How warm do you keep your shop?

[John Weber]

How warm do you keep your shop? I keep mine around 45 degrees in the winter with an electric base board heater. That seems to keep the tools happy and rust free and is warm enough to work in with a sweatshirt. If needed I crank up a kerosene heater and can quickly heat the shop to 70 for finishing or if I want it a little toasty.

John

[Bart Leetch]

About 60 degrees. :eek: :D

[Paul B. Cresti]

Being that this is the first winter (only second year in my house and first year of my business) that I have actual real heat in my shop this is what I currently do. When I am not in there I set the thermostat at 55. When I am going to work I set it at 65 and sometimes lower it once I have all the machines and phase converter running. I was surprised to notice the amount of heat gain in the shop when in full blown work mode. By the way I have base board hydronic heat which is tied into the house boiler and zoned separately. Real convient, safe heat.

[Matt Meiser]

I keep mine at about 45 when I'm planning to be in and out over the course of several days and set the temperature to 60 when I'm working in there.

<geek mode on>
At work I deal a lot with interfacing IT systems to programmable logic controllers, so I bought a PLC on Ebay and wrote some software that allows me to remotely control the temperature via email. I can send a message to an email address (only from one of my accounts) and set the status to off, low temperature, or high temperature. I'll be adding control of my air conditioning in the spring. If I decide to work in the shop, I can have it warmed up by the time I get home. The software also reminds me if I forget to turn the temperature down or off.
<geek mode off>

[Andy London]

I have heated mine since 86 with a wood stove but this shall be the last year. I find with all the cast machinery and -30 temps oitside, it just takes too long after work to get the shop warm. Then there is the issue of gluing things up, if the shop drops below freezing there are those white glue lines that are hard to get rid of so.......I am off to buy a pellet stove next week. You can hook these up to a thermostat and for about $2.25 a day even in these temps I can heat my shop.

[Frank Pellow]

I keep the thermostat for the propane space heater set to +5 (that's about 40 Farenheit), then I light a wood fire when I am working and let the temperature rise to the +15 to +18 range (around 60 to 65 Farenheit).

[Jerry Golick]

My workshop consists of 1500 sq ft of unfinished basement, that is surrounded on three sides with lots and lots of packed earth, and a well insulated garage door on the fourth side.

Of course, the real secret of staying warm here in the north of Quebec is simple. Rent your country house for the winter! While this does cut down on the number of projects completed over the winter, one does stay very warm. :)

[mike lucas]

I have a high low thermometer in the shop, and over the past 3 weeks the temperature has not gone beyond these temps 59.4* for a low, and 62.7* for a high. This has been while outside temperature has been as high as 75* and as low as -11*. So I think I have the shop pretty well insulated.:)
I think the perfect temperature for a shop is 60*

Ohio weather is crazy. we had 11 days and nights that ranged from 34* to 75* :D then we had 12 days and night ranging from -11* to 31*:eek: But the shop stated very consistent.:)

[mike lucas]

I have heated mine since 86 with a wood stove but this shall be the last year. I find with all the cast machinery and -30 temps oitside, it just takes too long after work to get the shop warm. Then there is the issue of gluing things up, if the shop drops below freezing there are those white glue lines that are hard to get rid of so.......I am off to buy a pellet stove next week. You can hook these up to a thermostat and for about $2.25 a day even in these temps I can heat my shop. Those pellet stoves were the rave for a few years, but for some reason they all but went away. :rolleyes:

[Bruce Page]

Since adding natural gas heating, I keep the thermostat at 50° when I’m not working and set it at 68° when I am.

[Andy London]

Those pellet stoves were the rave for a few years, but for some reason they all but went away. :rolleyes:

There were some serious issues with them, they tended to backdraft and when they did the smoke released would do serious damage to the inside of homes. From what I have read locally, one could have to replace their furniture, Insurance companies said enough is enough and for a time would not insure a home with a pellet stove.

They have had a perfect track record with the new version for the past three years, 96%+ effecient, they have a power vent so they can't backdraft, no flu required, direct vent out through the wall. The stoves are very expensive, around $2,800 min. then at least $600.00 to install it yourself and have it certified for insurance. However the upside for me is there are a number of factories very nearby that make the pellets and they are dirt cheap, $2.50 for a 80 pound bag which would heat the shop for 30 hours on high. The other downside is no power....no stove. I have a generator but I won't need heat that bad:)

Although we have the largest natural gas deposit in north america, it is only piped to business's and the rest goes to the new england states, oil is the next option but at $2.50 a gallon for heating fuel that is out and our electricity is the highest in Canada....an average house with electric heat will pay a power bill of $480.00 a month....so that is out and no other options are left. Wood is a cheap source of heat however you have to be around to keep it going.

These new pellet stoves come on and off based on the room telp, they are computerized in that you program a 24 hours heating cycle for a 7 day period, with overides for days when you are stuck home and want it warmer.

[Stefan Antwarg]

Just yesterday I had a 240/30 amp outlet installed for my new heater. The basement is large and uninsulated. I don't know how hot I can get it, but I hope to get it in the mid to upper 60's. Without it, the basement is usually in the low 50's.

Stefan

[Thomas Prondzinski]

John
I heat my garage all winter long. keep it about 55 to 60 when not out there,then turn up to 70 when working.If not going to be out there for a week or more will turn down to 40 to 50. has not been turned down much in the last 3 weeks.Working on vanities and linens then on to kitchen cabinets.




Tom

[Dick Parr]

When not in the shop I keep it between 55-60 and then turn it up for a little bit when I go out until the chill is off, then set it back down because it gets to hot.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I don't heat the shop! :O... I only run a small mr buddy heater when I am in there to be able to warm up my hands.

I guess it pays to be young and dumb sometimes! :)

[Steve Ash]

My shop is 32 x 48 x10 but has a insulated divider wall making it 32 x 32 that is insulated, I have a gas furnace that I took out of a house I remodeled that was still in very good shape (propane) in place and piped outside ready for a regulator and tank. However I haven't taken the last step and actually get it hooked up and working so I have been using a 40,000 btu kerosene reddy heater....maybe next year I'll get it hooked up and hopefully gas prices go down.

[David Fried]

For the winter I moved a few tools into my uninsulated, unheated garage as the shop has no heat. The furnace for the house is in the garage and that keeps it above freezing. I just picked up a small propane heater that screws onto the top of a propane tank. Since I'm not barbecuing I can get double duty from the propane tank. It probably gets the garage up to around 60 when I'm out there.

[Jim Fancher]

My garage ... er, shop basically stays whatever temp it is outside. Since I'm in Houston, that means 100+ in the summer and 50 in the winter. :D

[John Miliunas]

Hot Dawg, propane fired heater for me. The shop is insulated, but not as well as it could be and on "the schedule" to add more in the ceiling. The HD is equipped to handle an external thermostat, so I got a setback unit. It cycles down to 50 for the night and throughout much of the day. I leave work at @2:30pm and that's when she kicks back to "comfort heat" at 65. I work an hour away from home, so by the time I get there, it's nice and comfy.:cool:

[Russell Svenningsen]

Baseboard heater in my new shop. Fully insulated......to the gills! It is nice and toasty in there. I keep it at about 50 when not working, 60 when I am. Us big, furry guys don't need too much extra heat! :D

Last night, I spent about 2 hours in there after the kids went to bed, putting a new table on the radial arm saw. Came out nice, but I was working hard to get it done, and really broke a sweat. Looked at the thermometer........80!!!!

Seems the wife had gone in there during the day to grab a screwdriver, felt a little chilly and turned up the heat. I didn't notice it until a half hour or so into it. She told me she turned it up because she didn't want me to get sick.

Can't fault that gal, she's alright in my book. :rolleyes:

[Kurt Aebi]

My shop is an uninsulates 2-car garage (20' x 36') with a 11' x 16' addition on the back gable end with the overhead doors on teh other gable end. I have a kerosene fired forced hot air furnace I salvaged from my F-I-L's when he replaced the furnace in his house. I didn't run any duct work and just have a couple of L's out og the top of the plennum and run it when I am going to be out there. if the temperature is above 15° it takes about 1/2 hour to get it the temperature up to 50°, but the floor (cement) stays cold for a long time -have to wear my Sorel pac-boots to keep my toes warm. Improvements will be made this summer to make it better.

[Frank Pellow]

Baseboard heater in my new shop. Fully insulated......to the gills! It is nice and toasty in there. I keep it at about 50 when not working, 60 when I am. Us big, furry guys don't need too much extra heat! :D

Last night, I spent about 2 hours in there after the kids went to bed, putting a new table on the radial arm saw. Came out nice, but I was working hard to get it done, and really broke a sweat. Looked at the thermometer........80!!!!

Seems the wife had gone in there during the day to grab a screwdriver, felt a little chilly and turned up the heat. I didn't notice it until a half hour or so into it. She told me she turned it up because she didn't want me to get sick.

Can't fault that gal, she's alright in my book. :rolleyes:
But, 80 degrees Farenheit is much too hot for a shop in the winter :( . You might get sick :(

[Mark Singer]

A couple of suggestions,

1. Build your shop in a great climate like Southern California...it never rains here:rolleyes:

2. Work fast enough that your body heats irself and the shop at the same time.

3. Don't wear long clothes that can get caught in machinery

4. Don't wear no clothes...other parts of your anatomy can get caught in machinery:eek:

5. Should we start a nude woodworkers forum...interesting idea:)

[Greg Mann]

My shop is in the unfinished part of my basement and shares space with the two furnaces that heat my house. It is below grade on three sides with the finished part of the basement being a walkout with Soutern exposure. Ironically, the coldest days around here usually have the cleareast skies, and therefore sunshine. My heating system never runs on those very cold but bright days, but after dark is another story. The second furnace is for our upstairs loft and bedroom, but we have found it to be redundant and have not used it for several winters since heat migrates through the loft and into our bedroom. All the vents to the basement are closed as well, since it heats up during the day, even when somewhat cloudy, as the structure is basically a heat sink. I would remove the second (upstairs) furnace in a heartbeat but would lose the AC in the process. The long and short of it is my shop is always comfortable as a byproduct of what is going on in the rest of the house. Now, if I could just take over the rest of the basement for shop space....;)

Greg

[Frank Pellow]

...
Now, if I could just take over the rest of the basement for shop space
...
Greg
Go ahead Greg. Do it. :D

[Frank Pellow]

A couple of suggestions,
5. Should we start a nude woodworkers forum...interesting idea:)
Not in a Canadian winter! :(

[Larry D. Wagner]

I keep mine at 48-50 during the non-shop hours(during my real job) and usually work in 58-65 dependant on what I'm doing. Recently it has been between 0 & 20 outside when I get a chance to work in the shop, so even 50 feels pretty good.

Larry :) :) :)

[Doug Shepard]

Well this morning my shop (unheated, uninsulated garage) was up to a whopping -6F. You didn't have an option for that on the poll, so I didn't vote. Unless the outside temp reaches at least 40F not much WW gets done. If it's 40+, then my propane heater has a chance at warming the shop up to something that will allow me to work. The heater usually gets things up to around 55-60. Glue-ups or finishing either have to wait until warmer weather, or if small enough are taken inside. December thru Feb are usually no-gos. In the meantime, I'm staying warm & cozy inside and trying to learn TurboCad, so it's not a complete loss.

[Dave Richards]

45°F when I'm not out there and I usually run it up to 65° to start with and back it off as I get working. By the time I'm ready to quit for the day it's usually at 60° or so.

[Bob Nieman]

Unheated, uninsulated garage in the south AND the west, but that doesn't mean it is warm. Lows can be in the mid teens and are often below freezing. The lights won't come on because it is too cold (or too hot in the summer). Might eventually redo the walls and insulate, add outlets. Might even try to heat it (although cooling in the summer would be a better idea), since there is a gas line plumbed to the garage for a one time water heater and drier. Not a lot of room for an AC unit though and electricity is precious. An evaporative cooler would be a cheap way to cool but the humidity would be bad for the wood and the tools.

Just last night my wife wanted to talk to me about my using her cutting table to clamp some boards...:)

[Dennis Peacock]

I have a natural gas heater in the shop and keep the temp around 60 most of the time unless I'm applying a finish, then I bump it up to around 68 degrees until the finish has set, then it's back to around 60 to 65 degrees for most work in the shop.