shop heater question

K

kraut

Joined
Apr 14, 2000
Messages
118
I could use some sage wisdom from you guys on which type of heater to get.
I'm getting tired of using a kerosene heater,( the odour plus the moisture build up after the shop gets cold, not to mention my fear of blowing myself up every time I light it).

First of all I want to heat by natural gas as there is an old BBQ hook-up right outside the door plus it is still fairly cheap compared to hydro so I could leave it set at about 40 degrees F all the time.

My main concern is that a heater with a fan to circulate the warm air will also keep the fine grinding particulate circulating in the air long after grinding is finished requiring me to wear a respirator just about all the time.
An exhaust system would just blow the warm air out with the dust.

How do you guys in the COLD areas heat your shops?
Anybody have any experience with a self contined tube type heater that draws and vents to the outside. It is a radiant heat model.

Thanks for your input

Jim Ziegler
 
I saw some where in Blade or KI about a shop filter. What the guy did was take a Walmart special fan, took the front and rear covers off, built a wood box for it. Then put central air filters in front and behind it.

I don't know how your heater works, but you might be able to rig up a filter to eighter the intake or exhaust.
 
I made a filter setup from plans somewhere in the forums. Do like the box fan idea only put 4 filters in front of the fan . The incoming side and once a month take the first 1 out and through it away and put a new 1 in the last position.I hung mine from the ceiling and have the air blowing by the grinder in a downwards direction.
Now if I could just remember to turn it on.
Oh I heat with a kerosine heater and would worry more about the propane one.
Take Care
TJ Smith
 
I thought shop heaters were called 'Forges,' around here?!?

:D

Seriously, though, I'm curious about this, too, 'cause it's been pretty darned nippy in the ole' shop, lately...
 
A old coal burning heater works great in my shop,But I have now started using a 3 brick propane heater like the make for houses.a natural gas one would wor great.No matter what heater you have you need a dust collection system anyway.
With a exaust system you can cut down on the heat loss by only running it when grinding,it would be healthier and cheaper in the long run to have to heat the shop a little more than the expensive doctor bills later.
Bruce
 
Jim, my shop (double car garage) has a gas heater mounted on the ceiling & adjustable vanes to direct the air. Made by Rheem. Came with the house, surprised at how well it works, thermostat controlled.
I like it because it keeps the garage from freezing. Finding 70 degrees inside while 0 degrees outside easily done. It does have a double wall vent pipe (3 or 4") going to the roof. The garage was insulated and I added insulation to the big door, which made a big difference.

In my next life the shop will be in a seperate building with a wood stove, coal forge and the gas heater to keep everything from freezing when I'm not around to stoke the fire. Yes, I'm taking the gas heater with me when I move.
 
I have an inexpensive un-vented propane wall heater in my shop that does great. I believe you can get a similar heater for natural gas, not mush difference but orifice size i believe. Do get a higher priced model with a thermostat and small fan to circulate the hot air. (mine was the cheapo with out and I wish I had gotten these features)Should be about $250-300 for the heater. You should be able to pipe it up to the gas yourself with black pipe or metallic flex hose. A ceiling fan helps tremendously too.
 
I will be rigging some kind of filtration system using either a squirrel cage type blower and venting it through either bag or furnace filters in the near future. I also have my eye on very small yet powerfull fan unit we confiscated during a drug raid. As soon as the Judge says it can be disposed of at auction I'll be the guy in the front row bidding like crazy.
Propane is cost prohibitive and wood stoves up here require chimney's that meet fire code and cost as much as natural gas wall furnaces. Plus I need continuous 24 hr heat that doesn't need stokeing.
As I said earlier I am considering a radiant heat unit that hangs from the ceiling. It is natural gas powered and looks like a mutant shop light.
Thanks for the input
 
I have a forced air natural gas furnace w/thermostat that we stole from a house before they took the bull dozer to it. It has a filter on it plus my 99.5% efficient filter near the ceiling. On damascus days, the forge does all the heating even with the door open and the swamp cooler fan on.
 
I have used what is known as a 220 volt construction heater..I used the same one for the last 12 years. When I liver further north we had long winters with lots of 30 below temps. Both my old and new shops are about the same size of 14'x 24'. Hasn't been as expensive as you would think. However, if your gas line is that close go for the gas system which will be cheaper to operate for sure. There are natual gas heaters without fans that do a great job. Frank Niro.
 
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