Thread: Gas service in the shed?

I'm in Melbourne and I have natural gas plumbed to my workshop. I only use it for heating. I can't imagine what you would use it for in QLD.
Maybe LPG gives you more options?

Never felt the need.

Originally Posted by jack620

I'm in Melbourne and I have natural gas plumbed to my workshop. I only use it for heating. I can't imagine what you would use it for in QLD.
Maybe LPG gives you more options?

Yeah I'm in SEQ and so there are literally just a few weeks a year when it gets cold. And so yeah I could have a gas heater but I don't see the point. Just wear more clothes for a few weeks. The office will have reverse cycle aircon once it is built so it is not required for that area.

The only thing I thought if so far is a gas torch but I think a little portable one would be better and it's not a priority for me anyway.

It is possible to buy a gas generator as a backup power supply but these cost twice as much as a diesel one and almost as must a battery.

I guess one idea would be to get a gas hot water system and install a shower in the shed. Then we could still have showers in a power cut. The gas at the house is only for the oven and BBQ. But by the time I did that maybe I could afford a generator or a battery instead.

Originally Posted by DaveVman

...Is this a good idea? Worth it?
What would I use LPG for?...

I have considered it for a small soldering iron heater/furnace. Then I did my apprenticeship we had small (maybe 350 x 350mm) open top kilns, brick lined, for heating soldering irons - the old type irons that are just a big lump of copper on a steel shaft (with wooden handle). As well as gas supply it would also need a compressed air supply (which I have). But I've never got into enough soldering to make it worthwhile.

The other thing I'd find handy is a gas torch for heating stuck metal things. Again, I've never had enough need to go to the trouble (I took things to work and used the bosses oxy-actylene instead ).

Cheers, Vann.

I had mains gas in my shed connected to a large (20kW ) gas furnace. These are scary as all get out to use inside a shed.
Initially I used it attached to the BBQ connection on the back veranda
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But SWMBO complained so I decided to use inside the shed but unless it was used sufficient ventilation it’s easy to asphyxiate yourself and/or even give you heat stroke. I used it to harden/anneal metals but have since decommissioned this and am setting up a much safer electrical furnace.

The are smaller/safer gas forges around but if you just need to heat the odd bit of metal you are far better off with a propane torch and a 9kg gas bottle. If you need a bit higher temp the a MAP torch is the go.
A higher temp can be achieved by loose assembling a bunch of fire bricks into a small oven shaped chamber.
Small butane torches can give you small/concentrated higher temps still but its not going to be able to heat up a large piece of metal
Above that requires LPG/Oxy or Oxy Acetylene.

Originally Posted by DaveVman

I guess one idea would be to get a gas hot water system and install a shower in the shed. Then we could still have showers in a power cut. The gas at the house is only for the oven and BBQ. But by the time I did that maybe I could afford a generator or a battery instead.

Most gas water heaters also need lecky to operate.
Regards
John