Shop is too cold! What do I do now?

[Eric Schatz]

Ok, this isn't another one of those "how do you heat your shop" threads. I've got a 1 1/2 car detached garage with no insulation and no plans on insulating it.

So those of you that close up the shop during winter, do you keep woodworking? Researching? Other hobbies?

I've thought about starting carving. I was recently given a Miller Falls palm carving set. What do you guys do?

[John TenEyck]

I have my shop in my basement so I don't have to contemplate that question. Sorry, but there's no way I'd want to give up woodworking during the months when there is little to do outside except shovel snow. I'd be insulating and heating that shop, for sure. You don't get time back.

John

[Matt Day]

^^^Agreed^^^

[Mike Wilkins]

I would go stir-crazy if my shop was not available, even during the winter months. If I was in your shoes, I would get some type of heater than be powered with 110 volts, unless you have 220 available in the garage. You could leave it on all the time, with a lower setting when you are not there; then turn it up when you want to do some work.

[Richard McComas]

Insulate it, heat it, continue your hobby. You only get on shot at life enjoy it.

[John Lankers]

Whatever you do, try to avoid large temperature swings (heat on - heat off) or else rust could become an issue.

[Larry Browning]

Ok, I am going to honor the OP's original request. He does not want to insulate and heat his shop. That would not be my choice, but it is his.
I think carving would be kinda fun to try. Even though I would think you would need some artistic talent and I have none of that.
Also, if I was banished from the shop for an extended time, I think I would definitely spend some time learning to use Sketchup and try to maybe draw some projects up as practice that I could make once the weather warmed up. I'd get me some learning material such as Dave Richard's DVD.
I have also heard that learning how to bake bread can be quite enjoyable. When I was in Finland with my work, several of the guys in the office were really into baking bread. They had all sorts of recipes that they tried and different baking techniques. Seems it is quite the winter hobby for men over there. They brought in several loaves for me to sample that were quite good.
Then I think I would also enjoy the fireplace, watch some Netflix and get to know the wife a little better.

[Randy Rose]

So those of you that close up the shop during winter, do you keep woodworking? Researching? Other hobbies?


No advice here, as woodworking is THE time sink when its too crappy outside to enjoy fair weather interests.

I live in N.E. Ohio and heating my shop is way cheaper than a divorce....:)

[Ben Rivel]

Id spend that time insulating and figuring out heating for the shop!

[Frederick Skelly]

I don't know how far north you are located. Buddy of mine's shop gets down to 35 or 40 degrees. When I was there last winter, he had an infrared heater (looks like what Lee Valley sells). Keeps him warm but it wont heat the air, so he does glue ups and finishing work in the house. (He lives alone.) He also wore a goose down vest and stocking cap - lets him work without interfering. (If you do that, make sure you have clearance between your clothes and any machinery - zipped up, shirttails in, etc).

Works for Mike. YMMV.

Fred

[Myk Rian]

Ok, I am going to honor the OP's original request. He does not want to insulate and heat his shop.
Amazing how the As have nothing to do with the Qs.

I mess around with Arduinos, gun range, indoor softball, etc. There's always something if you look around.

[Dwight Rutherford]

I live where electricity is expensive so a radiant heater wouldn't work for me. My shop is a 3 car uninsulated garage and I use one of these; Mr. Heater F242655 MH30TS Double Tank Top Outdoor Heater, 8000 to 30000 BTU Per Hour https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PAYU76/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_VqFCwb2SAT8NB
Temps are in the high 30's to mid 40's. After one hour, I have to turn it down to one burner.

[Randy Rose]

[QUOTE=Myk Rian;2504391]Amazing how the As have nothing to do with the Qs.


Agreed, but, its asking addicts how to "go without".
Therefore, the responses are quite predictable

[Kent Adams]

What about scroll work? That could be done inside the house. I've thought about that to try to get my wife interested in wood working.

[Thomas Canfield]

My shop is insulated and I get by with a little oil filled radiator type heater. I have shower curtains hung around my lathe to contain flying shavings, and that also helps to hold the heat to that area. I do like the radiator type heater without any exposed heating elements and danger or dust/chips catching fire.

[Frederick Skelly]

I live where electricity is expensive so a radiant heater wouldn't work for me. My shop is a 3 car uninsulated garage and I use one of these; Mr. Heater F242655 MH30TS Double Tank Top Outdoor Heater, 8000 to 30000 BTU Per Hour https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PAYU76/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_VqFCwb2SAT8NB
Temps are in the high 30's to mid 40's. After one hour, I have to turn it down to one burner.

Dwight, do you have any concern with ventilation using this heater? I'm thinking about carbon monoxide and also flammable vapors from solvents/finishes.

Fred

[Larry Browning]

I think Eric should just start a new thread and leave out the fact that he has an un-insulated un-heated shop. Maybe just say something like "I don't have access to my shop in the winter, so what would be a nice winter activity while I wait for spring?" Maybe he could get it to stay on topic a little better.

[David Eisenhauer]

You can research and plan next seasons' projects. Produce sketches, material needs/budgets, cut lists and work flow notes. All the stuff that some of us sometimes don't want to take the time for when we are on a roll. Can you sharpen hand tools in the house? On the warm-enough days maybe you can adjust/clean/maintain machines in the shop.

[Eric Schatz]

Ok, I am going to honor the OP's original request.

Thanks Larry. I kind of knew what would happen here but it's nice to hear some helpful advice.

[roger wiegand]

Get a small lathe and bring it inside. Or a pair of good, heavily insulated coveralls.

There was a time (pre-wife) when I had my entire woodshop in my bedroom. Looked like a hamster cage with the shavings on the floor. She married me anyway :-)

[Dave Cullen]

Just find another hobby. Become a home brewer. Learn to cook. Make model airplanes. Build electronics projects. Knit. Lots of indoor things to do if you can't make sawdust.

For me it's the opposite - I have stuff to do in t he summer that keeps me from the woodshop. Come winter I use a 220V heater and a kerosene space heater and fire up the lathe.

[Thomas O Jones Jr]

I'm in Greensboro, NC and my shop is in my uninsulated barn that has really good ventilation; translated: it gets really cold inside when it is cold outside. Insulating would be a very expensive undertaking. I've made the decision to install a natural gas blower heater that I can use most days unless it is in the teens. It will be ceiling mounted with a remote to start and stop. It blows in the work area during the time I'm there; I have a good dust collecting system attached to my big dust and chip makers. Keeping that end of the barn at 33 degrees or so might also be affordable. Not a lot of days below freezing here. Piedmont Natural Gas is installing the line to my barn for free (about a 50 foot run from the gas line supplying my house). It will cost about $500 for a professional plumber to install and the heater is about $800. Since you have a detached garage, this might work for you so you don't have to give up woodworking except for a few days each year.

[Ryan Mooney]

Carving is definitely doable although there is some "understanding" required as a few chips escape no matter how careful you are. Branching out into soapstone and other media makes it even more interesting.

Leather work and braiding are fun and rewarding as well.

Design and layout for the next year are always on the docket as well.

[Gary Yoder]

and get to know the wife a little better.

Wow, what a great idea! ;-) We sometimes forget some of the best hobbies in life!

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Put on a flannel shirt and do some projects with hand tools. Ten minutes with a rip saw will warm anybody up.

[Andy Fox]

My shop is in my heated basement, but it was in the garage for a while. Sometimes, I dealt with the fumes and moisture from a kerosene heater, but that was more trouble and risk than it was worth.

Maybe you could do something indoors which is wood related, but fairly dust-free, such as carving or woodburning.

My other main hobbies are home improvement, bushcraft (consisting of some extremely primitive woodworking) and backpacking, including winter backpacking--no bugs, no crowds and natural air conditioning!

[Andrew Pitonyak]

You did mention carving, you could also learn to make spoons, or, even chip carving (which is very well suited for indoors and not expensive to get into). Learning to do inlay might also work, but I have no experience with that.

I am not sure if you can do scroll saw work indoors, but it seems plausible. Also, you might be able to build a small portable workbench or just some kind of vice that say attaches to a table and practice hand-cut dovetails; this does not in general require significant work area, but you will need to vacuum the sawdust and such. The difficult part in all of this is that there is usually some larger task to prepare the boards for final use (planing and similar).

[Larry Browning]

Wow, what a great idea! ;-) We sometimes forget some of the best hobbies in life!

Glad to see somebody got my subtle suggestion!