Damn it's cold! What heater?

[Routermonster]

I'll second the oil-filled radiator option. Following advice given in earlier threads on this forum, I've just bought a Dragon 3 too.

Les

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Oil-filled rads always seem to come out tops in these discussions. In my main workshop I have a HotSpot woodburning stove, which is designed to burn shavings as well as offcuts. It is brilliant and gives off amazing heat quickly. Sometimes it even holds overnight, but insulating the concrete floor with 30mm foam has helped a lot anyway.

I've just kitted out a 6x8ft shed (more about this in the mag soon, and possibly in a blog) and am using a little blow heater. The noise is a bit of a bore, but it's perfect for nipping in there for a spot of woodworking of an evening.

Cheers

Nick

 

[Ironballs]

Well I'm in a double garage that whilst is has an insulated roof there are too many other draughts around at the minute, so does get quite nippy. I use a fan heater when I'm in there to take the edge off but they key is to wrap up warm and always have a bit of wood that needs planing or sanding to get the blood flowing

 

[frugal]

My two main ways of keeping warm in the workshop are a thick hand knit woolly hat and if I get really cold: 10 minutes face planing oak

 

[woof]

Just a word of warning from past experience. If you wrap up warm, make sure your scarf is tucked in well. When I first started out in my drafty garage, I was always wrapped up with hat and scarf, but when the scarf caught in the table router and started pulling me towards the router, I knew it was time to deal with the drafts. So be safe please, and think through any additional risk. Also remember gloves aren't good either ...

 

[Ironballs]

Gloves are okay if you cut the finger tips off

 

[LESNPAM]

run a cable and get a second hand storage rad
les

 

[Wood Monkey]

I've always run a small fan heater in my 18ftx14ft shop. I've found the main advantage of this is that I can point it at myself if I'm working around my bench and the effect is almost immediate. I'd never leave it unattended tho...!

I've also got an oil filled radiator and I find this is best if I flick it on for 20 minutes and go and have a cup of tea.

But by far and away the best advice I can give is to insulate and then insulate some more. I have 100mm in my walls and 150mm in my roof and this transformed my workshop. But you could still feel the cold from the concrete slab until I laid a chipboard floor over 25mm polystyrene.

If you're in doubt about the benefit of insulating, take a look at this picture taken on a frosty morning whilst half way through insulating my roof. See if you can guess where the heat is escaping.

Jon

 

[Richard Findley]

Gloves are okay if you cut the finger tips off

But not using Woof's method :wink: :lol:

the scarf caught in the table router and started pulling me towards the router