workshop in winter

[Carlos Alden]

Hey all:

I have a garage workshop, with a couple of electric floor heaters that work nicely, even in the dead of winter where I am in Northeastern Washington State.

However there are days at a time when I'm not in there and I'd like some simply way of keeping the water-based items from freezing - glue, finishes, etc. - without keeping the whole garage heated.

I'm thinking of a low-watt light bulb in the bottom of a short cabinet lined with that pink styrofoam board or similar. I have maybe a cardboard box-size of bottles/cans of stuff I want to not freeze, so it wouldn't need to be a big space nor would it need a lot of heat.

Any problems with that light bulb idea that I don't see? Any other suggestions? I just need a small space kept maybe 45-50 degrees, and I don't want to worry about an electric heater being on all the time.

Thanks,
Carlos

[David G Baker]

At one time I built my own film dryers using a double compartment cabinet. The bottom part had three 60 watt light bulbs that could be switched individually. Above the light compartment I had a stainless steel plate that acted as moisture protection for the bulbs and a thermal radiator that would evenly distribute the heat to the films that I was drying.
It would not be to difficult to build yourself something similar to store your water based materials in. The thing that may be a problem is what happens if the heat source burns out. Some folks use old refrigerators to store their materials in.
My future plan is to make a hole with a grill over it through my interior wall into the garage cabinet back so heat from my living space will keep the materials from freezing. I will insulate the cabinet and have a small opening in the top of the cabinet so heat can rise through it. This method will steal heat from my living space, but not enough to cause much of an expense or heat loss.

[Rollie Meyers]

At one time I built my own film dryers using a double compartment cabinet. The bottom part had three 60 watt light bulbs that could be switched individually. Above the light compartment I had a stainless steel plate that acted as moisture protection for the bulbs and a thermal radiator that would evenly distribute the heat to the films that I was drying.
It would not be to difficult to build yourself something similar to store your water based materials in. The thing that may be a problem is what happens if the heat source burns out. Some folks use old refrigerators to store their materials in.
My future plan is to make a hole with a grill over it through my interior wall into the garage cabinet back so heat from my living space will keep the materials from freezing. I will insulate the cabinet and have a small opening in the top of the cabinet so heat can rise through it. This method will steal heat from my living space, but not enough to cause much of an expense or heat loss.

Cutting a hole in the wall between livingspace & a garage will compromise the firewall that **should** be there.

[David G Baker]

Rollie,
You make a good point.

[Karl Brogger]

Buy a old refrigerator, put the lightbulb in that.

[Rob Russell]

... I'd like some simply way of keeping the water-based items from freezing - glue, finishes, etc. - without keeping the whole garage heated.

I'm thinking of a low-watt light bulb in the bottom of a short cabinet lined with that pink styrofoam board or similar. I have maybe a cardboard box-size of bottles/cans of stuff I want to not freeze, so it wouldn't need to be a big space nor would it need a lot of heat.

Any problems with that light bulb idea that I don't see? Any other suggestions? I just need a small space kept maybe 45-50 degrees, and I don't want to worry about an electric heater being on all the time.

Carlos,

Your idea should work just fine. You might consider getting an inexpensive line-level thermostat and mount that inside the area you're keeping warm. That way when the box gets up to temp, it light will shut off. When it cools off enough to trip the thermostat, the light turns on.

Rob

[Carlos Alden]

Thanks all for the ideas. I thought of a thermostat, but didn't find a line-level one at the hardware store. I did get an appliance timer, however. I can set it for on/off every hour and use a thermometer to see where I am, and adjust from there. I figure by trying different wattage bulbs with different timer settings I'll find something to keep a little bit of warmth in the cabinet.

Carlos

[Rob Russell]

Do a search on Ebay for "line thermostat". You can get one, including shipping, for $20 or less.

[Bryan Cowing]

I have a metal cabinet, about 12 deep, 20 wide and 32 high. Has a metal shelf and a 40 watt bulb kept it toasty for glue in there in an unheated detached garage. I lined most of the box with used 2'x4' fiberglass ceiling tiles for insulation. For warming up paint products, switch out to a 100w bulb and in an hour , ready to use. I now have an attached 2 car as a shop so never goes below 38F. I just use it to warm up paint products now.

[Jason Hanko]

I have done exactly what you described by framing out a shelf with scrap plywood and lining it with Styrofoam board. I put in a 60W equivalent CF bulb and that's all it takes to keep my stuff from freezing.
I just leave the bulb on full time - didn't want to bother with any kind of timer or thermostat, and actually Ive heard that its the number of on/off cycles rather than total "on time" that will quickly kill a CF bulb.
Let us know what you go with!

[Carlos Alden]

Wow

What a great resource this forum is. Thanks Bryan and Jason for having successfully done what I'm thinking of. Maybe I won't need the timer after all.

By the way I neglected to mention this is a detached garage. It's new construction so it's extremely well insulated (drywalled) but it still gets pretty cold in the winter. I'd like to stop buying more glue than I need, and I hate to think of the condition of all that latex paint I have been squirreling away for years.

Carlos

[Don Bullock]

Buy a old refrigerator, put the lightbulb in that.

That's an interesting idea Karl. I have an antique ice box. Perhaps that will work. Of course in Southern California there are very few nights, and perhaps none, I'd have temperatures low enough in my insulated shop for things to freeze.

[Jason Hanko]

Mine's detached too - and it's old construction thats extremely not well insulated...haha. The rafters are open with no insulation below the roof decking, and a single layer of 1/2'' styro board behind the siding.
Im currently installing a forced air furnace, so I'll have to see how it does w/o insulation this first winter. Then Im gonna have to choose between insulation and adding tools...:(
Good luck!

[Al Willits]

Just a thought..?
On them refrigerators, maybe take the door switch for the light blub out and replace with a toggle switch and mount inside the fridge?
Then use the fridge's light fixture for the blub and pull the lens cover off it.

Al

[Carlos Alden]

Jason...

Without insulation....no rafters.... Wisconsin..

Let me guess... you do ice carving?

Carlos

[Jason Hanko]

Haha - you know I hadn't thought of taking up that hobby...
The material would be cheaper than woodworking, but I dont think it would look nearly as nice in the living room. :D
Yeah its pretty cold right now, and it's not un-isulated by choice. We just moved in two months ago so I havent done much except for getting my tools put away and organized.
But I have scored a 50,000 BTU wall-recessed furnace <gloat>for $50</gloat> that Im currently installing. Hopefully that will turn things around in the temperature dept.