Unheated garage......no longer!!!!

[Sarge]

I got tired of not being able to do stuff with my machine in the cold shop. I'm definitely not going to fork over the money or put the time into insulating and closing this thing in. I did a search and found a good solution to the problem. They put out enough heat to warm the machine and the immediate area. Unless you're "accident prone" they probably won't burn the place down either!!!

I ordered two of them, and they came in yesterday via UPS. I hung them from the rafters, focusing them on the CW. Nice and toasty until I stepped away from the area!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Marvin-Ceiling-Mount-Light-Heater/dp/B0002VM3KC

Product Description:
Quartz Heat N Light Overhead Heater offers 3 Settings: Light Only, Light & Low Heat & Light & High Heat and is Ideal For Year Round Use In Garage, Basement Or Barn 100-Watt Halogen Light Ceiling Mount Design 750 & 1500 Watt Power Settings Rugged Construction - Steel Cabinet Tip-Over and Overheat Shut-Off Grounded Plug Meets OSHA Requirements Installs in 3 Steps! Replaceable Quartz Heating Elements 3-Year Manufacturers Warranty Specifications: Dimensions: 24"W x 3"D x 12"H | Amps: 12.5 | Volts: 120 | Watts: 1500 | BTU's: 5,122

[jgowrie]

Hey Sarge,

Have you had any issues with condensation occurring when the machine is warmed up from a very cold temp? I was going to leave my unit in my garage until realizing this could be a real potential disaster.

[Chief]

Hey Sarge,

Have you had any issues with condensation occurring when the machine is warmed up from a very cold temp? I was going to leave my unit in my garage until realizing this could be a real potential disaster.

Condensation is humidity and relative humidity decreases as temperature increases. What is humid when the temp is cold may be dry or nearly so with elevated temperatures. If you heat your garage to a comfortable temperature, I wouldn't worry about condensation.

Chief

[Shacky]

I just finished closing in and insulation a shop for myself in my garage this weekend. It beats sending heat through the roof!

[Chief]

I just finished closing in and insulation a shop for myself in my garage this weekend. It beats sending heat through the roof!


Shacky,

I have a buddy who has an enormous 2-car garage about 100 feet from the rear of his house. He must have designed the garage himself as he can store all of his tools AND his truck and his wife's car in the garage. Of course they're put outside when he's working. He also has a second floor where he keeps his pen-turning lathe and sharpening equipment along with some workout equipment.

Last year he finally got around to having a small furnace installed that's mounted on a rear wall. On the coldest days in Western PA, it's very comfortable. Sometimes, when working hard, it's actually a tad too warm.

With the furnace, he steps into the garage and turns it on and shortly it's warm enough to doff the shirts.

Chief

[Shacky]

Shacky,

I have a buddy who has an enormous 2-car garage about 100 feet from the rear of his house. He must have designed the garage himself as he can store all of his tools AND his truck and his wife's car in the garage. Of course they're put outside when he's working. He also has a second floor where he keeps his pen-turning lathe and sharpening equipment along with some workout equipment.

Last year he finally got around to having a small furnace installed that's mounted on a rear wall. On the coldest days in Western PA, it's very comfortable. Sometimes, when working hard, it's actually a tad too warm.

With the furnace, he steps into the garage and turns it on and shortly it's warm enough to doff the shirts.

Chief

A small furnace would be GREAT! My garage is not as fancy as your buddy's. I had it built and it's a two car garage with a one car garage door and a steel entry door. I put a row of freestanding shelves down the middle and it split it into 1/2 Vette garage and 1/2 storage and shop.

Well, now that I have my Carvewright and winter is coming on, I threw away most of the old junk I was storing and got more serious about the shop. I had 3 guys come in (yes, I could do it, but I didn't want to) and build an insulated wall to split the garage and insulate and put particle board on the ceilings and walls. It has been warm these last couple days, but a kerosene heater seems to warm it right up. We'll see as the cold weather is fast approaching. But, I know now that I have a nice shop that will warm up and stay warm for lots of carving this winter!

[Chief]

A small furnace would be GREAT! My garage is not as fancy as your buddy's. I had it built and it's a two car garage with a one car garage door and a steel entry door. I put a row of freestanding shelves down the middle and it split it into 1/2 Vette garage and 1/2 storage and shop.

Well, now that I have my Carvewright and winter is coming on, I threw away most of the old junk I was storing and got more serious about the shop. I had 3 guys come in (yes, I could do it, but I didn't want to) and build an insulated wall to split the garage and insulate and put particle board on the ceilings and walls. It has been warm these last couple days, but a kerosene heater seems to warm it right up. We'll see as the cold weather is fast approaching. But, I know now that I have a nice shop that will warm up and stay warm for lots of carving this winter!

Shacky,

Congratulations. I'm jealous of you and my buddy. If you saw the tiny space I work in....... sometimes I wonder why I just don't stick with my computers and quit beatting my head against a wall. I'm trying to talk my wife into moving and the only criteria would be a 2-car garage. I really don't care about anything else.

Chief

[jgowrie]

Nice!

Since I'm pretty sure the machine will be living in my garage over the winter I am considering building it a little insulated box and either keeping it warm with an electric blanket or a lightbulb.

While I'm cleaning up my shop which has become quite messy the last several months, I'll insulate the ceiling with some foam. It won't be much but should work to hold the heat down lower when I fire up the propane heater.

[wasacop75]

Most of us suffer from lack of workshop. My garage is so full of my stuff that the LOML can't get her car in the garage. Between the CW and mitersaw, tablesaw, scroll saw, and band saw, there isnt much room to even move.
building a new table (4'x5'x40" high) on wheels that will house all the saws and router at table height. that way can use the table top instead of rollers.

16 drawers are going to be fun to make if i can get my head wrapped around how the bushing is suppose to go on the 1.5 hp craftsman router.

will post pictures if i ever get it finished.:roll:

[fwharris]

Mike,

I had sort of the same situation with all of the "stuff" in the garage. I made the decision that it had to go. Sold it, gave it and hauled it away!!! do not even miss it!!

[jmoriearty]

I feel your pain! My shop is 40x60 and it is TOUGH to heat. I use a propane shop heater to take the chill off on really cold days, but for the most part, I have a wood burning stove that really does the trick. It takes it a little bit to get the temperature up throughout the shop, but the area with my CW, the area I work most in, heats up pretty fast. I usually use a cord of oak during the winter months, plus burn off all of the not so usable scrap I have in the shop. If I really want some heat, I throw in my lathe shavings, mostly maple, and it will up the fire beyond belief...lol. I may have to look into a quartz heater like yours to use while I'm waiting on the stove to get things warm.