workshop heating

[ibexman]

I have a 12x12 wooden shed type workshop with a 2kw wall blow type heater could do with something better what do you use or recomend cheers chris

[Retroanaconda]

I have a portable propane heater which my dad gave me. It's about 20-30 years old but still works okay, I guess the modern equivalent would be this:

http://www.calor.co.uk/shop/portable-heaters/radiant-heaters/delonghi-metropolis/

It heats my (very inefficiently built and not insulated at all) workshop (24' x 20') without any issues. Takes a 13kg propane bottle, which costs about £30 to change.

[nickwilliams]

Any portable (i.e. flueless) gas fired heater will substantially increase the amount of condensation in your workshop unless you are prepared to heat the space constantly, whether you are in it or not. This may or may not be a problem for you - personally I have a fair amount of machinery in my workshop which I don't want to go any rustier than it already has so I tend to wrap myself up with lots of layers rather than trying to heat the space.

One of these is a more efficient way of using the heat - it only heats what you point it at and it does not produce any condensation.

Nick.

[nino]

a 19kg gas bottle and space heater i got from work to heat my garage at home so i can tinker in the warm

old pic and old car but same garage and same heater

the heater is sat on a b&d work mate pointing in the back of my 90 to dry it out after i jet washed the inside yesterdqay lol

[Retroanaconda]

Any portable (i.e. flueless) gas fired heater will substantially increase the amount of condensation in your workshop unless you are prepared to heat the space constantly, whether you are in it or not. This may or may not be a problem for you - personally I have a fair amount of machinery in my workshop which I don't want to go any rustier than it already has so I tend to wrap myself up with lots of layers rather than trying to heat the space.

One of these is a more efficient way of using the heat - it only heats what you point it at and it does not produce any condensation.

Nick.

Interesting, perhaps that explains the rainforest-like amount of condensation I get in there. I had assumed it was just because of all the roof leaks making the building very damp.The roof is being re-done soon with a roof-deck so hopefully that will cut it back at least (or at least stop the drips having lots of low points to drip from!).

In an ideal world under-floor heating would be a good way to go about it I think, along with a properly insulated building. If the building it built properly then it will hold the heat a lot longer so you won't need such a powerful system.

[nickwilliams]

The clue is in the chemistry: C_nH_n+2 + nO₂ -> CO₂ + nH₂O.

What that also tells you is the heater is using oxygen in the room, so they can be positively dangerous if you try to make the room warmer by sealing up all of the drafts and reducing the airflow into the heated room.

Nick.

[FridgeFreezer]

Not much help in a wooden shed, but very effective:

[Mark]

I'm with fridge, although mine's not quite so pretty

[FridgeFreezer]

I quite like this one, not very practical though:

[nicks90]

my solution is the best and easily the cheapest - wear a pair of good quality thermal undies and vest under my overalls. If it gets reeeeeally cold, i wear a jumper as well.

[Phil Hancock]

my solution is the best and easily the cheapest - wear a pair of good quality thermal undies and vest under my overalls. If it gets reeeeeally cold, i wear a jumper as well.

But that does not stop the coolant in the machine tools freezing.

[zim]

Can't you put some form of antifreeze in it ? glycol or something ?

G

[LandyManLuke]

But that does not stop the coolant in the machine tools freezing.

I've heard of people installing light bulbs in the bases of machines, they produce more heat than light, just enough to keep the machines higher than ambient to stop condensation. I don't know if they've have enough umph to hold ice off in this weather though.

[TheRecklessEngineer]

If you don't use any coolant then you can warm your hands on the burning hot slightly warm material.

[Ally V8]

I used to have a paraffin space heater which was noisy,not really big enough,expensive to run and made the radio crackle.Then the insurance company had a paddy about it so I welded up a great big wood burner,big enough to get 3 foot long logs onto. It has changed totally the feel of the workshop,no condensation,things dont rust,paper stays dry etc.Plus it is a very cosy enviroment to work in with just a gentle background crackle.But I'm lucky in being able to get wood to feed it,you just have to get into the mentality of running it.(Often thought of finding a comfy armchair and spending the evenings there.....)

[tomcat404]

In order to beat the cold I've made a waste oil burner from parts I had down the farm, I sourced the design from the net and made it out of a small calor gas bottle.

I did have my reservations at the start but once lit with a drop of petrol or wood burning at the bottom, the oil drops onto a central hot plate and with the closed draw of warm air the heater very very quickly gets hot.

i used it at the weekend and for 4 hrs heat i used approx 2 1/2 litres of old oil from my disco

The oil is drip fed onto a cetral hot plate in a metal sandwich made out of an old thick cooking pan. The bottom of the pan is full of cheap fire bricks crushed up to retain the heat.

I hava an inline drip feed at the bottom of the old paint can, and the oil is pre-heated round the flue, and the warm air is draw from around the flue with the oil drip inside.

For it to work perfectly the door must seal really well, with the door closed it actually raws like a turbine

Just to ensure it did blow up etc I did trial it outside first. adjusting the oil feed to suit, chucks out loads of heat, actually had the gas bottle glowing at teh weekend, cherry red !

couple of pic's

[twizzle]

I'm with fridge, although mine's not quite so pretty

just made this for a friend on retorod's

and this is mine its well used

TWIZZLE

[Astro_Al]

I keep a woodburner in the 'machine tool corner'. Keeps the condensation off the machines nearby.

For specific machines (to reduce surface moisture or keep coolant in liquid form) try one of these on a 24 hr timer plug: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Heating/Electric+Dryers+Heaters/Tubular+Heater+60W+55+x+305mm/d230/sd3168/p32265

I have a set of old radiators to run off a backboiler in the woodburner, along with low voltage electric fans to blow hot air into the room. I have yet to install these, but it all helps.

Last winter I lost a forklift to condensation - lesson learned!

Best thing though is to insulate & seal holes. Once that's done, you only need a little bit of heat to keep things alive. Obviously address any sources of moisture - vapour barriers where you can, seal leaks etc. A dehumidifier is also a good idea.

Al.

[Jeff Young]

I run a dehumidifier for moisture, and an electric heater off my 50-amp welder circuit for heat. Probalby not ideal (cost-wise), but it's easy.

Jeff.

[zim]

Nathan - have you got a link to the design of that heater, i fancy making one

Cheers

Gordon

[Astro_Al]

Loads of gas tank heater threads / advice on mig-welding.co.uk

Al.

[longlandy]

Im building a wood burner for my (commercial) workshop, with a back boiler .Paying £60 a day in gas is a good incentive to go green! Also the green commision will allegedly pay 40 to 60% of the costs.

[mervifwdc]

This is'nt much use to anyone in the UK, but my dad has a furniture factory, and has had to install a furnace to burn the waste. if your putting in a timber burner, approach any local furniture type factories, they may be please if you'll take away the waste timber.

sparky timber (i.e. dried) is no big deal in enclosed burners, just burns fast.

Merv.

[Retroanaconda]

A wood burner might be a good idea, I am hopefully going into forestry so should be able to get wood easily enough!

Got a couple of large forklift propane bottles, both full at the moment though and I have no means to empty them beyond dumping to atmosphere (!)

[crclifford]

In order to beat the cold I've made a waste oil burner from parts I had down the farm, I sourced the design from the net and made it out of a small calor gas bottle.

I did have my reservations at the start but once lit with a drop of petrol or wood burning at the bottom, the oil drops onto a central hot plate and with the closed draw of warm air the heater very very quickly gets hot.

i used it at the weekend and for 4 hrs heat i used approx 2 1/2 litres of old oil from my disco

The oil is drip fed onto a cetral hot plate in a metal sandwich made out of an old thick cooking pan. The bottom of the pan is full of cheap fire bricks crushed up to retain the heat.

I hava an inline drip feed at the bottom of the old paint can, and the oil is pre-heated round the flue, and the warm air is draw from around the flue with the oil drip inside.

For it to work perfectly the door must seal really well, with the door closed it actually raws like a turbine

Just to ensure it did blow up etc I did trial it outside first. adjusting the oil feed to suit, chucks out loads of heat, actually had the gas bottle glowing at teh weekend, cherry red !

couple of pic's

Sounds a bit like a military puffing billy ..used to heat up a dustbin of water. also prone to blowing up in peoples faces when relit, if they haven't let it cool down first and also if they put too much kero through it before lighting!!!

Chris