Shop Without Heat

[yamaharacing21]

Hey guys, my shop currently has no heat!!! it for some reason it was built without it, even though the previous owner used it for a shop too. I have 2 electric heaters that to a pretty decent job of keeping it warm, but they have to be ran for awhile and it costs a lot of money!! i'm getting a wall mounted heater put in soon that runs off gas, which should work good because my garage isn't that big. I'm in Michigan and we get super cold winters, so just out of curiosity how many of you have shops without heat, and how do you deal with it? What type of heaters do you use that aren't hardwired in?

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I worked for years in a barn behind my house that doesn't have any insulation or heat. I used a 1500 watt space heater and a small natural gas fired "salamander" style heater along with insulated coveralls.

I froze my **** off.

The worst part was laying on the concrete for hours or trying to do tight work where you couldn't wear gloves. It sucked a lot.

Then, there was the wooziness that the slamander heater seemed to cause after awhile. Or maybe that was just plain old hypothermia. I don't know.

I spent 5 winters in Michigan when I was in college. Yikes. I can't even imagine trying to work in an unheated space everyday in that.

Phil

 

[Fastback]

If its a big area check out the VAL-6 radiant heaters, they run on diesel or kerosene (maybe even biodiesels). They are not an install type but they are portable and uber efficient, and they burn clean enough to be rated for indoor use.

 

[yamaharacing21]

I worked for years in a barn behind my house that doesn't have any insulation or heat. I used a 1500 watt space heater and a small natural gas fired "salamander" style heater along with insulated coveralls.

I froze my **** off.

The worst part was laying on the concrete for hours or trying to do tight work where you couldn't wear gloves. It sucked a lot.

Then, there was the wooziness that the slamander heater seemed to cause after awhile. Or maybe that was just plain old hypothermia. I don't know.

I spent 5 winters in Michigan when I was in college. Yikes. I can't even imagine trying to work in an unheated space everyday in that.

Phil

yeah it does **** right now, but soon my heater will be in and it will be great!!!

If its a big area check out the VAL-6 radiant heaters, they run on diesel or kerosene (maybe even biodiesels). They are not an install type but they are portable and uber efficient, and they burn clean enough to be rated for indoor use.

those do look really nice, they sure crank out the heat too. my garage gets so cold that even water bottles and stuff inside freezes

 

[motoguy]

My 24x35 shop has heat, but it's only turned on when I'm out there. It's a Versa-Tube structure with metal siding. It's got a 2 car garage door and a single "man door". I've insulated the interior of the shop with regular "commercial" white-plastic-backed, yellow fiberglass insulation. I think I went with the 3" variety, though it may have been the 4". Slab floor is uninsulated. Garage door is insulated with 1" blue foam from Lowe's that has been stuck in place with "Great Stuff" spray insulation.

I've adapted a residential electric furnace for shop use. Basically, I mounted it on a big box built from plywood, added casters, etc. I've only got the 60A leg hooked up, not the other 20A leg, so only 2 of the 3 (or is it 3 of the 4?) heating elements are functional.

I've been pleasantly surprised at the ability of this shop to remain warm inside, even when the heat is not active. I'm in MO, and like lots of you, we were hit with the big snow / cold weather this week. Yesterday was in the teens. Heat has not been turned on in the shop for days. I went out there yesterday to grab some items, and glanced at the temp indicator (built into a clock). It was showing about 42-43 degrees. I was pretty impressed. I guess it's due to that big concrete slab pulling up ground warmth? Probably no surprise, but it also stays pretty cool / comfortable in the summer as well, with no AC.

 

[LocoCoco]

I'm rocking a cold garage. ***** compared to a heated one but can be made tolerable. I deck myself out in my complete snowmobile suit and stay quite warm. Then I have a 1000W heat dish (parabolic heater) that follows me around with an extension cord. Again, not ideal but really helps. For example, when working on my sled I put the heat dish on a milk crate pointed at me. Between that and the snowsuit I often after to take off my tuque from overheating. Efficiency-wise the heat dish is pretty great. 1000W costs me about 10 cents an hour. Considering the garage is uninsulated and 700 sq. ft. it would be 10 times that to heat it with conventional electric heaters.

I'll also hang tools on the wire guard on the heat dish to preheat them. Then if I get the occasional chill I'll sometimes take that opportunity to grab the pushbroom and give the shop a sweep. Warms you right up.

When all is said it does sound a little extreme just to avoid the wife in the house.



LC.

 

[yamaharacing21]

My 24x35 shop has heat, but it's only turned on when I'm out there. It's a Versa-Tube structure with metal siding. It's got a 2 car garage door and a single "man door". I've insulated the interior of the shop with regular "commercial" white-plastic-backed, yellow fiberglass insulation. I think I went with the 3" variety, though it may have been the 4". Slab floor is uninsulated. Garage door is insulated with 1" blue foam from Lowe's that has been stuck in place with "Great Stuff" spray insulation.

I've adapted a residential electric furnace for shop use. Basically, I mounted it on a big box built from plywood, added casters, etc. I've only got the 60A leg hooked up, not the other 20A leg, so only 2 of the 3 (or is it 3 of the 4?) heating elements are functional.

I've been pleasantly surprised at the ability of this shop to remain warm inside, even when the heat is not active. I'm in MO, and like lots of you, we were hit with the big snow / cold weather this week. Yesterday was in the teens. Heat has not been turned on in the shop for days. I went out there yesterday to grab some items, and glanced at the temp indicator (built into a clock). It was showing about 42-43 degrees. I was pretty impressed. I guess it's due to that big concrete slab pulling up ground warmth? Probably no surprise, but it also stays pretty cool / comfortable in the summer as well, with no AC.

wow, sounds like you have the heat situation down!!! that sure was one snowstorm we got hammered!!! how much did you end up getting?

I'm rocking a cold garage. ***** compared to a heated one but can be made tolerable. I deck myself out in my complete snowmobile suit and stay quite warm. Then I have a 1000W heat dish (parabolic heater) that follows me around with an extension cord. Again, not ideal but really helps. For example, when working on my sled I put the heat dish on a milk crate pointed at me. Between that and the snowsuit I often after to take off my tuque from overheating. Efficiency-wise the heat dish is pretty great. 1000W costs me about 10 cents an hour. Considering the garage is uninsulated and 700 sq. ft. it would be 10 times that to heat it with conventional electric heaters.

I'll also hang tools on the wire guard on the heat dish to preheat them. Then if I get the occasional chill I'll sometimes take that opportunity to grab the pushbroom and give the shop a sweep. Warms you right up.

When all is said it does sound a little extreme just to avoid the wife in the house.



LC.

haha. i'm in that situation right now and i hate wearing all the heavy gear because it's hard to move. what kind of sled do you have?

 

[LocoCoco]

...haha. i'm in that situation right now and i hate wearing all the heavy gear because it's hard to move. what kind of sled do you have?

Yeah, the pouffy gear and clunker boots do slightly hinder our Jackie Chan moves...

I have a Yamaha, perhaps you've heard of them, Yamaharacing21? Just picked up a 2000 Venture 500 liquid after selling my '98 MXZ-X 440 race sled. I guess that's a sign of getting older when you trade in a Ferrari for a Buick. Nice machine though. 1/10th the throttle response and handling of the 'ZX but oh boy is the Venture ever comfortable and loaded.

What kind of sled are you running?


I know we've gotten off topic (although it's your thread) so I'll add a couple more redneck heat tricks I've done...

Last weekend I swapped the front driveshaft on my Jeep (Rzeppa-style shaft so takes like 30 minutes to remove and 30 minutes to install). It was some minus twenty-something so I first ran the Jeep in the driveway to get the exhaust nice and hot. Then while working underneath it with my workgloves every once in a while I could grab onto the pipe and warm up my hands.

Also while working on sleds either on the trail or in the garage, when I take off my workgloves I'll place them on the muffler or heads to keep 'em warm.



LC.

 

[yamaharacing21]

Yeah, the pouffy gear and clunker boots do slightly hinder our Jackie Chan moves...

I have a Yamaha, perhaps you've heard of them, Yamaharacing21? Just picked up a 2000 Venture 500 liquid after selling my '98 MXZ-X 440 race sled. I guess that's a sign of getting older when you trade in a Ferrari for a Buick. Nice machine though. 1/10th the throttle response and handling of the 'ZX but oh boy is the Venture ever comfortable and loaded.

What kind of sled are you running?


I know we've gotten off topic (although it's your thread) so I'll add a couple more redneck heat tricks I've done...

Last weekend I swapped the front driveshaft on my Jeep (Rzeppa-style shaft so takes like 30 minutes to remove and 30 minutes to install). It was some minus twenty-something so I first ran the Jeep in the driveway to get the exhaust nice and hot. Then while working underneath it with my workgloves every once in a while I could grab onto the pipe and warm up my hands.

Also while working on sleds either on the trail or in the garage, when I take off my workgloves I'll place them on the muffler or heads to keep 'em warm.



LC.

yeah, i've seen the ventures real nice sleds, i'm just not into the touring type.. yet. i did have a skidoo formula, but i sold it (meaning to take it out of sig.) and don't have a sled right now but i'm going to look at some this weekend. probably getting a cat 600. my grandpa owns a junkyard too, so i got an old sled out there which i'm going to strip down and build a motor for and build into a drag sled, because up here in this part of Michigan snowmobiling is serious and there is lot's of snow drags and i'm with you on the muffler for heat lol. i do that a lot when were out riding when it's cold out.

 

[foss]

I lived in the Sudbury area for awhile,and you definitely know about cold weather. I loved it living in the area though. Beautiful country all around. It can't be beat for sleding or any outdoor activity you enjoy.......Could you not run a gas line to the garage?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Sounds like you need to start buying some insulation. Even if you buy it a little at a time it helps.

 

[yamaharacing21]

I lived in the Sudbury area for awhile,and you definitely know about cold weather. I loved it living in the area though. Beautiful country all around. It can't be beat for sleding or any outdoor activity you enjoy.......Could you not run a gas line to the garage?

no, we are going to run one. to hook up the heater i'm getting I just wondered how others work with no heat

Sounds like you need to start buying some insulation. Even if you buy it a little at a time it helps.

yeah, i'm trying to. nice stang by the way. i got a 70 mach 1 were working on