfy.

robo hippy

[Jack Gaskins]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. My garage is partialy insulated, no windows and the garage doors face west which is usually into the wind. I was thinking of putting a radiant heater somewhere close to me but out of the line of flying wood. I do agree that you shouldnt really use propane/kerosene heaters. Anyone suggest a radiant heater that will be warm enough by the lathe?

[Jack Gaskins]

Thanks Alan but I had a small oil unit and the only thing it kept warm was the on/off switch. I gave it to the goodwill.

[Jack Gaskins]

Where do you postion your heater at? I was thinking of making a cheap 2x4 stand to mount one and put it behind me out of the direction of flying wood.

[John Keeton]

Gary and I seem to be on the same page with this - my shop is insulated and heated, but in your situation, this is what I would do - no question! Electric, no fumes, no mess, and easy install!http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/13716_lg.jpg

[Jack Gaskins]

Thanks for the suggestion John, I was basically leaning towards a Large unit to put in the corner ceiling of the garage this summer when I get some $$ saved up, but I have said this for the past THREE YEARS. Every dang year I tell myself I am going to finish the insulation in the garage walls and doors but something always breaks down and there goes my warmth money. Oh well........

[dan carter]

I have used Modine's Hot Dawg. Heated well enough, but the electronics went kapoot, honeywell as i remember, but whatever they were, they were expensive to replace. I am using an 80,000 BTU overhead heater, now, it does a good job, I use propane, and it vents horizontally out the shop wall. Of course, my wood vermont casing stove does a good job as well. Also, right over the lathe, I use a far infrared heater that came from woodworkers supply, similar to the one John posted, but it has a high and low with two tubes. Interlocking mats on the floor help insulate my legs from cold concrete. If it early and things aren't toasty yet, I lay my DT on the wood stove and heat it up abit, makes a difference to be hanging onto a warm metal handled gouge. Of course, it was 2 or so outside this morning when I was feeding the birds and squirrels, is now 11. The shop is now tasty and ready for a days work.

[Jack Gaskins]

Gary and I seem to be on the same page with this - my shop is insulated and heated, but in your situation, this is what I would do - no question! Electric, no fumes, no mess, and easy install!http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/13716_lg.jpg

I just got back from Lowes where I purchased a large Quartz heater for $50. I pluged it up it seems to heat good. Now just to figure out how to place it around me out of the way of fly stuff. It wont stay on for more than a few minutes due to my 20 amp breaker that keeps tripping. The reason it trips is it is connecting all my garage outlets. For some stupid reason Ryan homes built it like that. MORONS! I was thinking of putting a 30 amp in it but I hate to touch electrical stuff.

[skott nielsen]

I have a Steffes electric storage unit. Basically a heater coil encased in ceramic that stores heat at night off peak and releases it during the day. Works great.

[tom fasbinder]

Jack,
Don't increase the amperage rating of your breakers.............if it has a 20 amp breaker you probably have 12 guage wiring which is only rated for 20 amps. You could create a fire hazard.

[Steve LaFara]

I have one of these mounted to the ceiling in my garage and it does a nice job without costing a fortune.

177343

Turn it on about an hour before you go out in the shop and it will make a huge difference. My garage is insulated so your mileage may vary. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-Electric-Utility-Heater-3UG74?Pid=search

I would NOT use a propane heater in a closed garage for long without having sufficient ventilation.

[Don Nicholas]

I live in Washington State, South of Seattle by 30 miles. My shop is 960 Sq Ft. Insulated. I found a used Coleman Moble home furnace for $25. It requires 240 volt and works very well.

[brian watts]

i have a jet blower that run off of kerosene . and a small wood stove..

[Doug W Swanson]

My wood shop is in the basement but I use electric radiant heaters from Comfort Cove in the garage where I keep my summer toys (69 Fairlane Cobra, fishing boat, atv, etc). They mount just below the ceiling and come in a bunch of different wattages. I have them hard wired in and attached to a thermostat so it stays about 44 degrees in the cold Minnesota winter. If I'm going to work out there it doesn't take long to warm the garage up.

They work great, don't emit any fumes, blow dusty air, etc. Once nice thing is that they heat the objects and not air so it's very comfortable and even heat.

I love the heaters and would highly recommend them!

http://www.radiantsystemsinc.com/

Hopefully the link is not against the TOS....
JMO

[Clint Baxter]

Should have put the insulation in last year. Could have gotten the tax break.:D:D IMHO, that is probably still one of the best ideas to pursue. Are you running the heater off an extension cord? If so, that could be a reason for the breaker tripping. As said earlier, DO NOT REPLACE it with a larger breaker. Almost certainly, you have no larger than 12 GA wiring for which a 20A breaker is the max. What you probably need is a second circuit to the garage so you can at least run your heater on a separate circuit from any tools you're using. Good luck on getting some warmth.

BTW, nice to see a fellow retired Airman. Spent 26 years in Minot before retiring in 2003 and, needless to stay, stayed here in town.

Clint

[Jack Gaskins]

Yeah, that is one of the heaters I was wanting to get when I finally get some $$ to winterize the garage.

[Jeff Nicol]

Jack, I have installed a bunch of these in friends garages and they work very well and are vented to the outside and bring in fresh air for combustion. I did HVAC work for 25 years and installed a lot of heating and cooling equipment and for the price these are nice units. There are many manufacturers that make similar units and you can locate it so it puts the heat right where you want it and they are thermostatically controlled so you can have it turn out with a timer to warm the space before you are ready to go out and work. Like said in another post there are used High Efficiency furnaces listed on Craigslist and other locations that can be had for $100 or less and that is a good cheap option also that will vent outside and also bring it fresh outside combustion air.

http://www.heatershop.com/mrheater_natural_gas_garage_heater_mhu45ng.html

Just like everything in woodworking/woodturning more tools and equipment is needed continuously to keep you comfortable and up with the "Jones" on tools etc!

Good luck but stay safe and if you chose to use an electric heater you may need a dedicated circuit to hook it to that will handle the load. So an electrician or trusted friend who knows what they are doing to run the new circuit.

Stay warm, it is 8 degrees here in Wisconsin,

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jack I have a garage door (non insulated and yes should have gotten the insulated one) on one side of my shop that doesn't have heat. The rest of that room has 6 inches of insulation in the walls and 18" in the ceiling. I went down and got some I think 2" thick styro foam insulation. I cut the pieces to fit in each panel and used thin wood slats that I cut to hold them in place on the door. It made a difference in the temp. Before it would get down to around 38 to 40 deg in the room and now it will stay around 48 deg. Doesn't sound like much but it does make a difference. I heat it with a quartz heater which will keep it around 68 deg when it is the coldest outside and is comfortable to work.

[Patrick Doody]

Last summer I added a few vents to my garage to help keep it dry. I've been using a propane style torpedo heater in the garage to keep it warm, it puts out 80,000 btu and runs of a standard bbq propane tank.

I ran out of gas last week and did some turning in the garage, it was probably somewhere around 10 degrees in the shop. Good wool Socks and some capeline long undies helped a lot, I think i'm going to get a floor mat at some point. I also have a good down jacket and fingerless fleece gloves. A few shots of Stoli didn't hurt at all. it's not too bad once you get the gouge and toolrest heated up from use. do not try to lick the lathe!(don't ask me how I know)
;)

[Harry Goodwin]

I too like my oil filled radiator. Helps a lot. No fire whatsoever. My fear is burning down the garage. too many precious tools. I always unplug it when I leave the shop. Fire and wood terrify me if you are poor at keeping it ucluttered. HARRY

[Rob Holcomb]

I use a Kerosene torpedo heater to bring my shop/garage up to temp and then shut that off (20-30 minutes depending on outside temp) and start my pellet stove that I installed in the shop. My ceiling is insulated well but the walls are not. I'll blow in insulation one day. The pellet stove won't heat up the shop/garage (24 X 40) but it will maintain the temperature. I clean up every time I'm in the shop and both the torpedo heater and pellet stove are away from my tools. I've never had a problem and it sure is enjoyable when its 10 degrees outside to be in my shirt sleeves, look out the window and watch the wind whip and the snow accumulate.

[Quinn McCarthy]

I just put a pellet stove in the shop. JUst replaced the fuel oil furnace.

I really like it so far. With a 300 lb. hopper I only have to feed every couple days.

Quinn

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack, I have installed a bunch of these in friends garages and they work very well and are vented to the outside and bring in fresh air for combustion. I did HVAC work for 25 years and installed a lot of heating and cooling equipment and for the price these are nice units. There are many manufacturers that make similar units and you can locate it so it puts the heat right where you want it and they are thermostatically controlled so you can have it turn out with a timer to warm the space before you are ready to go out and work. Like said in another post there are used High Efficiency furnaces listed on Craigslist and other locations that can be had for $100 or less and that is a good cheap option also that will vent outside and also bring it fresh outside combustion air.

http://www.heatershop.com/mrheater_natural_gas_garage_heater_mhu45ng.html

Just like everything in woodworking/woodturning more tools and equipment is needed continuously to keep you comfortable and up with the "Jones" on tools etc!

Good luck but stay safe and if you chose to use an electric heater you may need a dedicated circuit to hook it to that will handle the load. So an electrician or trusted friend who knows what they are doing to run the new circuit.

Stay warm, it is 8 degrees here in Wisconsin,

Jeff


Thanks Jeff. The link to the MH45 is the same unit I looked at last night at Lowes for the same price and you have to pay an extra $100 for the ducting kit. I will probably go this route when I can put in a permanent solution along with badly need insulation on the doors and north side wall.

[Jack Gaskins]

I plan (have been planning for 3 longggggggg years) to put some insulation on the doors. For now my new Quartz heater and some longjohns will have to due.