Heater for shop...

[jmauldin]

Like every one else I receive a lot of "junk" mail, but one piece caught my eye. It is for a EdenPureQuartz Infrared Portable Heater that will heat up to 1,000 sq. ft and is advertised to cut heating bill by 50%. For those who use their two-car garage of have a small shop this might be something to investigate. It will not start a fire, will not dry the air, will not harm children. They did not provide a web site, but if one did a Google search for EdenPure it should come up. Their phone # is 1-800-577-2582.
Jim in Mayberry

[TracyP]

Thanks for posting that Jim, I am currently looking for an alternative to my MR. Heater.

[ptt49er]

I'd have to know someone who has used them before I bought one. They are pricey!

[Sealeveler]

I have no experience with that brand but when I built frp boats I had infrared heaters and they heated the surfaces fast and were explosion proof.They were very efficient.
Tony

[DIYGUY]

Space heaters in general have their limitations. Several years back I was in search of such a critter and evaluated many options - LP, kerosene, radiant, etc. What it all came to in the end was not much as I never did anything. If my memory serves me, every fuel source had its problems.

The least problematic for me was electricity, but others may have a different need. The amount of heat you can generate from electricity is a function of the wattage. I don't have the formula handy, but IIRC, heating 1000CF of space with a 15A circuit was very iffy. Too many factors came to play - the insulation of the room (mine was none), how often the air was exchanged, the amount of cast iron (heat sink), etc. I am leery of claims that seem too good to be true - they usually are.

When I looked at the site for this heater they had a video of the heat distribution in a room. Really neat marketing tool. I think that the heat is likely distributed with a fan inside the unit - thus the heat is transferred through convection - just like your electric oven. Biggest problem with heating any room on a temporary basis is the inevitable condensation that will ensue upon cooling. I have a hard enough time keeping the rust down in my garshop without adding more headaches. This was what ultimately kept me from adding heat.

My problem was always my hands and not the tools nor the material. I found that keeping my head covered with a watch cap and wearing my Carhartt did wonders for the hands. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[AndyBarnhart]

I have a small infrared heater that looks like a small round fan; it even has a oscillating feature. It was a gift, but I am pretty sure it didn't cost all that much. I like it a lot. If you work mostly in one spot - scrolling, carving and turning are good candidates - this is a good way to go. It heats up the body and tool you point it at pretty much immediately. I would call it a mass heater as opposed to space heater.

[bwat]

I too have an unheated workspace and do not want to add another major noisemaker like the torpedo propane units. Electricity seems the easiest and safest way to go. I find myself turning on a heater and leaving to await the magic transformation and wory about the safety.

I could benefit from what others have found that works or doesn't work for a small shop. Thx.

[Marlin]

I will use electric this year myself. Seems to be the easiest to do. I have enough power to run a heater, lights, and what ever tool I need at the same time easy. So unless you have power issues electric should do ok.
But if you like to leave it on and walk away get one that is protected and also has a thermostat.

[AndyBarnhart]

I do also have an electric oil filled radiator and a little ceramic heater for times when I will spend a while out there or have others with me, but I am also very careful about not leaving them on unattended much. I have one 15 Amp shared only with garage door openers and a dedicated 20 amp plus a nearly worthless 15 Amp shared with doorbell, all exterior outlets and one room that was added on (if the contractor had explained that, there is no way we would have done that). Most of the time I just use the infrared - turn it on when I go out there and turn it off when I go inside.

[FredP]

I went with one of these http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...t_6970_595_595
it works ok to keep it warm but doesnt work well to get it warm. I fire up a 170000BTU kerosene torpedo to get it warmed up then use the electric to keep it that way. it works well down to the mid 20's if there is no wind. my shop is 24 x 32 uninsulated with the second floor closed off by a hollow core door. this heater requires a 40AMP circuit if I recall. If its too cold to work I go in the house!

[skysharks]

My shop measures around 20 by 40'. I have some insulation up on the wall and ceiling.
However my floors are cement and the structure is metal.
Heating and cooling always have been a problem for me.
about a year and a half ago a buddy and I came up with this.

It is an old heat pump radiator if you will. I run well water through it, necked down to restrict the amount of water that flows thru it. A fan then blows air thru the coils.
In the summer, it works great for cooling down the shop.
In the winter that same well water keeps the inside of the shop at right around 51 Degrees.
Then when I am in the shop working I use this to bring the temp up to a comfortable level.
.
I also have a 2 burner Mr. Heater that I keep in the very back of the shop just to help knock the edge off if it is really cold. But then I shut it off after about 1-1 1/2 hours.
Hope this helps.