How much heat for shop

[Toyo FJ40]

Slick, I like that. Would that keep the exhaust out (does the exhaust vent separate from the heated air or does it come out the end with it)?

No the exhaust would be pushed through the hole into the shed. With Torpedo type heaters the hot air out is the exhaust. Don't use diesel inside the fumes are 10 times worse than kero.

 

[BAILEIGH INC]

Pellet stoves rule. I just got one and love it.

 

[45Kevin]

I used to work in the garage with a propane radiant heater. It sucked unless you where right next to it. And by that mean you had it under your chair. The torpedo heaters with the fan are the best. they can be found at HD and Canadian tire etc. They make enough heat to leave the door open a tad so that the fumes don't get you.
When I worked in new home construction we would use the propane torpedo heaters all the time. they put out a lot of heat and didn't need a fan...but they also put a whole lot of moisture in the air. You would have icicles coming from your rafters and ice falls on your walls. Of course the next time you warmed up the garage that ice would all turn to water.

Plus, you could put the torpedo heater under your truck to get it started on these real cold days we having right now.

 

[hydro joe]

There are vent less propane heaters that will do fine they are made by renai i think

 

[RockDoc]

Ended up bringing home my grandpa's old kerosene "Blueflame" heater. I think I'll be able to jury rig it up to the chimney from the old coal stove to vent the fumes outside. I'll post up a pic or two when I get around to the garage, trying to get stuff straightened up in the house today.

Any reason I shouldn't run diesel (i.e. cheaper) instead of kerosene? What about blending in some used ATF (I imagine engine oil would be taking it a bit far). Kerosene/diesel/ATF makes a decent parts washing fluid too, correct?

 

[Michael Hanson]

Why not a small ac/heat pump portable unit. No fumes,open flame etc. when you leave take it with you. Mike

 

[Rambrush]

He is renting so he can not go that direction,

I would stick with kerosene as it should burn cleaner than diesel.

Also Heat pumps don't work that great in colder climates.

 

[RockDoc]

I would stick with kerosene as it should burn cleaner than diesel.

Is burning cleaner a concern as far as damaging or gumming up the heater? I believe I'll be able to vent it out the chimney stack from the beat up coal stove, so the fumes/smoke won't be an issue.

Tomorrow looks like a decent day weather-wise, so I'll likely get some time in tidying the garage and seeing what I'll have for working space.

 

[D'Animal]

Diesel will leave the Soot behind as well as the odor.

Kerosene has a lot less odor and is cleaner.

I burn Diesel but I am not in a confined space.

To answer the question of gumming up the heater, if it is the wick style heater, diesel may gum up the wick.

 

[Toyo FJ40]

Does the blue flame heater have a chmney? If it the one I'm thinking of it's a wick type with out a chimney and like D'Animal don't use diesel in a wick heater.

 

[RockDoc]

It's a wick type, no chimney provision on it, but I'm thinking I'll rig some sort of inverted funnel adapter to the chimney. I'll stick to kerosene.

 

[cruiser88]

I love non-vented natural gas or propane stoves. Cheap effiecent I get mine in 35k btu's. You can go with or without a fan.

Mine hang on the wall

 

[RockDoc]

I love non-vented natural gas or propane stoves. Cheap effiecent I get mine in 35k btu's. You can go with or without a fan.

Mine hang on the wall

Well, we'll see how this little guy does for a bit. Takes the chill off, but doesn't exactly make it toasty (only ~8000 btu/hr). Might work fine though with an electric space heater under the work bench to keep my immediate area warmer, or if I tarp off the back half of the garage to keep the heat up front..... but propane might still be the ultimate answer.

 

[cruiser88]

oh hell brother, heat is heat

s*** man.....I dont even have my own garage......you are a step ahead of me

 

[RockDoc]

it is what you make of it. Shelving is old closet doors, there's 3 kayaks, 2 cruiser engines and an A440F taking up space. Right now I'm building a work bench with an old sink for a parts washing basin. Previously my work bench was an old deep freeze sitting behind the garage. But it's my space.

 

[bkfj40]

one thing you have to remember with that amount of engines and a transmission....even once you get the heat going, that is a lot of mass to warm up as well....