heating the knife shop (shed)

timos-

timos-

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
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I do my dirty work outside in a 10 x 12 ft shed with a 7' high ceiling one side and about 10' high the other side. All I really do out there is run my grinder and drill press. It is a really cool old shed...the two by fours are actually 2" x 4" hardwood. The siding is red cedar with amazing weather worn exterior surfaces. ...its a cool tiny little building. It is not insulated.
This winter I am going to need to keep the grinder running early mornings on the weekend so I am gonna need some heat out there. I have tried wet grinding when it is 10 degrees out....it sucks! The problem is I cant run any electric heaters while I am grinding. I have an older vent free propane heater that I could hook up. I kind of want to tuck my great grandfathers old wood stove into the corner though. How stupid would it be to put a wood stove into a shed this size? I also have about 12' of double wall stove pipe. I have been reading as much as I can but all the old threads are always talking about much larger size shops.
 
An oil-filled space heater, kept on all the time (except when you're grinding) could be your answer.
 
A small wood stove is a great option. If it's a little pot belly type stove it's probably about the right size for a small un-insulated, drafty shed.
 
I used to have a tiny wood stove in a deer hunting stand smaller than that, and I use one in my wall tent that's roughly that size. Just make sure you're able to give it enough clearance, putting tin (steel roofing or similar) on the walls it's closest to wouldn't be a bad idea.
 
My entire shop is inside an uninsulated 115 year old well house measuring 10x13. I have a radiant kerosene heater that was given to me and is all but worthless. I'm thinking of getting an oil filled heater, run all the time (making my problem worse is there is a 4'x4'x4' space under my slab, so the slab is always ice cold in winter). I may supplement that with a radiant propane heater (like a little buddy heater) for when im in the shop. I am only holding off doing that in hopes that my wife will relent and let me build an enclosed room in our heated and cooled FOUR CAR GARAGE (yeah, I know) that currently houses my HT oven and band saw. Then I will be in exactly the same boat as you with the grinder in the well house. (unless I make a clean room in the new space). Not much insight I know, But I'm hoping to benefit from the responses you get on this post. thanks.
 
I have used a propane "torpedo" type heater in a case like yours. I set it a few feet outside and pointed the blast toward the door. When it got too hot, I moved it farther w-away. The fan on them does not use much electricity, so it should be OK to use while grinding.
 
The fumes from a torpedo type heater build up quickly in a small building. I have used one in my 50x50 shop and after about 20 minutes my eyes begin to burn. That is with the OH door raised about 2' for carbon monoxide build up. Why not a small oil burning stove or propane that is safely vented to the outside. Insulate the inside well and you will love the stove. A wood stove properly vented could also work but you do not have heat on demand with that. With a oil/propane burner, you could even set the time you wanted it to turn off/on using the T stat.
 
First off you should try and insulate however you can, the best heat source I can recommend in a small space like that would be an oil filled heater like others suggested--blocking the draftiness will be a big plus.
 
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