I'm freezing by butt off. Suggestions?

[starmac]

When I built the stove for my extremely drafty shop in N.M., I used a joint of used sprinkler pipe. They scrap the old steel ones pretty regular, and it makes excellant stove pipe.

The non electric pellet stoves are small and would be very easy to build too.

[6bg6ga]

First of all you need insulation in your work space and secondly a cheap source of heat. Your probably tired of paying every month for marginal heat so why not step up a notch. Check out wast oil furnaces. People will gladly give your their waste oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and so forth. Basically any oil based product can be used as fuel. A friend of mine was paying $1500 and up to try to get his work space to a warm 65 degrees and it was breaking the bank. He went to a waste oil heater and the fuel is free because people are more than happy to give him the 5 or 10 gallons of used motor oil they have waiting in their garages.

As has been stated the idea of baggy clothing is a no no near production machinery period. Want to loose an arm? A long sleeve shirt is the way to do it when using a mill or lathe. I saw this happen years ago and as a result of the accident long sleeve shirts were banned in the machiney departments.

[MBTcustom]

That's why, even in the winter, I dress in Dickies short sleeve work shirt, long tail, tucked in. No watch, no rings, no necklace, no gloves. I wear safety glasses all the time (just had them make my prescriptions into safety lenses and got the side shields). I do have long hair, but I keep it pulled back tight.
Ever since I saw a picture of a guy that used a lathe to turn his upper torso into hamburger, because an apron or something got sucked into the lathe, I really take a lot of care to keep my dress code tight and sharp.

But hey, this is Arkansas. There's only one or two months of the year that I need to worry about temps dipping below 50 degrees. I'll just suffer for the time being. Hot weather will be here before I know it.

[6bg6ga]

Been looking into the heaters and its really simple to construct something that would work in your garage/work room. I looked at two basic types the drip oil and the pressure siphon type. They can be viewed on you tube. Its very possible to be able to make a nice heater and use cooking oil, kerosene, used car oil in it. You'll be able to heat your shop space for little or nothing.

[TCLouis]

You seem to be a bit handy, get ye to the youtube and look at waste oil heaters/burners.

Check/ask anyone that donates Used Oil about gas, kerosene, diesel or solvents that have been added in the oil, they can make things run MUCH differently so blend large batches to give the best (safest) results and this allows one to filter (leaves and dead cats) and decant any water in your blending tank.

ALWAYS some water in the used oil, trust me.

250,000 BTU commercial heater uses about 2.5gallons an hour if I remember correctly.

Commercial used oil heaters run about 8500 bucks here in Tennessee.

Bet 50 - 100 bucks and some elbow grease would make an interesting contraption that would have you warm and toasty.

[EMC45]

That's why, even in the winter, I dress in Dickies short sleeve work shirt, long tail, tucked in. No watch, no rings, no necklace, no gloves. I wear safety glasses all the time (just had them make my prescriptions into safety lenses and got the side shields). I do have long hair, but I keep it pulled back tight.
Ever since I saw a picture of a guy that used a lathe to turn his upper torso into hamburger, because an apron or something got sucked into the lathe, I really take a lot of care to keep my dress code tight and sharp.

But hey, this is Arkansas. There's only one or two months of the year that I need to worry about temps dipping below 50 degrees. I'll just suffer for the time being. Hot weather will be here before I know it.

I have seen that pic too, it haunts me.

[6bg6ga]

Check out www.patriot-supply.com

PN 17147 and PN 30609

You probably want a .75 unit which will burn 3/4 gal an hour.

Very easy to construct your own burner that will burn about anything without diluting it.

[Col4570]

Keep your Feet off the ground,make up some Duckboards to stand on.Wear several layers of clothing and two pairs of Socks.This works for me,It gets quite cold here and standing on a concrete floor is not the way to go.
You wont be as snug as a bug in a Rug but it will help.

[W.R.Buchanan]

tim: NO you're not allowed to just endure it. We've got a lot invested in this thread and you're going to burn something by God or we're gonna have to come back there and take matters in our own hands.

You will produce heat some way and I don't care if you rub two sticks together to do it. Lighting farts is only a short term solution.

It was only 78 here today in CA. There is so much hot air and Sacramento it keeps the whole state warm.

Randy

[Agrotom]

Move to the balmy state of North Dakota!!!! We have a heat wave going on right now 25 above 0 wow its hot out here.

[6bg6ga]

I have proposed an idea that not only will keep you warm in the winter but can also be used to melt lead so you can cast in the summer. Its not hard to put together and it will allow you to heat your space without breaking the bank. Its not hard to get a hold of used motor oil, transmission fluid, cooking oil, just to name a few. They do NOT need to be duluted down either but may require that A) you start the unit with a propane torch or B) that you have in ignitor in it like a torpedo heater does. Actually it wouldn't be hard to convert a torpedo heater to use other fuels.

I know what its like to try to work in a cold garage in the winter and its not fun. It would be a lot smarter to put together some type of heater than it would be to keep trying to work in your present environment.

[jmorris]

I have proposed an idea that not only will keep you warm in the winter but can also be used to melt lead so you can cast in the summer. Its not hard to put together and it will allow you to heat your space without breaking the bank.

I looked into them a few years ago before I just installed an old Franklin fire place I had sitting in a barn down at the farm.

Do you have details and photos of the one you built?

[6bg6ga]

I haven't built one yet. I just proposed the idea here. Its a simple concept that involves the purchase of a suction type nozzle and an adapter. The oil is siphoned from a container/tank to the fuel inlet and compressed air is supplied to the air inlet of the siphon nozzel. What I have invisioned is instead of delution of the fuel/oil/whatever the heater be installed in the tank. Ignition would be a spark plug type ignition like what you have with a torpedo heater cost about $30 for the ignition less if used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-A8uoWdBB8

[David LaPell]

The control room where I work is adjoining a large two vehicle garage and the room next to where I sit houses rows and rows of computer servers so the A/C has to be left on making it about 60-65 degrees and some days much colder. I have already had three colds so far in the last six months including one right now, and since its a balmy 4 below zero right now I can only imagine that room's warmth. Here's the kicker, I have to wear our uniforms which are paper thin. I wear a pair of long underwear pants under them and thick socks. I would start with those and some insulation. I do my bullet casting in an old open shed so it's about 30 or so when I am out there although the little Lee pot helps with some radiant heat.

[lmcollins]

Look old buddy. It's 04 degrees above zero here in northern Ohio. How can you complain? They want to come and insulate my house next Monday. Turn off the furnace, and stick a line or two through a window and blow in insulation all day.

Seriously: have you thought about some electric baseboard? After you insulate it is often the cheapest thing. Thermostates and all. Also, how about the kits you buy to make a wood stove out of a steal barrel? You put a door in and end, and a collar for a stove pipe out the other end. You fill the bottom with firebrick and build your fire on them. The kits come with lega and everything. Try Northerntool.com Item No. 16160-2301. Then all you need is stovepipe a damper, and maybe a bit of a cap for the pipe. Rig a pipe collar for the pipe through a window with some cheap ply wood.

The problem is you need to cut and stack your wood about six monthes before you want to burn it. You cannot burn wet or green wood without giving it time to dry out. If you go the drum stove route route don't forget to make up a hot plate to fit onto the barrel for a tea kettle. I want coffee when I visit. FYI: the hot plate goes on top of the barrel in the back where the stack comes out.

I'm not kidding about the The 0.4 degrees and the insulation!

[cbrick]

I can't believe that in 75 posts nobody has mentioned insulation. There is no such thing as too much insulation. Heating the great outdoors is not an option and that's what your trying to do. Regardless of what type of heating unit you decide on it will take far less of it with good insulation & windows & doors sealed correctly.

BTW, have you considered insulating that shop?

Rick

[DCM]

But hey, this is Arkansas. There's only one or two months of the year that I need to worry about temps dipping below 50 degrees. I'll just suffer for the time being. Hot weather will be here before I know it.

Tim I know I razzed ya a bit about "cold", but the suggestions about insulating the shop are very good for the heat and cold!
We have been caught in this "polar vortex" lately and I shudder to think what our heating bill would be without good SEALING and insulation!!
Same in the summer when it is 115 deg F warmer, I hear what people with drafty houses are paying to run the AC $$$ compared to us YIKES! As a big added bonus you will be able to better control the humidity and better protect tho$e tool$.

[Petrol & Powder]

Lot's of good suggestions on this thread. You could call Al Gore ask if he'll send you some of that global warming he promised !

[dog2blue]

Years ago I insulated my camp with commercial roofing foam board. The foam was yellow, the coating was black. The insulating material was the acquired from the dumpsters at a prison construction project. It was various thicknesses and tapered to facilitate water drainage from the roof. The insulation was cut 14 1/2" wide to fit between the 16" centers of walls ceilings and rafters. I just kept installing until all space was utilized. You can just about heat the place with a candle. Barter trade and beer....construction workers all hunt....
Good luck.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tim,,, is your butt still cold? You haven't commented on this thread for some time yet it keeps motoring along.

Randy