Heating the workshop

[slemishwoodcrafts]

What does everyone do? I'm now up in the workshop between 5 and 8 every morning working on Christmas orders before I go to work and as you can imagine it's chilly enough. I like the idea of a fan heater as it's near enough instant heat, but thought about maybe an oil filled radiator would be better, set on a timer to come on an hour or so before I head into the workshop.
I would love a stove but it's just not feasible in my situation


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[Random Orbital Bob]

It all depends on how much space you have to heat coupled with how well insulated it is. My workshop is a drafty garage that is useless at retaining heat so I use a fan heater which is expensive to run but does the job. If yours is well insulated and not too large then a timed oil radiator is better value for money. It just wouldn't touch mine

I also have a dalek style calor gas heater which is close to useless because it won't project the heat towards me. That's what a fan heater does really well.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

I will be watching this topic with interest... however I'm looking for frost protection more that heating. I've been thinking about the tubular heaters as they are also low power consumption, like...
http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domes ... /index.htm

Its more to prevent any finishes/glues from spoiling if the temperature gets below freezing though, as well as prevent damage to any machines/tools and timber stored in the workshop.

 

[Glynne]

I use a fan heater as it gives instant heat and it is easy to control the temperature with the flick of a switch.
Funnily enough I've just had it on today - it isn't particularly cold but I wanted to use Rustins's Plastic Coating which has to be used above 18 degrees so on it went and within a couple of minutes the temperature was right.
Being a little bit eco, I then reproofed my wax cotton jacket (horrible job) in the balmy temperature of the workshop.

I'd check the recommended temperature of your glues, I seem to think Titebond is 10 degrees and so you might be paying quite a bit of money just to store them in your workshop. I bring mine into the house and then just make sure the temperature is OK when I need to use them.

 

[SVB]

I use an oil filled rad but do have reasonable insulation / double glazed windows etc. For a quick burst of heat I also have one of the halogen heaters that BnQ et al seem to always have on special this time of year. I find them a bit more directional so they warm me rather than the general space (fine if your turning / at a bench etc., less useful if you are very mobile round a largish shop).

Most will advise against the calor heaters from a fire / CO2 (CO) / moisture perspective which is advice I'd intuitively echo although I have no personal experience of these.

Hope this helps

Simon

 

[SteveF]

I will be watching this topic with interest... however I'm looking for frost protection more that heating. I've been thinking about the tubular heaters as they are also low power consumption, like...
http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domes ... /index.htm

Its more to prevent any finishes/glues from spoiling if the temperature gets below freezing though, as well as prevent damage to any machines/tools and timber stored in the workshop.

could you put your finishes in their own cupboard and just keep that warm with a lightbulb?

Steve

 

[gmgmgm]

Electric heaters are all equal in their efficiency. Even oil-filled ones! And both can come with thermostat options.

For a quick burst of heat, a fan heater is going to be best. If you want background heat (e.g. 24h frost protection) then the oil filled ones have fewer things to go wrong.

Perhaps the ideal electric option is an oil filled rad for frost protection, and then a fan heater near the bench for working time.

 

[wallace]

I don't heat I just wear thermals Like already mentioned I use a small light bulb in my tooling cupboard.

 

[focusonwood]

Work faster!

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Fan heater on a 20 minute timer in case I forget to switch it off. Fairly well insulated garage.

Once I am working I tend to be unaware of temperature unless extreme. Also machines create heat offsetting any advancing chill.

 

[custard]

You need to be at or above 15 degrees C for most modern glues to properly cure, below this you'll generally get a bond but it may not be a particularly good or lasting one. During the coldest days that gives me a problem as even firing up the woodburner first thing it might be late morning before the workshop's reached 15 degrees, so it means UF glue ups need to all happen between about 11.00am and noon to ensure there's then long enough at a decent temperature for them to cure. That's a restriction that doesn't help productivity.

 

[DiscoStu]

When people say fan heaters are we talking small shoebox size things or much larger space heaters? I have a small fan heater on my work bench which is ok but I am thinking of a smallish space heater. Saw a Stanley 2kw one for £50 in screwfix today and was tempted.


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[bigbob1]

I have a ceramic fan heater that I used last year but last week I bought a Dimplex Oil filled Rad which also has frost protection setting on it so leave it on all the time and just turn it up about 20 minutes before working in the shed. My shed is well insulated so does not take long to warm up and retains the heat well.

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

I bought a wee fan heater from screwfix last night so I can have some localised heat. Going to insrLl some better insulation first before I get a radiator


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[deema]

I'm installing a wood / saw dust burner shortly. In my old workshop I had a lot of 250W spot lights that surprisingly kept it very warm....but expensive for electricity.

 

[Beau]

You need to be at or above 15 degrees C for most modern glues to properly cure, below this you'll generally get a bond but it may not be a particularly good or lasting one. During the coldest days that gives me a problem as even firing up the woodburner first thing it might be late morning before the workshop's reached 15 degrees, so it means UF glue ups need to all happen between about 11.00am and noon to ensure there's then long enough at a decent temperature for them to cure. That's a restriction that doesn't help productivity.

15c! O hell. Never knew it needed to be that warm for an ideal glue joint. Think my PVA says 10C and have always taken it at it's word :? . On a bad morning have had ice on my water stones

 

[chill]

I use oil filled rads, as they are very safe, using fan heaters is a fire risk as you have a hot element and sawdust which in my opinion is not safe, sawdust is very combustible and the heat from the element is enough to ignite it, I would never use gas heaters as apart from condensation and potential oxygen depletion/build up of CO2, naked flames and sawdust is just asking for a visit from a big red lorry. Just my tuppence worth.

 

[NickN]

The other potential issue with fan heaters is (especially in more dusty environments) the chance of the fan seizing up and allowing the element to melt the plastic casing causing a lovely fire, not the most sustainable method of workshop heating.

 

[Copes]

This is interesting and something i hadn't really thought about.

My new workshop/cabin hasn't seen a winter yet, its 50mm walls, 20mm roof / flooring but hasn't got any insulation apart from that, double glazed windows.

I'm only a hobbyist, but is some form of oil heater for keeping away freezing temps something i need to worry/think about?

 

[Karl]

I have a large woodburner which also doubles as coffee maker



A fan mounted on the trusses directly above blows the heat around the workshop.

Cheers

Karl