Thread: Cold Weather Turning really stinks!

There's the problem! That's where the U2's are dumping their loads after running out of fuel...

I would offer to fill there ships up but paying $1.40+ for Diesel at the moment I think i will have to let them keep dumping, 44mm yesterday and they are still in fuel trouble because it still raining.
I wounder if they get the Chrissy bonus

RBTCO, I used to have something similar to that donkey, but not quite as large. It was made out of two horizontal 30 gal drums, one above the other. A door in the bottom one, to be the entrance to the fire box. The top one is connected at the back with a 6" pipe, the flue goes out the top barrel at the front. The top barrel acts as a heat collector. The Bottom barrel has to have a lining of fire brick to keep from burning through the thin metal. It worked a lot better than that little pot belly I have now.
I gave it to my son when he needed a heater in his barn. I may have to build another one. That donkey sure looks like it'd take the heat... and put it out, too.

Skew, I insulated the walls when I built the shed, and intended to finish the eaves and insulate the roof. That was in 92. Still too busy to get around to it. Every year, I decide to do it in the spring. Always get busy doing something else.

Aak, don't tempt me. I've wanted to go to Australia since 67, when I had a chance and didn't take it. But I guess I'm just too old to think about taking that trip now. I spent most of my life travelling with the US Army, dragging my family all around the world. But never got to go South of the Equator. I've been out now for 30 years, and still don't hanker for travel.

It sure would be interesting to have my seasons turned around. Going South means warm, here. Going South means cold, down under. I'd never make it. I get confused too easily.

Al - we get overnight frosts in many places in southern Australia, but the temp rises to tolerable levels by mid morning during sunny weather. We only get sub-freezing temps all day in a few isolated, mostly alpine, areas.

Up here next to Mt Lofty in the Adelaide Hills we rarely get down to sub-zero (last year min was 3.6c/38.5f when we had a few snow flakes), but generally the temp hangs around 5-10c/40-50f in my workshop, if unheated, for most of our long wet (foggy) winters. Comfortably above your temps, however, too cold to work without gloves... surprising how cold steel feels in the hands at those temps...

Then, come high summer time everything goes into reverse for a few weeks. Not as hot up here as down on the Adelaide plains, but I did register 39.7c/103.5f one day last summer during a two week heat wave.

So I'm considering passive solar heating and insulation for my new workshop. Exhausting DC system outside is also not an option for most of the year for the same reason.

Neil

Originally Posted by OGYT

.....

Aak, don't tempt me. I've wanted to go to Australia since 67, when I had a chance and didn't take it. But I guess I'm just too old to think about taking that trip now. I spent most of my life travelling with the US Army, dragging my family all around the world. But never got to go South of the Equator. I've been out now for 30 years, and still don't hanker for travel.

It sure would be interesting to have my seasons turned around. Going South means warm, here. Going South means cold, down under. I'd never make it. I get confused too easily.

Hi Al,

I made the move in 1980 for very different reasons to you. The best thing I did!Lived in Perth for 12 years, (it was and is much warmer than over here and do miss the open ocean at times), then due to needing to find work moved to Canberra, was there for 3 years and since then I live in Victoria.

Can not recommend this place highly enough. Melbourne has everything to offer both work opportunity and cultural events wise people may want. The climate is excellent in my view, neither too cold, neither too hot for 95% of the year. The odd hot days I can easily put up with. As far as having four seasons every day is concerned, yes it is true to some degree, but nothing like the four seasons at your place or in Hungary where I came from. When I retired a few years ago I moved to the outskirts of Melbourne and now live on the East side of the Bay, far from the inner city rat race.

Yes, Christmas is warm in the Southern Hemosphere, which was and is strange a bit, but there are lots of other good things to compensate!

If you are happy to find new friends then this is an excellen place to settle away from the cold winters.

Regards
Andy

Al, yeah seasons are upside down here.

And the sun is in the wrong place your side of the world!

First trip to the Nthrn hemisphere orienting myself with the sun in the wrong place messed with my mind.

Expect you've done all this but here's some tips for keeping warm in low temps, learned from camping out in the snow:

1. Eat well
2. Wear a beanie
3. Wear a fleece neck warmer
4. Don't stand on concrete - put down some rubber mat
5. Wear polypropylene gloves
6. Run 20 x round the workshop every 15 minutes ;-}

Best wishes for the festive season.

hmmmmm.....electrically heated turning tools!

Nah, Ed, just stick to abrasive woods and sharpen often ;-}

Originally Posted by rsser

.....
6. Run 20 x round the workshop every 15 minutes ;-}

Ern, I love this tip. It is especially effective if one raises the alternate knees to chest high when running around the workshop! While Al may be able to cope with this exercise, I would be buggered after a few laps! I am panting already just thinking about it.:

Regards
Andy

LOL.

Yeah, when I'm skiing back country it's good to get to the campsite at about 3.30pm. Set up the tent, sleeping bag and mat. Get everything ready to cook dinner and then head out for a hard short circuit ski. Gets the body temp up. Then dive into the tent, rug up, even in the bag if nec., cook and eat dinner and lie down. Nice and warm at that point. Pity it's only about 5.30 pm. Bladder strength is good when you have to last til 7 am, but that's another story.

Originally Posted by rsser

Expect you've done all this but here's some tips for keeping warm in low temps, learned from camping out in the snow:

1. Eat well
2. Wear a beanie
3. Wear a fleece neck warmer
4. Don't stand on concrete - put down some rubber mat
5. Wear polypropylene gloves
6. Run 20 x round the workshop every 15 minutes ;-}

.

Ern, sure found No.4 essential on my concrete floor in winter. Have two 20mm thick mats, and in high winter I find both are needed, one on top of the other! Also, couldn't survive without my thermal undies.

As for No.6, who has a workshop large enough (or organised enough) to be able to run 'round' in it? Does running on the spot count.... .

Neil

Anything to generate body heat Neil.

Could try squats holding the tailstock ;-}

Originally Posted by rsser

Anything to generate body heat Neil.

Could try squats holding the tailstock ;-}

Brings to mind a New Zealander joke.... but won't go there , in case Manuka Jock sees it... .

Neil

Hi
Up here in "Bonnie Scotland" UK i have not done much turning as the temp floats around 2-3C. We are now getting to that time of year that we don't get as many warm days like that. The temp last week was as low as -2C in my shed, too cold.

Originally Posted by rsser

Nah, Ed, just stick to abrasive woods and sharpen often ;-}

Ern...thanks for reminding me to order up some more Mallee!