Keeping Warm in your Shop

[d.huber]

Bonnie and I have been looking at a lot of winter biking gear recently and I've pulled out some of my older insulated clothing to keep from buying new stuff. I've got an Under Armour base layer that I love. I've worn it every winter for the last few years and even in Chicago winter weather, it kept me feeling comfortable. Without it, I just felt cold.

I've started wearing my base layer while I'm out in the shop in the mornings when it's coolest and have been really comfortable. Almost too warm (it's only been in the 40s here). I know it gets a lot colder in some areas than others, but there's some really good technology in sports clothing that can keep you warm and cut down on bulky clothes in the shop during the fall/winter/spring months.

I highly recommend buying a base layer like these:

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/produ ... 8.13355150
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/produ ... t_rr_1_813

Then toss a t-shirt and jeans over them. Paired with a wool knit hat, some thick socks, slippers, and some light thermal gloves, you'd be amazed by how warm you'll be. If you don't want to use gloves, try a tiny space heater for your bench top to keep your hands warm. You could also just aim your heat gun toward you and let it blow.

Just thought I'd share. When it gets cold, clothes get bulky (which gets unsafe fast) and appropriately sized heaters can be expensive. I figure this might save some of you guys some cash and keep you warm too.

[sandahlpipe]

Or you can wear jeans and a t-shirt in your shop with one of these going: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... Ahsm8P8HAQ

You will find that it works just fine even to -20F It's not too expensive to run, either. I went through about 40lbs of propane last winter.

But the base layer sounds like a good idea. I may do that when I go hunting.

[Jthompson1995]

This is when I'm glad that my shop is in the basement.

[Massis]

or insulate your workshop

One of the major upsides of having a small workshop (less than 3x4m in my case) is that you can insulate it decently for not too much money. I now have 10cm rockwool walls with 18mm OSB plating in front of it. Except for making it easy to wallmount anything, it sure keeps the temperature up!

Together with a decent door & window and the 18cm insulation in the ceiling, I can heat up the workshop to comfortable temperatures with a tiny 800W (40x30x10cm) electric heater within minutes.

Other than that, I do have quite a bit of outdoor gear from my hiking adventures that I can use just in case.

[scotties22]

Just buy yourself an oil filled radiant heater and forgo all the layers

I have one of these in the garage and a few others around the house. They get hot and stay hot with little risk of fire....they really don't even get hot to the touch. And they are way more energy efficient than a forced air heater. The one in the garage is a life saver once Heath opens the door when he leaves for work every morning. An hour later the garage is all nice and toasty again and I don't even have to put on a sweatshirt.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_586948-63981-HO ... 739&rpp=32

[sandahlpipe]

I've got the oil filled heaters, but it takes several hours of running to get the garage warm enough when it's really cold outside. I suppose if I put insulation in my walls, I wouldn't have that problem. Silly me...

[baweaverpipes]

When my shop was built, I spoiled myself with HVAC!
Scottie is correct, the oil filled radiant heaters are terrific. I had one in my old shop and it did a super job. They're inexpensive and efficient.

[scotties22]

I've got the oil filled heaters, but it takes several hours of running to get the garage warm enough when it's really cold outside. I suppose if I put insulation in my walls, I wouldn't have that problem. Silly me...

I don't turn mine off....ever. The garage stays warm and doesn't take that long to warm back up after the door has been opened. Really cuts down on having to plan shoptime around the heater warming up.

[Sasquatch]

I've got the oil filled heaters, but it takes several hours of running to get the garage warm enough when it's really cold outside. I suppose if I put insulation in my walls, I wouldn't have that problem. Silly me...

I don't turn mine off....ever. The garage stays warm and doesn't take that long to warm back up after the door has been opened. Really cuts down on having to plan shoptime around the heater warming up.

This. The point is not that they have such great power to take a cold place and make it warm in 10 minutes, but they just kind of dribble along and keep the place un-chilly.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Exactly Sas! I'm looking to get a ceiling mounted heat unit. Something I can program to keep the place at around 60 degrees.

[socrates]

Or you can wear jeans and a t-shirt in your shop with one of these going: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... Ahsm8P8HAQ

You will find that it works just fine even to -20F It's not too expensive to run, either. I went through about 40lbs of propane last winter.

But the base layer sounds like a good idea. I may do that when I go hunting.

My brother in law used one in his four car garage in the mountains of SoCal. Worked great but it sounded like a Black Bird revving before take off.

[wdteipen]

Exactly Sas! I'm looking to get a ceiling mounted heat unit. Something I can program to keep the place at around 60 degrees.

This is what I've been looking at too. I was shopping around and they make decent ones that will heat 1000 sq ft with a thermostat for a decent price. In the past, I've heated with propane and the heater I have gets way too hot. I end up turning it on and off all day and it sucks. Plus propane is too expensive to run that high.

[Tyler]

I have an oil filled radiator, and my shop is insulated. That one little radiator keeps things toasty in my 240 sq. ft.

[RDPowell]

I too have a thermostatically controlled oil filled heater in my insulated shop, reckon I paid about $65 for it at Walmart.
I just set it to 65 degrees in the winter months and leave it. Makes it plenty cozy in there all winter when it's 20 or
a little above outside. Don't know what I'd do without it and it doesn't even show up on the electric bill.

[Nate]

I just pile up scrap briar in the corner and light it up. Keeps it cozy.

[sandahlpipe]

I just pile up scrap briar in the corner and light it up. Keeps it cozy.

I don't make enough mistakes to keep warm that way.

[Nate]

I just pile up scrap briar in the corner and light it up. Keeps it cozy.

I don't make enough mistakes to keep warm that way.

None of mine are mistakes, just cutoffs

[oklahoma red]

I have an oil filled radiator, and my shop is insulated. That one little radiator keeps things toasty in my 240 sq. ft.

When you put that Mitsubishi split in, go for the heat pump model and then you'll be covered for the wonderful Okie summers. (Gotta be better than West Texas tho).

[Tyler]

I have an oil filled radiator, and my shop is insulated. That one little radiator keeps things toasty in my 240 sq. ft.

When you put that Mitsubishi split in, go for the heat pump model and then you'll be covered for the wonderful Okie summers. (Gotta be better than West Texas tho).

That is definitely he plan! (I want to be like Bruce!)

[oklahoma red]

I have an oil filled radiator, and my shop is insulated. That one little radiator keeps things toasty in my 240 sq. ft.

When you put that Mitsubishi split in, go for the heat pump model and then you'll be covered for the wonderful Okie summers. (Gotta be better than West Texas tho).

That is definitely he plan! (I want to be like Bruce!)

Be very careful what you wish for.