# It's cold out there



## OldMachinist (Jan 7, 2015)

Is it cold enough for you today?




My wood furnace in the shop is barely keeping it above 60F today.


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## xalky (Jan 7, 2015)

Right now it's about 18degrees but windy...I hate the wind! Tonight, it's supposed to get down to 0 degrees and windy. Not looking forward to the gas bill this month.  

Gas and oil are convenient, but on days like today, I wish I had a wood stove!

Marcel


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## bosephus (Jan 7, 2015)

was 15 here this morning , old sparky here keeps my little 22x22 concrete block garage as toasty warm as you can want ,.. if you do not mind feeding it .
i had it up to 84 this morning before i opened the door to cool off .


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## Brain Coral (Jan 7, 2015)

I'd say it's cold... !!!  Try -13 F with a shrieking wind chill of -25 F....  :yikes:

.... and it gets much colder than that around here at times... mosquitoes aren't too bad, though... 

Brian


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## MarkStephen (Jan 7, 2015)

Is that a Sotz? (hard to tell from the pic) I really miss that company. They were made up in Columbia Station, Ohio. Last kit I got from them I drove up to the door and picked it up. Those Sotz Kits would burn a log for a coons age and roast you half to death all the while.



bosephus said:


> was 15 here this morning , old sparky here keeps my little 22x22 concrete block garage as toasty warm as you can want ,.. if you do not mind feeding it .
> i had it up to 84 this morning before i opened the door to cool off .
> 
> View attachment 91783


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## Karl_T (Jan 7, 2015)

I just got off the ocean. Sun beating down all day, mid 80s. I'm fried and tired from catching too many fish. Can anybody spare some sun tan lotion?:LOL:


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## JimDawson (Jan 7, 2015)

I guess I have it pretty good at least for today.  About 50 outside, blue sky, nice sun, no wind.  My shop roll up door faces the south, so I have nice warm sunshine pouring in to the shop, probably about 65 or so in there. )


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## davidh (Jan 7, 2015)

here in far n.w. wisconsin it warmed right up to -1.  we get lake superior to help us. . .   ya right.


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## fastback (Jan 7, 2015)

Well where we are it is supposed to go down to -4 by morning.  This will be a with a lot of wind.  My machine shop is in the basement and I have additional help with a 4K heater.  I also work in the barn from time to time and have a wood stove as well as a Reddy propane heater to help when I need a little jump start.  We heat the house with a pellet stove for the most part.  We just need to keep in mind that it is winter.

Paul


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## sk1nner (Jan 7, 2015)

7 here in Detroit.   On a side note, does any one have any experience with this heater? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_H1BRub0KN6JCZ

My kerosene torpedo works well but is kinda expensive to run.  Wondering how well one of those would work in a block 22x22x8 (no insulation).  Thanks


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## f350ca (Jan 7, 2015)

I left the prairies to get away from the cold but its -26 c or -15f right now and dropping to -28 c tonight with a wind chill of -38 c or -36 f. God I hate winter, but the good news is there's no mosquitoes right now.

Greg


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## Sandia (Jan 7, 2015)

It got up to 60 today, low tonight around 38.  Boy I feel sorry for you guys in the winter time.

Throw another log on the fire,

Sandia


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## Dave Smith (Jan 7, 2015)

sk1nner said:


> 7 here in Detroit.   On a side note, does any one have any experience with this heater? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_H1BRub0KN6JCZ
> 
> My kerosene torpedo works well but is kinda expensive to run.  Wondering how well one of those would work in a block 22x22x8 (no insulation).  Thanks




it warmed up to -10 now and the wind chill is -30   schools were all called off----the snakes aren't crawling around and no mosquitos




I don't think it would help much at all for that big of an area with no insulation----save your money and buy a good warm set of insulated coveralls----or get a small wood stove and it will warm it up cheap--- even with no insulation----Dave in cold Minnesota-------I have a natural gas overhead hot dawg heater that keeps my 14x24 shop warm without trouble ---but my shop is insulated----even without insulation I think it would be cheaper to run than a small electric heater----insulate your shop or--work FAST
----Dave


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## JimDawson (Jan 7, 2015)

sk1nner said:


> 7 here in Detroit.   On a side note, does any one have any experience with this heater? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_H1BRub0KN6JCZ
> 
> My kerosene torpedo works well but is kinda expensive to run.  Wondering how well one of those would work in a block 22x22x8 (no insulation).  Thanks




Looks heavy duty, it should work fine.  It's not going to be cheap to run with no insulation, but it should do a pretty good job.


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## road (Jan 7, 2015)

It was -12c or minus th thhthh 30 with the w  w  i wwi nd chchill  !!    
This morning I worked on putting my lathe together in an unheated single garage . I had to come in the house every 20 minutes  so I could feel my fingers and my assembly.   

Still cold from it....   


:yikes:


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## Ken_Shea (Jan 7, 2015)

sk1nner said:


> 7 here in Detroit.   On a side note, does any one have any experience with this heater? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_H1BRub0KN6JCZ
> 
> My kerosene torpedo works well but is kinda expensive to run.  Wondering how well one of those would work in a block 22x22x8 (no insulation).  Thanks




Being Infra red it will heat up things and not air so they are kinda directional and that would be what you would want for an uninsulated area.
I've got a non Infra-red selectable 3200/5600watt that runs non stop in this cold weather, my electric bill will be $350-$400  this month. BTU's are expensive any way you go. I hate it but cant keep up with the shop and house both with wood. I just shake my head and go on.


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## Shadowdog500 (Jan 7, 2015)

sk1nner said:


> 7 here in Detroit.   On a side note, does any one have any experience with this heater? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_H1BRub0KN6JCZ
> 
> My kerosene torpedo works well but is kinda expensive to run.  Wondering how well one of those would work in a block 22x22x8 (no insulation).  Thanks



Dont have any experience with one of those, but I have one of these infrared keroscene torpedo heaters and love it.   http://www.amazon.com/000-Kerosene-...75389&sr=8-8&keywords=torpedo+heater+kerosene

Chris


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## Ken_Shea (Jan 7, 2015)

Chris, 
Do those have different settings for out put?


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## xalky (Jan 7, 2015)

sk1nner said:


> 7 here in Detroit.   On a side note, does any one have any experience with this heater? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XOZN7A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_H1BRub0KN6JCZ
> 
> My kerosene torpedo works well but is kinda expensive to run.  Wondering how well one of those would work in a block 22x22x8 (no insulation).  Thanks



That heater has been around for years, my father had one exactly like it in his garage. It works well and heats up fast but the electric bill is gonna kill ya. That's not an infrared BTW it's convection, basically forced hot air. 

I'd heat with propane if I were you. Something like this will heat up that space quick. http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-For...id=1420676455&sr=1-20&keywords=propane+heater

Or something like this if you're looking for radiant heat. http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH3...qid=1420676455&sr=1-5&keywords=propane+heater

Kerosene is real stinky. Propane burns clean, and is much cheaper to use than electricity. In a garage propane works fine, and you won't have to worry too much about fumes. If you think kerosene is expensive, don't even think about electric.

Marcel


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## sk1nner (Jan 7, 2015)

Thanks for the input guys.  I have a 55k btu kero torpedo,  it works great, just expensive.   And I seem to run out at the worse possible time. But I guess I'll have to stick with what I have.  I wish my garage was stick built, insulation wouldn't be a problem.   Since its brick I would have to frame it then insulate, expensive and takes up (a small amount of) squart footage.   If it wasn't for the noise and having a 21 month old daughter (and son on the way in 2 weeks) I would do a basement shop, but that's out of the question.


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## xalky (Jan 7, 2015)

sk1nner said:


> Thanks for the input guys.  I have a 55k btu kero torpedo,  it works great, just expensive.   And I seem to run out at the worse possible time. But I guess I'll have to stick with what I have.  I wish my garage was stick built, insulation wouldn't be a problem.   Since its brick I would have to frame it then insulate, expensive and takes up (a small amount of) squart footage.   If it wasn't for the noise and having a 21 month old daughter (and son on the way in 2 weeks) I would do a basement shop, but that's out of the question.


My garage is cement block walls. It was a bear to heat before I put insulation at ceiling level, R19 was enough to make a huge difference. I also tightened up all the windows and doors. I have uninsulated steel doors, I added 1 1/2" foil backed insulation into all the panels. Made sure that I used garage door stops with the rubber flaps on them and adjusted the doors so the don't flop around when it's windy, like right now. Also made sure that the bottom seals actually sealed. I had one spot where the floor dipped down about a half inch where air was leaking. I added some foam sticky tape to build it up more. The key is eliminate the drafts and try not to heat up the roof and attic space.


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## uncle harry (Jan 7, 2015)

road said:


> It was -12c or minus th thhthh 30 with the w  w  i wwi nd chchill  !!
> This morning I worked on putting my lathe together in an unheated single garage . I had to come in the house every 20 minutes  so I could feel my fingers and my assembly.
> 
> Still cold from it....
> ...


Gold Stars there sir, such dedication !


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## Shadowdog500 (Jan 7, 2015)

Ken_Shea said:


> Chris,
> Do those have different settings for out put?



No it does not. I regulate the heat with distance.   I keep mine on a small HF dolly.   I fire it up about 6 feet from where I'm working, after a few minutes I get hot and  push it back a few feet, ant then push it back further as I warm up. I usually have it  at about 15 to 20 feet from me after a half hour and it stays at that distance.  My shop is 30x52x17 with open eave vents and ridge vents so I'm not trying to heat the entire thing..

Chris


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## f350ca (Jan 7, 2015)

I truly feel for you guys. 
This, (actually half this, one half I cut up for my aunt)



Goes through this,




To give radiant in floor heat in the house and shop. I just need to get from the house to the shop then take my coat off in the morning.
I manage to heat both buildings, the shop is 1700 square feet for about 7-800 dollars with of logs a year. But a lot of work to do it.

Greg


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## savarin (Jan 7, 2015)

Not too bad here at the moment, only 89'F
Whats that weird white stuff you have all over the ground?:laughinghard::whiteflag:


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## OldMachinist (Jan 7, 2015)

It's 6F here on its way to -1 or -2 later. I just came back out to the shop to feed the furnace another load of wood so it will at least be above 45 in here in the morning.


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## vtcnc (Jan 8, 2015)

-13F up here in Vermont, should warm up to 14F tomorrow! It would make it more tolerable if there was some snow on the ground though


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## bosephus (Jan 8, 2015)

"Is that a Sotz? (hard to tell from the pic) I really miss that company.  They were made up in Columbia Station, Ohio. Last kit I got from them I  drove up to the door and picked it up. Those Sotz Kits would burn a log  for a coons age and roast you half to death all the while."


i think it is a "us stove" kit , not 100% sure though , i found the kit at a yard sale  gave 10 bucks for it . 
it does put out a heck of a lot heat  , adding the second barrel sure would help to conserve fuel 
but then it becomes entirely to much heat heat for my small space .  

i did get my ceiling insulated over the summer , but neither of my two garage doors are insulated or weatherstripped, next year i hope to actually get that done , i generally just take a few old towel's to stuff around the doors to slow down the cold air coming in if its colder then 40 or so outside . 
and once thats done it takes between 15-40 minutes to heat the air up to t shirt temps depending on outside temp .


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## MarkStephen (Jan 8, 2015)

bosephus said:


> "Is that a Sotz? (hard to tell from the pic) I really miss that company.  They were made up in Columbia Station, Ohio. Last kit I got from them I  drove up to the door and picked it up. Those Sotz Kits would burn a log  for a coons age and roast you half to death all the while."
> 
> 
> i think it is a "us stove" kit , not 100% sure though , i found the kit at a yard sale  gave 10 bucks for it .
> ...



Ah, US Stove kits work pretty good, as I'm sure you know, but there is nothing like a Sotz. I had the double barrel kit with the thermostat dampener and it worked a treat. We roasted 24/7 :lmao:

Knowing now what I didn't know then, I'd of bought 15 or 20 of them. Weather.com says it's 1 out there right now and "feels like" -12... That's almost like real cold. 

Mark


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## fastback (Jan 8, 2015)

Sk1nner, I have a similar electric unit in my machine shop, its a 4K.  The machine shop is a 14 x 20 addition we added to the house.  This addition basement is a walk out cellar and is 2x6 framed with R19 wall and R? (9-inch ) in the ceiling to reduce noise as well as to insulate.  Even the concrete walls a insulated with a foam insulation.  Now the electric heat works well, but is costly. I only run it when I am actually working in there.  I first open the door to the main house and allow some of the heat from the finished cellar migrate in. I then run the heater to keep it comfortable (68 or 70).  I think if I had the room I would have a pellet stove.  They are very efficient and reasonable to operate.  The bags of pellets are easy to store and handle.  You don't have the same mess as a wood stove.  I like the thought of propane, but that also can be expensive as a sole source of heat.  

Paul


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## Ebel440 (Jan 8, 2015)

My lathes in my garage it gets some heat from the house but the garage door is aluminum so I've been working on insulating it. As temporary heat I've been using 2 of these floodlights I picked up. Each one had a 500 watt bulb. They say 90% of the power gets wasted as heat and the extra light helps.


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## Mark in Indiana (Jan 8, 2015)

3 degrees this morning. Not the coldest that I've seen on this thread, but still too uncomfortable.


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