Thread: SAFE heating in the woodturner's garage?

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

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

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?

Originally Posted by Rattrap

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Originally Posted by Toasty

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

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...pe4=&type5=&s=

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.

Originally Posted by 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...pe4=&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

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

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...

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!