winter builds and heat

hurt138 · Post by **hurt138** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:35 pm

Anyone working in the north and finding it too cold in the work shop to get to the planes? I have a insulated garage, but its just to cold this time of year for me to work on anything. I am thinking of getting a kerosene heater I can get for free. Anyone have any heating tips for a work area?

I have tried electric heat but it uses so much power to keep the temp even less than decent.

dbcisco · Post by **dbcisco** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:41 pm

Kerosene heaters are nice but be careful in such a flammable area as a workshop. Don't leave it on unattended.

cliffm · Post by **cliffm** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:59 pm

I have what's known as a Knepco heater ,uses diesel or kerosene and has an electric fan. I've also heard them refered to as salamander heaters. I use it in my shop to preheat my snowblower and for little else. When it starts getting below freezing my outside activities are restricted to bare necessaties. If you have wood that is readily available for firewood there is a kit for 2 55gallon drums made into a stove that heats a surprisingly large area. Where I'm at -30&-40 Farenheit is to be expected,it goes sometimes amonth without getting above zero. Newer slab floored buildings have heating tubes placed in the slab when it is pored and use hot water heaters and circulating pumps. I guess it comes down to how big a place you have to heat and how cold it is. I think the best bang for your buck would be a hanging propane or natural gas with the electric for the blower. Go to NorthernTool.com they have a variety of energy sources and sizes. Good Luck

dbcisco · Post by **dbcisco** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:04 pm

Salamnders throw a lot of heat and have a huge flame inside. Be extra careful with them. They always reminded me of a gas turbine engine.

Xanadu · Post by **Xanadu** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 12:04 am

You can get the convection oil filled electric style, heats the oil and circulates it inside itself. They work quite well.

http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-Hea ... ogId=10053

lukebozek1 · Post by **lukebozek1** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 7:21 am

I had a Toyostove catalytic kerosene heater that put out some serious heat. It almost killed me twice from monoxide. Not cheap to run, high fuel consumption and high maintenance on keeping the wick clean and trimmed. Illegal in many states. I brought it to Massachusetts and had to buy parts in Vermont. Never do that again. Can you put in a ceiling where you work? Reduce the area you are trying to heat. I found I was much better off with a small potbelly wood stove.

cliffm · Post by **cliffm** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:59 pm

My dad had a 40x20 sized shop that he did all of his covering work in and he heated that with an old fuel oil stove with a small circulating fan. You do need a vent (chimney) to operate this, but it kept that shop at 70 no matter how cold it got. He always used butyrate because of the flammability of nitrate. I have no idea what the cost of fuel oil is now but knowing my dad it was the most frugal way to go back in the 50's thru 60's and probably has'nt changed much.

BillParker · Post by **BillParker** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:07 pm

I got one like Xanadu's above. Works good, no dangers...