What do you do instead of working out in the garage? I spend most evenings out there, but today our high temps were below freezing, and it was just too frigid when the sun went down. I'm in central Texas, and it's pretty rare for us to get this kind of weather.
When it's too cold...
- Thread starter ehegwer
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Gary S
Well-known member
If I need to work in the garage for mechanical work, I turn on the heat and warm it up. If I don't need to be there, I work in my woodworking shop in my basement.
I have a wood burner in the garage so it really never gets to cold to work out there. Now, with that being said, there's days I don't feel like being out there becasue the weather is crappy yet I still keep the fire going.
When it's like that, I sit around the house and watch TV or get on the internet.
When it's like that, I sit around the house and watch TV or get on the internet.
MNBackpacker
Member
Tee hee. We should note Gary is from Bismarck, ND... And while I don't know how bad it's been up there, we just finished January here in the Twin Cities, MN, without getting ABOVE freezing... So, I suppose you could say we're just used to it.
That being said, even with turning on the heat for a while, some of those wrenches can be darn cold on the hands, so unless I have to get something done, the warmth of the house is where I find myself..
3classics
Member
SpeedCoach
Well-known member
Haha - thinblooded southerners (I'm secretly jealous). 
It got "just below" freezing here over the weekend and i was excited because it was warm enough to be back out in the garage.!
It got "just below" freezing here over the weekend and i was excited because it was warm enough to be back out in the garage.!
Bear
Well-known member
Sorry guys - I packed it up and am snowbirding in AZ - shop is closed for the season!!
David79z28
Well-known member
I hear yah... 19 In North Texas today with sleet and snow... BOORRRIIING!!!
crewchief888
Well-known member
unless theres something that ha to be done, i'm staying inside and watching the snow drift up across the driveway...
Gary S
Well-known member
January here has been much like your January. I expect February to be even colder this year.
This morning it is a nice sunny -29 here. But, it is a dry cold.
LocoCoco
Well-known member
Maybe it's the years of breathing exhaust fumes but I still prefer a cold garage over a warm house. Just about every night after supper I go out to my unheated garage for a few hours to do some tinkering. To stay warm I just religiously wear my complete snowmobile suit (uhh minus the helmet). For auxillary heat I have a 1000W "heat dish" on the bench to warm up my hands and face and use it to pre-heat wrenches and ratchets before working with them. Lately, evening temps have been around -25°C (-13°F).
Sure, it ***** compared to summer but I still make the best of it and manage to stay pretty warm. Last week on a particularily cold night I went out to rotate the tires on my Jeep. Turned out the hydraulic jack was frozen and I couldn't get it to work. Ok... too cold... went back in the house and watched tv.
So, dress up like an Eskimo and you can stay surprisingly comfortable.
LC.
PS. Your Georgia-man Alan Jackson did a concert for us last night in a sold-out arena. Despite being a southern man visiting a cold climate he put on one hell of a show!
Sure, it ***** compared to summer but I still make the best of it and manage to stay pretty warm. Last week on a particularily cold night I went out to rotate the tires on my Jeep. Turned out the hydraulic jack was frozen and I couldn't get it to work. Ok... too cold... went back in the house and watched tv.
So, dress up like an Eskimo and you can stay surprisingly comfortable.
LC.
PS. Your Georgia-man Alan Jackson did a concert for us last night in a sold-out arena. Despite being a southern man visiting a cold climate he put on one hell of a show!
Gary S
Well-known member
It isn't the fumes. It is just the way your body handles the cold. In the summer, the heat makes me sick if I try to do anything outside. In the winter, I get cold, but feel great when working outside. I can't function on hot days, but the cold doesn't bother me that much and I have no idea why. My Wife is the same way. In the summer, she gets sick if we try to work outside when it is over 80 degrees.
isaac338
Well-known member
Maybe it's the years of breathing exhaust fumes but I still prefer a cold garage over a warm house. Just about every night after supper I go out to my unheated garage for a few hours to do some tinkering. To stay warm I just religiously wear my complete snowmobile suit (uhh minus the helmet). For auxillary heat I have a 1000W "heat dish" on the bench to warm up my hands and face and use it to pre-heat wrenches and ratchets before working with them. Lately, evening temps have been around -25°C (-13°F).
Sure, it ***** compared to summer but I still make the best of it and manage to stay pretty warm. Last week on a particularily cold night I went out to rotate the tires on my Jeep. Turned out the hydraulic jack was frozen and I couldn't get it to work. Ok... too cold... went back in the house and watched tv.
So, dress up like an Eskimo and you can stay surprisingly comfortable.
LC.
PS. Your Georgia-man Alan Jackson did a concert for us last night in a sold-out arena. Despite being a southern man visiting a cold climate he put on one hell of a show!
Dang, get a heater! I use a silly propane space heater and last week it was -20 something C outside.. a toasty 20 degrees in the shop, working in a t-shirt. Or even just drinking beer and using the shop computer.. anything but sit around the house!
T.W.Dustin
Member
Hey Bear not so warm here today, eh? I'm in AZ and this is the best time of year for being out in the garage (well usually). I have quite the opposite problem june-sept here in the valley of the sun so about 4 years ago I put a large window A/C unit through the wall. Now I wrench year 'round.
kywildcat
Well-known member
January here has been much like your January. I expect February to be even colder this year.
This morning it is a nice sunny -29 here. But, it is a dry cold.
I love that DRY cold.....
DanCo
Well-known member
Just find a hot woman to share your cold bed! If that fails, there's always beer.
mslisaj
Well-known member
It has to get below 5 degrees to keep me out of the shop. But when it gets cold I stoke the potbelly stove with coal and get it going. Then I dress warm and put on my insulated coveralls and I'm good to go. The stove won't change the temp in the shop but I do go by it to warm up when I need it...............
Any colder then that and it just bites.
Stay warm............
Lisa
Any colder then that and it just bites.
Stay warm............
Lisa
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Auzivision
Well-known member
Too cold is when you hands or feet become numb... either need more clothing, warm up the place, or go inside to get online and plan you next project.
quick86
Well-known member
It's never too cold Just takes longer to heat up the garage is all
Just takes longer to heat up the garage is all rickairmedic
Well-known member
Too cold I dont think so . I have long johns I have thermal socks ,thinsulate boots gloves that have thinsulate in them . I dont understand to cold too hot maybe but if your cold you need another layer .
Rick
.Rick
LocoCoco
Well-known member
In the summer, the beer tastes too good to work! But yeah, I agree, when it's like a sauna outside the strenuous jobs can wait.
Long-story short, I'm waiting on a 60K BTU (or around there) forced-air oil furnace to be installed. Until then, I'll just have to make due. Don't get me wrong though, I'd love to work in a t-shirt instead of a snowsuit. And unfortunately when you have old cars, old snowblowers and old snowmachines that like to break down when you need them you sometimes don't really have a choice but to fix them in the cold.
I think we're on the same page though about staying out of the house. It seems so many people hate winter so they spend five months sitting on their couch whining about it. No thanks. Get out there and make the best of it and it's not so bad. Then get a sled and you'll be praying for snow!
LC.
drmoonshine
Well-known member
I watch TV with the wife sitting at my desk and designing new projects on paper usually.
Too cold? I don't understand this concept! I'm like Gary S...I find it easier to work when it's cold. Anything warmer than 25C (80-ish F) and I don't function very well. I can dress for the cold. When it gets really hot in the summer there's only so much I can take off to stay cool before the neighbours call the cops.
santagary
Well-known member
It's predicted to get -16 tonite so I have a woodstove fire going to keep tools, vehicles and ghost, my cat who thinks he's a dog WARM.
i find that if im busy doing something out there even at 35 its not that bad theres no wind blowing on me and just seems warmer, fire up the diesel heater and it gets near 40s in there pretty quick, seems my buddys ***** there cold just doesnt bother me if im doing something....now actually getting off the p.c in the house and into the garage is the real problem
Daniel Dudley
Well-known member
- Joined
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Mostly I have been splitting wood and shoveling snow since January started. Not so much time in the garage. I am thinking about my next project. Shed with wood rack, or wood rack in garage.
HMMM. It often takes me more time to decide, than the actual project takes.
HMMM. It often takes me more time to decide, than the actual project takes.
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nissan_crawler
Well-known member
I grew up in Williston, ND. The rest of my family has since moved to Minneapolis. It's wayyy nicer usually in Minneapolis.
You're right about being used to it. It doesn't even get "cold" here. This is the worst I remember it, and it's still only hit 0, don't think we've going negative (without windchill).
I hate KS winter, it doesn't snow much, it's too cold for warm weather activities, and too warm for cold weather activites.
I'm stuck in winter purgatory.
In the summer, the beer tastes too good to work! But yeah, I agree, when it's like a sauna outside the strenuous jobs can wait.
Long-story short, I'm waiting on a 60K BTU (or around there) forced-air oil furnace to be installed. Until then, I'll just have to make due. Don't get me wrong though, I'd love to work in a t-shirt instead of a snowsuit. And unfortunately when you have old cars, old snowblowers and old snowmachines that like to break down when you need them you sometimes don't really have a choice but to fix them in the cold.
I think we're on the same page though about staying out of the house. It seems so many people hate winter so they spend five months sitting on their couch whining about it. No thanks. Get out there and make the best of it and it's not so bad. Then get a sled and you'll be praying for snow!
LC.
Too cold? I don't understand this concept! I'm like Gary S...I find it easier to work when it's cold. Anything warmer than 25C (80-ish F) and I don't function very well. I can dress for the cold. When it gets really hot in the summer there's only so much I can take off to stay cool before the neighbours call the cops.
Exactly my feeling. I volunteer for outside stuff at work, then call them sissies for whining about the cold. They come back with "well yeah, but you're all dressed up for it". Well, duh.
As to the original question, well, there is no such thing as "too cold".
Here's a shot from 2002 when I swapped my engine, and rebuilt the ******/t-case, front and rear end. It was -35* out, diesel heater got it to a balmy -10-0* with the tarp shelter up.
No it's not fun. I even froze my hand to the crankshaft...twice. But, it got done.
Daniel Dudley
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2009
- Messages
- 3,546
Yes, I have lain in the snow under cars, and worked all winter in unheated spaces. That is kind of why I have put so much energy into the garage. 40 is a great temperature in my book, but my days of voluntary hanging out in well below freezing temps are over, as are the days when I would rebuild the carbs on the kitchen table.
Well, I might still do THAT.
Well, I might still do THAT.
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hetkind
Banned
It has been a bad winter here in East Tennessee...we still have snow and ice from early December, but there is a good pot belly stove in the shop. However, we don't schedule much work in the shop for this time of year. This weekend it went above freezing during the day, so we got a transmission pulled off a motorcycle and a new BBQ assembled awaiting a 1/4 beef (Charolais steer). I need to pull the carb off the M37 and rebuild that next weather break.
However, this time of year, evenings are better spent in the house, with the wife, for the few hours we get between days jobs and bed right now...
Howard
However, this time of year, evenings are better spent in the house, with the wife, for the few hours we get between days jobs and bed right now...
Howard
Lkdelta
Well-known member
I find it easier to work when it's cold. Anything warmer than 25C (80-ish F) and I don't function very well. I can dress for the cold. When it gets really hot in the summer there's only so much I can take off to stay cool before the neighbours call the cops.
It's a balmy 13* now and on the way to a high of 22 here....might have to fire up the grill on the deck for hamburgs or something
Totally agree on the 80 and above getting too hot, especially "out in the direct sun"...... "in the shade" is almost bearable.
LocoCoco
Well-known member
I wouldn't go that far. Gotta remember that everyone who's posted in this thread so far lives in southern Canada or below. Just wait for a North-of-60 member to see this thread and laugh because he zips up his coat at -30.
Cold days up there sometimes means coating exposed skin with petroleum jelly to prevent instant frostbite. Too cold!
LC.
zoomzoomjeff
Well-known member
Damn, me too. Like a 5:1 ratio. I agree with ya. I realize I'm not in my 20's anymore and don't really enjoy laying on a slab of concrete that ***** the heat right out of your body.
Never heard of that one. That's brutal.
gsport
Well-known member
i'm an original californian and i'm having trouble up here in oregon.. lucky for me i have two shops. if it's too cold in the big shop i'll go fiddle around in the smaller, heated one.
nate379
Banned
High temps yesterday hit just under 40* and I worked outside most of the day in a T Shirt cause it was nice and warm
LEVE
Well-known member
You know it's too cold out when you see a lawyer with his hands in his own pockets.