Heated Toolbox

[4zfed]

With fall coming I am thinking about winter and want to add some radiant heat to my toolbox to keep my tools warm in my detached garage. Where I live, cold temperatures can run from the end of October until the middle of March. Sometimes nighttime temps can drop to -10 or -15 in Dec and January, but the garage temp usually does not go below freezing for very long due to the thermal mass of the concrete floor. I can stand cool temperatures and I do have a propane heater for the coldest days. But when my tools are cold I can hardly hold them for any period of time and it takes away any enjoyment of working on my cars.

My toolbox is a Snap-on KRL 1023. It is 28" deep and 72" long. There is room to lay a mat in the bottom underneath the drawers and I could drill a small hole to run a power cord inside. My garage is very large (4,200 sq. ft.) so heating the whole thing is not an easy option.

I am looking for ideas and products that I maybe haven't thought of. What I have seen are either low power seed starter mats, which I like because they are low power, very thin and come in a size that approximates the size of the toolbox. The potential problem is that they do not put out that much heat. The other choice is a couple of foot warming mats. These are thicker and put out more heat. I don't know if it would be too much heat, which might dry out the grease on the drawer slides over time or do some other damage.
I would like to let it run 24/7 during the coldest months of Dec - Feb.

Ideas?

 

[kd3pc]

I would use a boat/diesel pan pad:

http://www.partdeal.com/zerostart-w...map=77124890&gclid=CI-Exe6U4M4CFYw7gQodC4wAzw

or an engine block pad:

https://jet.com/product/detail/fdec...gclid=CIXm0fKU4M4CFYU2gQodAbUFbw&gclsrc=aw.ds

the boat pad is 1000watts and the car pan pad is only 400 watts, either could be placed in the bottom and a 12volt 4" fan used to circulate the heat. A thermostatic timer/plug would be a good safety item to use inline with the pad to the outlet.

A cheaper, easier way is to use a 60 watt incandescent bare bulb in the lower part of the box, it will keep things useful, and is as simple as you can get. They keep bilges from freezing in a 40' boat...in below freezing weather.

all the best.

 

[ForceFed70]

Metal uninsulated tool box. Going to be hard to heat it without heating the whole garage.

 

[CJM8515]

I think you would be better off placing some sort of insulation of some kind inside each drawer and perhaps inside the box somehow. That or keep the shop 50F or so with a heater of some kind.

 

[Elginz]

I just keep mine heated by keeping it in the heated garage.

I know

I use a electric radiant heater, I used it before I kept the garage heated. The tools and area under the heater harm up fairly fast, and it is nice to work under. Now I keep the garage heated all winter with it.

 

[MFolks]

The "Golden Rod" heaters are popular with gun owners,and bikers who store their motorcycles in the winter.

 

[Flail]

Build a small tool room for your good tools and heat that room. Store the tool box in there when not using. Many pluses: Less rust on your good stuff, Organization and central tool storage, fewer mice gnawing on power cords, warm tools. Probably also cost less over time heating a small insulated room than an uninsulated heat conducting metal tool box.

 

[Red Box]

+1 tool room idea

 

[LS6 Tommy]

ALL my tools are cold ALL day on the roof in the winter...

Tommy

 

[jayoldschool]

A simple 60w incandescent light bulb will be enough to heat the box. Buy one of the old trouble lights, put a bulb in, and you'll be good. No need to get creative on this one. You can run it on a manual timer, too.

 

[dsimatt]

I don't have anything to add but your garage is over twice the size of my house.

 

[Flail]

Just another thought. Even if you have an insulated tool room like I suggested earlier, the tools will get cold quickly in an uninsulated garage. I would also recommend building an insulated work room in your garage to work in as this will make a ton of difference in how much you enjoy tinkering out there in the winter.

 

[mike93lx]

The "Golden Rod" heaters are popular with gun owners,and bikers who store their motorcycles in the winter.

Golden rods put off very little heat and are used to control humidity. They wouldn't have any noticable impact on a toolbox.

I would buy a heating mat and build a basic enclosure out of foam insulation panels. Just make the front and top easily removable.