Mountain Biking - Any tips on heating a workspace?

All my bikes/tools/stand stay out in the unheated garage, and as winter is rapidly arriving I am finding that it's getting pretty chilly out there to be working on anything. I have tried 2 different spaceheaters and am about to return the second. Anyone have any tips for a college student on a budget?

Layers :D

Sounds like it's similar to beating a dead horse.

Try going to a LP gas 'radiant' type heater, which will heat only the objects in the space, not the air. That is the only practical solution I can think of for somewhat large, uninsulated spaces.

Layers :D

blue, that's a bit cheeky, don't you think? Ah, gee, what season is it down under right now, you dog! :)

try to poly (tarp or vapor barrier) off a smaller area and run one of those little square ceramic heaters
something like this sexy little unit http://www.todaysconcept.com/honeywell-hz510mp-ceramic-heater.html

options, assuming adding heating or insulation isn't an opiton:

get some sort of window/door/vent seal and make sure anything to the outside isn't leaking warm air out.

do the same with any outlets/plugs/whatever on exterior walls.

layers. heaters. eat some gassy foods. stocking cap. keep your head warm, and it'll help alot. get some latex gloves from home depot and wear them. it'll help keep you hands warmer. still gives a good grip on tools, and bonus keeping your hands from getting as nasty. warmer hands are less likely to drop a beer than cold numbed ones. :)

suck it up, princess.

the LP gas infrared heaters that you can buy at a Home Depot or Lowes works great. They are like 15000 BTU's and can heat a reasonable area. They are also relatively cheap.

Warm feet make a huge difference. If you are standing on freezing concrete you have a HUGE heatsink sucking the heat through the soles of your feet. Wear boots with thick soles and buy some high quality sole inserts. I use thick wool felt inserts and now I find that I can stand most any temperature.

jim

Warm feet make a huge difference. If you are standing on freezing concrete you have a HUGE heatsink sucking the heat through the soles of your feet. Wear boots with thick soles and buy some high quality sole inserts. I use thick wool felt inserts and now I find that I can stand most any temperature.

jim

Carpet the area where you work. And as for heating- If it is cold enough for Layers- then why not get out and ride instead? Save the maintenance till the wife goes out and use the Kitchen.

Some interesting theories......

Thanks guys for some good ideas, layers and such are second nature too me from my time riding up in ND, but I've never given the latex glove idea a try before. As a quick clarifier though, if I am using one of these LP heaters, as long as I'm exercising reasonable caution do I need to worry too much about fumes/problems from gas/motor oil/mineral spirits etc being stored out there? I think the landlady may revoke my shop privileges real quick if I blew the place up! ;)

I haven't had any problems with stuff like that before, no. But safety is no accident ;]

I would advise against carpeting your workspace though.

Could you just create a workspace inside the house? Why do you have to work on it in the garage?

Tarp on the floor in the lounge works well ;]

Tarp on the floor in the lounge works well ;]

Bathroom too, but it is really cramped for arm room

Yeah..I'd rather be working in my cozy living room with a tv/some form of entertainment rather than a cold garage with a space heater I gotta pay for!! Do it up in the HOUSE! Yeeeeehaw

My wife's dinning table makes a great work bench...beer and snacks are right at hand too.

Thanks guys for some good ideas, layers and such are second nature too me from my time riding up in ND, but I've never given the latex glove idea a try before. As a quick clarifier though, if I am using one of these LP heaters, as long as I'm exercising reasonable caution do I need to worry too much about fumes/problems from gas/motor oil/mineral spirits etc being stored out there? I think the landlady may revoke my shop privileges real quick if I blew the place up!

I wouldn't worry about it, as long as it isn't in really large quantities. I used one over Thanksgiving Break (also in college) while we changed a gas valve in the garage. We used a little LP heater to make it comfortable to work in the garage.

Here's what we use on the jobsite, forced air LP, Salamander or 'torpedo' type. These crank big time.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/kenhill3/blp375t.jpg
Note: 375,00 BTU"s

In college I used the basement of our house, right next to the hydroponics set up.. it was nice and toasty.

In college I used the basement of our house, right next to the hydroponics set up.. it was nice and toasty.

I'll bet it was. The halides put out the heat, promote resin production.

Thanks guys for some good ideas, layers and such are second nature too me from my time riding up in ND, but I've never given the latex glove idea a try before. As a quick clarifier though, if I am using one of these LP heaters, as long as I'm exercising reasonable caution do I need to worry too much about fumes/problems from gas/motor oil/mineral spirits etc being stored out there? I think the landlady may revoke my shop privileges real quick if I blew the place up! ;)

Yes, you can blow the place up. It happened this week, here in Northern California. Two workmen were cleaning a garage floor using solvent. The fumes got to the pilot light of a water heater and BANG. No fatals, no fire, just ringing ears, and very minor damage. See if the local paper the "Press Democrat" gives any details.

try something like this:

http://santafe.craigslist.org/mat/496791885.html


the little ones : http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=916&sku=424560&

don't make enough heat for a large space, and the torpedo from above is overkill.

Here's what we use on the jobsite, forced air LP, Salamander or 'torpedo' type. These crank big time.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/kenhill3/blp375t.jpg
Note: 375,00 BTU"s

Same thing I have only mine is a kerosene/diesel powered one. It heats up the garage in no time flat. Its temperature controlled and I have a regular old kerosene heater that I use to maintain the temp so the torpedo doesn't run much once it gets the garage decent. I run diesel in both. Some people complain about the fumes but my garage isn't exactly air tight so I've never really noticed any.

Here's what we use on the jobsite, forced air LP, Salamander or 'torpedo' type. These crank big time.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/kenhill3/blp375t.jpg
Note: 375,00 BTU"sThose are indeed nice. That's what I was going to suggest too. If your budget can't handle a torpedo-type heater, though, then the next option is some insulated Carhart coveralls :D

(I did the main bearings in an old Toyota once on the floor of my neighbor's unheated shop that way in a 20 degree winter once. . . . brrrrrrrrr!)

I have one of those oil filled 'radiators' that is electrically powered to heat an 8 x 12 stick framed shed which has no insulation. I just turn it on about an hour before I'm ready to go out and work and I can do so comfortably. Not shor5ts and tee shirt mind you, but at least wrenches don't stick to my hands when I pick one up.

No risk of blowinf the place up from solvents either. :)