I don't know about how others like working in their shops, but I dislike the cold. I have had to work in the elements my entire career, and the cold and the wet just aren't fun. A little cold is a nattering annoyance. A lot cold is a brain fogger, especially when details and dexterity is key.
Too cold and it is hard to work, hard to be as safe as you could be. Warm hands work safer.
If you like heat, I wrote an article about helping keep your shop warm, so that woodworking can remain a bit more of a joy, than a struggle. It is one way, but not the only way. This works for me, and is within the scope of my budget.
If you would like to have a look, Please feel free to have a look at it Here and as always, please feel to discuss the various ways you all are using to keep your shop warm as you usually would...
Please keep warm in your shops, and enjoy the holiday!
I am building instruments in my converted garage. Measures 22'x20' due to the fact that humidity control is vital for what I do, I installed a natural gas furnace and and air conditioning. The control is pretty good maintaining the humidity to about 8%.
I insulated the walls to an R-14 value, installed an insulated main door. Lighting was important to me, I installed a drop ceiling with 16 4' 4 bulb lighting fixtures. Added insulation on top of the drop ceiling after the electrial work was complete.
The Electrical work I did myself to code. After the inspection the walls were finished with dry wall. At the time I did not know about remote starts for the DC and installed a 3-way switch to control the DC from the 3 walls. This has worked out fine for me. 4 place 110 outlets were installed 2 per wall on seperate 20amp circuts.
I added an encloseure for the DC and air compressor each on a seperate circut. I have had no problems with the electrical and am very happy with the set up.
I added work benches and cabinets to complet the shop. I have to run the heat for an hour or two each day depending on how many visitors come by.
I really enjoy working in my shop I am comfortable and not distracted while I work. Sometimes I spend 12 - 16 hours in the shop at a time. I just wish I had a Head (latrine) in the shop.
With the heating bill going up so high this year I am going to close up for the winter after this last fiddle is varnished.
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Cold is a relative thing... Virginia cold surely aint the same as Wisconsin cold. I actually have been enjoying the cooler temps in my shop vs the 95 degrees and 95% RH from summer in Virginia. But it is a hassel when trying to finish or do a glue up.
I had planned to get some insulation into my garage (attached) this fall, and be able to keep the chill off when it gets really colder with a small heater... but guess who got a little lazy....
Cold is a relative thing... Virginia cold surely aint the same as Wisconsin cold.
[Four Yorkshirmen Skit Voice On] Wisconsin cold? Luxury! When we were young, we wished we had Wisconsin cold. [FYSVO]
Actually, I don't really know how cold it gets in Wisconsin. It is closer to the equator that I am though, so who knows? One thing I do know though is that it's colder than a witches left teat up here lately and being in my shop at -25*C (-13 F) isn't my idea of a nice way to spend an evening. So, I'm glad that I have a natural gas-fired radiant heater. I generally keep it around 5-10*C when not in use and fire up the heater a little bit before heading into the shop. This is a reasonable compromise between frugality and not having everything drop below the freezing mark. Still need a sweater on when you're in there though, especially if you're standing near the garage door, as it doesn't get much above 15-17*C.
The shop is insulated to R-20 with fiberglass insulation on walls & roof. Being a garage, the floor slab sits uninsulated on the ground, though I'm thinking it's high time I do something about that...probably DRIcore panels. The overhead door is insulated, and I've added on a layer of R-12 styrofoam topped with reflective bubble blanket insulation. Even still, the garage door's the weakest link in the whole shebang.
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the floor slab sits uninsulated on the ground, though I'm thinking it's high time I do something about that...probably DRIcore panels.
The overhead door is insulated, and I've added on a layer of R-12 styrofoam topped with reflective bubble blanket insulation. Even still, the garage door's the weakest link in the whole shebang.
I too have looked at the DRIcore panels - also for comfort. And to soften the landing of a dropped tool.
Our garage door is a solid panel door, the hot glued foam and bubble foil didn't have a discernable effect. Sealing it up tightly did.
__________________ The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding. Leonardo daVinci
My little hideaway. 24' x 36'. 2 x 6 construction. R-19 in the walls, R-30 in the ceiling. 60,000 btu propane hot-dawg heater for winter, big ol' thru-the-wall a/c for summer, and lots of windows for cross ventilation when the weather is just plain nice. The shop started in the left 1/3 and has slowly advanced across the garage part. I could still get both vehicles in there if I moved a few things over. All in all I like it a lot. It's my retirement dream come true. Pic was taken winter of 04/05. Thanks for lookin'.
Once in a great while we get some really nasty weather-blizzard, ice storm, high winds etc and it's nice to be able to put the vehicles away at those times.
Cold shop getting you down?
So, I'm glad that I have a natural gas-fired radiant heater. I generally keep it around 5-10*C when not in use and fire up the heater a little bit before heading into the shop. This is a reasonable compromise between frugality and not having everything drop below the freezing mark. Still need a sweater on when you're in there though, especially if you're standing near the garage door, as it doesn't get much above 15-17*C.
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