SAFE heating in the woodturner's garage?

[Toasty]

Hello All,

With winter fast approaching I'm again faced with the dilemma of having my fingers go numb from the cold or putting my turning on a hiatus again. Neither of which I would like to have happen.

I have thought of different ways to stay warm in the garage but have serious concerns about the amount of wood dust in the air that I think could work its way into a heater and potentially be combustible.

My main concern is my hands, if I could have a blow heater directed at them I can rug up the rest of my body, but most of those little heaters have coils/elements. There lies my concern about wood dust in the air.

I've thought of maybe an oil column heater, but they are more of a radiant heat, and I've got a large garage, plus at 2,000-4,000 watts they like to chew up electricity bills.

I could get a wood stove, but exhaust would be an issue and I suspect my lathe wouldn't appreciate me feeding flames with what is rightfully the lathe's property...

So I would like to ask what heating solutions people have in their workshops and if my concerns about wood dust are warranted/valid.

Apologies if this has been discussed but I did try a quick search without luck.

[lubbing5cherubs]

Toasty Mate in Winton when I turned in the cold at night in Winton I used a little fan heater with no problem. I just kept an eye on it and it was my best freind in there. I could be wrong. I look forward to others supply. I had mine in front of me not behind the lathe. if that matters
bye TOni

[robyn2839]

i also use a fan heater on the floor behind me on the two cold days we get a year up here in queensland,or i just dont turn for two days ....bob

[Rattrap]

hey Toasty. I'm in the same boat this arriving winter, its already down to round 14-16c in my shed thru the day & come the depths of winter i'll be lucky if it gets over 8c in the shed. I've got an old wood heater that i plan to install before much longer. But the fire issue is a bit of a worry. Just what sort of risk is there in having a wood heater running while we are woodworking?:?

[Toasty]

Just what sort of risk is there in having a wood heater running while we are woodworking?:?

I suspect a low risk, particularly if it was a closed combustion heater/stove type of setup. The external of the stove would have to get seriously hot to cause wood dust to combust on the surface. I was more taking the about my lathe not being happy that would would be fed into the stove instead of on the lathe :;

Electric heaters that feature coils is where my concern is, mainly because I think one of those little bathroom units would be perfect pointed at my hands like Toni said. With the coils you know the type, they glow red like the old heaters from years ago in everyone's living room that had the foil reflective backing plate and caused houses to burn down because people dried their clothes too close to them. :doh:

It's the dust that would settle after a turning session that worries me (maybe uneccassarily?) and the next time I would go to the garage the coils would heat up the surface layer of dust on them and possibly catch fire. Where there is sawdust and shavings everwhere it is not something I want to experiment with.

[DJ’s Timber]

I had a small homemade combustion fireplace in one of my old garages and it use to get covered with dust and never once had a problem, didn't need much in it either as you only want to take the chill out of the air not warm up the workshop otherwise you get to warm.

[Rattrap]

exellent news, now all i gotta do is get done with painting the house & i can get back to my woodworking. Only 3 more days painting to go (providing the weather is kind to me). woot woot!:2tsup:

[woodcutta]

Toasty

This is my solution.

A sawdusd burner outside the shed with a Tube over the burner and flue and an Exhaust fan in reverse to draw cold air in over the combustion chamber and flue to pick up heat and then blow the warm air inside.

woodcutta

[dazzler]

My main concern is my hands, if I could have a blow heater directed at them I can rug up the rest of my body, but most of those little heaters have coils/elements. There lies my concern about wood dust in the air.



I thought this gave "chill blanes" or something similar or perhaps it is an old wives tale

[Zarguld]

Here is a soulution that is used in the states all the time in the building industry for carpentry when building houses in the snow they seal off the open windows and walls with plastic then let this rip it basicaly works like a big blow torch but saw dust is now bother to it for it blows it away from it before it gets close and just keep it a distance from where you are working and it is very toasty but this one is for sale in oz. http://www.oztion.com.au/buy/auction.aspx?itemid=3880748&d=&sort=0&pg=1&cat=0&view=List&f1=&f2=&type2=&type3=&type4=&type5=&s=

[Frank&Earnest]

For that sort of money I would get a small reverse cycle air conditioner, it would also keep you cool in summer. I have recycled a wall unit for this purpose and seems to be OK.

[joe greiner]

Here is a soulution that is used in the states all the time in the building industry for carpentry when building houses in the snow they seal off the open windows and walls with plastic then let this rip it basicaly works like a big blow torch but saw dust is now bother to it for it blows it away from it before it gets close and just keep it a distance from where you are working and it is very toasty but this one is for sale in oz. http://www.oztion.com.au/buy/auction.aspx?itemid=3880748&d=&sort=0&pg=1&cat=0&view=List&f1=&f2=&type2=&type3=&type4=&type5=&s=

Called "space heaters" around here, and they definitely pump out the BTU's. Probably overkill for a small-to-medium size shed. They also need substantial clear space from the blowtorch.

The fan heater is likely simplest. Aim the output directly toward the turner and the source of dust. The heater can usually be disengaged by reducing the temp setting, and letting the fan run longer should prevent dust accumulation on the coils, and not consume too many watts. A shutoff timer will allow you to retire in lieu of letting the fan run all night, but check and/or clean the coils before re-starting.

Joe

[thefixer]

G'day toasty


I have been using this little beauty for several years now to keep the cave warm during the cold months. Have never had problem with dust, but then, I do keep my shed very clean. I sweep and use a blower at least once a week. I just keep it ticking over all day and it keeps the shed at around 20 degrees. Very comfortable:-. Only problem is the SWMBO keeps coming out to stand near it and warm up while I'm trying to work.

Cheers
Shorty

[littlebuddha]

I have 2 tube heaters they are around 4 foot in lengh, they do come in diff sizes, i have 3 workshops built together one is just wood storage the other two are for working, each shop has a heater, they are the sort that are put into green house to keep the frost of, i leave them on 24/7 when the cold weather comes and they heat my shops great, im not one for hot workshops, these just keep them warm and comfortable they are also cheap to buy and cheap to run, about 7 pence a day, no idea of the conversion other currancy. but you don't need to convert to know thats cheap. There safe as hell and no problem leaving on continuously. LB...:2tsup:

[OGYT]

I have a pot-bellied wood stove in my shed. I keep it burning at least 12 hours a day in the winter, and half of that is with the door open. My only dust collection system is a homemade air cleaner over the lathe, a fan over my shoulder, and an exhaust fan in the window.
A few times, I've had the stove red hot. I've never had a problem. Glad, too... it'd be embarrasing for a fireman's shed to burn!

[wheelinround]

Toasty how about a pair of fingerless gloves for starters a good long woollen vest woollen sox

I use a carpet piece on the floor keeps the cold off the feet a little

I also close the garage door and use a little fan heater but never on HIGH

If you can with your shed a skylight fitted to the morning sunniest side of the roof will help heaps.

[Zarguld]

I will be using one of these this winter and have the door open.

[rsser]

I put in a box type reverse cycle a/c - gives warmth at the turn of a dial in winter and coolth in summer. Or you can just open the vent and run the fan to push the airborne dust towards your dusty inlet or box type air filter.

It was cheap for the size since there's not much demand for them now with split systems all the go. (Though maybe they're not made any more.)

Did need a 15 amp power supply however. And to protect the fan bearings it's a good idea to attach some 3M Filtrete to the filter.

[Zsteve]

While I am no expert on the matter having talked about the issue with an engineer friend I am aware that the amount of wood dust needed to be suspended in the air to be an explosion risk is quite high to the point of partially obscuring vision over a certain distance etc and likely to make breathing the air uncomfortable with out respirator.

Having said that, I have no heating in my shed, but have seen comercial woodworking businesses with largish pot belly stoves in amongst the workshop equipment. They did have dust extraction in the workshop but there was dust settled on everything indicating that there was still plenty of airborne dust in there.

Regards,
Steve

[NeilS]

One thing to keep in mind is the danger of carbon monoxide fumes if you have a fuel burner in your workshop and exhaust your dust system externally (and have an enclosed workshop).

The negative pressure created by the extractor fan can pull some of the combustion fumes back into the workshop instead of going up the chimney. That's one of the reasons I filter and recirculate the air from my dust extractor system within the workshop.

The other reason I don't exhaust externally is that I don't want to pull 2000cfm of cold air into the workshop...no space heater is going to keep up with that.

Neil

[Groggy]

Caution: Whatever you go with, do not forget the danger that finishes present. The fumes from solvents etc will ignite once they reach an ignition source. If you have a large quantity of dust and shavings laying around the opportunity for secondary fires is quite high.

I use a gas heater like the one shown below (patio heater type) and turn it off when finishing. It needs a source of fresh air and I generally leave a door open when it is running. I'd love to have a pot belly stove but the gas means I can switch off an ignition source immediately when ready to use solvents.

As for dust explosions, it is not going to happen in a standard workshop. If you can't breathe and can't see, then maybe you should worry. Anyone is welcome to challenge this statement but please provide a reference other than "it happened to a mate of a mate". A group of woodworkers researched this in the late 90's and could not find a single officially reported instance of a dust explosion either inside or outside a dust collector in a non-commercial workshop. The only instances of explosions were from fumes and a number of fires where sparks had entered dust collector bags.

[Farnk]

Been thinking about this myself!
I'm on the hunt for a potbelly stove or similar, as I seem to collect a vast amount of small offcuts, etc from the lathe. Winter in Melbourne can get quite cold and I like the idea of keeping some coffee and the shed warm while I work.

I tend to collect branchwood, etc in my travels so there is always a supply of bits and bobs left from trimming stuff for the lathe that just end up in the green waste bin.

[Toasty]

Thank you all for the replies every singe one has been valuable and I am glad to see it has also generated a little discussion. I have read all replies with interest and think I might look into an infrared solution a little bit. Also the pot belly stove isn't done and dusted (:;) but could have real issues with a chimney as the garage is UNDER the house.

Also just to clarify once more, while I understand airborne wood dust can potentially be combustable (under some pretty strict conditions), I am more conerned with the dust that will settle on electricals/elements overnight, building a small layer, and then catching fire the next time the heating appliance is turned on.

[littlebuddha]

This is the type of heater i was on about start of at around 2' in lengh and up to about 6' small one is around 60 watt and cost around 7 pence a day to run my workshops are insulated and are 16' x 12' each and i have one heater in each and the shop is nice and workable they are left on 24/7 as i said in the bad weather these heaters are safe even with dust on them, i have been using them know for around 5 years. LB..

[hughie]

Hmmm, some time ago Skew posted a link to a site that has a desing of a saw burning stove. Doubled skinned so as to not cause any probs with dust etc.
It will run for 6-8hrs on a single fill up, variance being timber and moisture content

http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/VITA/SAWDSTOV/EN/SAWDSTOV.HTM


have a go at this

[OGYT]

Thanks for posting, Hughie... that seems like what I need to add in the other end of my shed. Sounds like a good way to get rid of your sawdust/shavings.

[les88]

I had a heater like Zarguld going to use.... the gas bottle lasted one day much to dear for me. What I have now is those heater lights that they use in bathrooms. I have them mounted above each piece of machinery and the bench I turn them on and off with a remote switch. and as someone once said... let there light and warmth too

[Toasty]

What I have now is those heater lights that they use in bathrooms. I have them mounted above each piece of machinery and the bench I turn them on and off with a remote switch
Initially when I read your post I thought hmmmmmmmmmmm now there might be an idea. You would need to check your running costs though.

I just checked the four heater light setup in my bathroom and each globe is 275w, so running all four at once is 1100w or 1.1kw. My last electricity bill puts my kilowatt hour at the 12.1c/kwh mark, so a rig like that would cost me about 13c an hour, or $1.04 in an eight hour day.

That's not too bad you know, and I probably drink (waste?) more than that in a single mouthful of whiskey - thankfully I don't smoke! Might have to look into that more as you can pick up those bathroom heaterlight rigs at second hand building supply places pretty cheap.

[hughie]

that seems like what I need to add in the other end of my shed. Sounds like a good way to get rid of your sawdust/shavings.

Al,
Its probably well suited for your neck of the woods, hope your shed is well insulated.

When I get the new one built will give it some serious consideration.

[Zarguld]

or you could buy your self some electric undies lol.

[Claw Hama]

I have a second hand reverse cycle window/wall mount air conditioner no fire risk, helps filter out a bit of the dust in the air (clean the filter once a monthish) cools in summer and a fan when I need one. Only use it when I need it so doesn't cost much to run.

[OGYT]

Al,
Its probably well suited for your neck of the woods, hope your shed is well insulated.

My shed was once a roof of a large warehouse/carbon black plant, up in NW Texas. The outside of it had sprayed on foam. I put the foam on the inside. Had to trim off where the 2Xs went. However, I still haven't closed in the eaves yet... so the foam doesn't do a lot of good. But my lathe is only about 8 feet from the pot-belly. :D
I'm anxious to hear that you got into your new place, and have your shed built. :U

[Blackout]

Somewhere in my backups I had a copy of a web site where someone in Europe had heated his shed using soft drink cans connected in series behind glass in a cabinet. The sun heated the cans and the air therein. The air pulled from the shed at the bottom of the system and pushed out at the top (I think). I will try to find it all again but solar energy was the source and the materials where very cheap.

Cheers,