off season survival

Cuddles · Keene Ontario member

off season survival

wuga · Prince Edward County Ont

Heat the garage!

Warren

58chev · Etobicoke On Rod-side Member

Get yourself a "Contractor Heater" small 220V and will heat up a decent space in no time.

my garage is 16' x 22' and this is what I use and it never goes past No.3 on the dial.

toomuchjunk · Nov 6, 2019

What Warren said!!! Princess auto has a Electric garage heater on sale starting next Tuesday. I Know you are probably thinking electric is too expensive. Insulate it well and heat it. I have a 24'x25'5' attached garage on the house that we park our daily drivers in and I keep it at about 55F all winter. It cost very little to heat. At my age it's not worth changing to a gas heater and the gas line is right there already. As a bonus the insulation will help keep the banging noise in.
IMO
TMJ

wuga · Prince Edward County Ont

Jim

Do you have 220 electric service to the garage? Helps to make suggestions.

Warren

Cuddles · Keene Ontario member

No, I don't have 220 service. That would have been planning ahead. The worst part is (and this is the idiot talking), when I bought the house (cottage) in 1980, there was no garage but I needed space so I dug out the basement by hand with an army shovel and a pail. Took me three years but here's the thing. Before I could start digging, I had to get rid of all the bags of insulation under the cottage that was in my way so I took it to the dump. Yup, I know, what an idiot. It's my first house. Hind sight, 20 20, I know. So now that I have a garage, I have to pay a bundle to insulate the garage. Some lessons in life are hard lessons. I guess I'll have to check out a contractor heater for next winter then factor in the cost of an electrician for the 220. On the upside, that means I could use a welder with 220. I think I'll get glass for my doors first and repair my daily driver. But now I know how everyone survives the off season - there isn't one in a heated garage. Thank you all !

Matchless · Vineland On Rod-Side Member

I heat my woodshop( attached to the car bays) with a woodstove. That's alright when doing almost anything but working on fuel tanks/gas lines/etc.
But sometimes when working on one of the cars I was nervous about fumes/open flame so I bought one of those 220 heaters from Princess Auto. I'd run 220 to the barn years ago.
I installed an outlet for the welder a few years back too so when I wired up the heater I installed another outlet in the woodshop. Then I made a couple 75' 220 "extension cords" which I can run almost anywhere and plug in the heater or the welder.
At the moment the heater is in a 28' enclosed trailer next to the barn which my youngest is converting to an ice-cream vending trailer. Keeps it nice and comfy.
Cuddles, sometimes insulated coveralls, a ground sheet and a heater will get you by. I did my first engine swap outside in the winter, at least when I busted a knuckle I wouldn't feel it......'til it thawed out, lol.

wuga · Prince Edward County Ont

Maybe you can hang tarps around the area you are working in. That should only be about 1/3 of the garage and then heat that area with a smaller 1500W 110 heater. We had a large barn for a club house that used the back half for storage of projects not currently being worked on.
We hung a large tarp between the areas and it was amazing how much easier it was to heat the work area. Don't even think of an open flame heater without air supply and venting.

Warren

wuga · Prince Edward County Ont

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!

Junior · Race starter St.Thomas Drags Rod-side Aylmer On Member

wuga wrote:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!

Ours came and Left Warren,ground is too warm for it to stay,yet.

Matchless · Vineland On Rod-Side Member

You can keep that white crap right there Warren. And good advice re: tarp and fresh air supply. I often hang a tarp to make my heated area smaller.

admin · Nov 7, 2019

I have heard many guys say over the years, Even on a cold winter day it's still warmer working on your car in an unheated shop than being in the house with a cold shoulder from a spouse.. biggrin biggrin biggrin I think as long as you can keep your feet warm dress warm with long Johns, it is surprizing when your busy and enjoying what your working on you don't notice the cold to much. many of us worked outside with only a tarp covering us over the years in "the good old days"" funny how how the good old days are easy to say now that they are just a memory and reminising to what we thought was fun.. get a cheap old snowmobile suit for coveralls.. or go to TSC and get some insulated cubbys and good warm boots warm feet are key to being warm.. next year think about insulate and heat, you have lots of years ahead that make heating a worth while expense to have a warm place to play..

Cuddles · Keene Ontario member

All great ideas ! I especially like the tarp idea, at least for this winter. And the 110 heater would be fine. Sounds like a really good solution. I'm ok with the cold after working outside for 32 years except for my fingers. My body and my feet never get too cold but my fingers freeze up in a few minutes now. And I can't build much without my fingers. Maybe I should try fabricating with my toes ? Thank you all for your kind advice. I'm just lovin' this hobby. And I don't think you want to see the snow we got here. That photo looks like a walk in the park (or field).

stang · Veteran Member Strathroy On

Just started cleaning my shop last week, 2 coats of paint on the walls & ceiling, re painted all of the shelves, 20yrs of dust long overdue. Now to find something to do !!!!!!

Janies dirty 37 · Nov 8, 2019

I dressed warm and sectioned off a spot big enough to work in my shop ( anyone ever watch Dexter? lol) used a couple little electric heaters until I got things buttoned down and then eventually got a pellet stove to heat my whole shop. mine is 30’ x 38’ and 1/2 of that is 2 story so a big space to heat. Back then I didn’t really need to heat the whole thing.

although, you’re almost guaranteed peace and quiet when you’re working out in an unheated shop. 🥴

Beans · Courtice On Rod-Side Member Pin Striper

I'm very fortunate now to have a heated insulated garage but that's new. Before that I just dressed really warm and would put a small space heater near the area I was working, even to just try and warm up the stuff I was going to be touching... I sure was cold but I just did little bits at a time if I had to. I am super spoiled now though!!

toomuchjunk · Nov 8, 2019

I can remember in my late teens laying on ice in my mom and dads driveway.
I was either trying to make the exhaust louder or fixing the rear leaf springs on my '55 Pontiac.
I used to lay there for so long the ice would change it's state back to water from my body heat. I would be soaked.
The good old days
TMJ

Matchless · Vineland On Rod-Side Member

Hey boys and girl, we were talking about sectioning off area's with tarps.....well P.A. has " insulated"tarps on for 25% off Jan 7 to 19.
I'm gonna grab a 12' X 24' and double it over the drafty sliding door opening in my barn.

Cuddles, 2 of these wrapped around your work area would do wonders at keeping it warm with just a small electric heater. Mebbe grab one for the ceiling too.

Cuddles · Keene Ontario member

Thank you matchless. Boy, P.A. has everything !

rochie · London On, ELTA Member

One of the guys in the club just finished a 59 Pontiac bubble top in a portable garage. You know the poles and tarp type. Three years of work in that place. Gotta give him credit for persistence.

Matchless · Vineland On Rod-Side Member

So, further to the insulated tarp story....my wife stopped by our local store ( St Catharines) to pick up a 12' X 24' insulated tarp.

The woman she spoke with said " I'm sorry but we don't have that item - and I'm not certain our Supplier is going to be able to provide it either." With Sue ( my wife) standing there the woman kindly called Hamilton to see if they had it?....nope.

Well....she suggested we call their 1-800 number, which I did later.

I spoke to a young lad. explained the situation and he checked at his end. "You're right, they don't have them. Let me see what I can find....okay, I have a 12X24 insulated tarp here, would you like it shipped?" I replied, " sure, please" , gave him my credit card number and that was it.
I got an e-mail confirmation that it's been sent, no charge for shipping, it should be here tomorrow.

That's pretty good service in my books.

TMJ, I hear ya, been there - done that. Got the arthritis to prove it, lol.
Anytime Cuddles,
Rochie, give that fella a handshake for persistence, one of those tents is better than a snow-bank........but not by much.

Now, y'all get back to work!

There is no elevator to success — you have to take the stairs.