Workshop warming

[Ian McVickersParticipant @ianmcvickers56553]

Just been out to fire up the stove and its -2 in the workshop.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

That'd be handy on a cold foggy day – a fan pulling in all that cold dew from the outside and wafting it gently around all our precious machines, tools, steel-stock and models! Filtered or not.

My workshop is a single-skin concrete-block shed the width of the plot, so about 16ftee long X 6 wide; with wriggly asbestos-cement roof. It has two large but rather thin, single-pane glass windows facing North; and the rear (South) wall is party with a similar building in the garden of the house in the next street.

I replaced the derelict hardboard ceiling with new but now with 25mm Celotex or Kingspan above it, and the hardboard joints closed and supported with wooden battens, giving a half-timbered effect. I put the same board on the walls, with Sterling-board (the stuff made from shavings) against that.

The floor is of plain concrete and I do not know if it has a damp-proof membrane.

I "double-glazed" the windows externally with polycarbonate, tri-wall roofing-sheet panels that simply fit the creosoted wooden frames closely. They keep the worst of the weather off, but the prevailing winds and rain are from the West anyway.

A good third of the roof has become covered in ivy from next-door's neglected garden. I am letting that happen as it does not harm the building but adds some extra insulation. It's also attractive to see and good for garden wildlife.

I find in cold weather that even without heating, the workshop does not become too cold and condensation is not a serious problem. It does not take too long for me to feel comfortably warm, with the door closed. Especially as I use the hacksaw and file rather a lot (cheaper than milling where I don't need work to "thou" !).

There is a small electric heater in there but since the entire supply, power and lights, is a 13A spur (installed by a previous owner), I am careful about demand.

In my previous home I erected a small wooden shed, lined that and installed two "extension leads" through conduit, one for the ceiling lamp, one for power. Their house ends were short flexes with 13A plugs.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Posted by Hopper on 13/12/2022 21:07:59:

Rather than a hoodie in the workshop, which could cut peripheral vision, maybe try a beanie and a neck-warmer of the type worn by motorcyclists and snowmobilers etc, just a tube of very warm but thin material that is pulled down over the head and sits around the neck. Was a revelation the first time I used one on a motorcycle in the cold weather and not at all cumbersome to wear. Wish we had had them years ago when I actually rode in cold weather a lot!

And also from Rocky Mountain motorcycling experience, long sleeved thermal underwear tops beat the heck out of mulitple jumpers etc for keeping warm and are way less bulky. The modern materials they use are amazingly warm but thin.

I did the 21st Dragon Rally in1982, camping in Snowdonia in the snow was was good fun then but I might struggle to be enthusiastic these days. I think I was clad in Belstaff jacket and leggings, woolly socks, an oiled wool pullover, a thin balaclava style under helmet and of course a white silk scarf. Two sleeping bags kept me warm but a gallon of beer may have dulled my senses. I remember not finding the gents in the pub and diving in the ladies in a hurry fortunately it was empty when I went in but I had just put everything away when a crowd arrived, I made a swift exit as they noticed I was not a lady, I suppose these days I could claim I was. A 200 mile ride to camp in the snow for one night drink a load of beer and stand round a huge bonfire talking rubbish then ride home the next day seems like a lot of effort but 40 years later we still remember it.

Mike

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Currently my weather station is logging 90+ relative humidity outside and on the low side of 30 rh inside. One might think that drawing outside air into a warmer environment like a workshop is tantamount to importing vast amounts of moisture. This is not really the case. In summer the house is more like 50% RH fed from air from outside which is both warmer and wetter. In winter the house humidity falls as outside air contains less actual moisture which when warmed winds up with a lower RH. Generally in winter ventilated air into a workshop which is warmer even by 5 or so degrees will lower the RH. Where the problems start is when there are high temperature fluctuations and a big increase in moisture at the higher temperatures mainly from exhalations from the occupant but also from gas burner use. Subsequent cooling of the enclosed space will result in condensation. The best thing you can do after a session is to ventilate the moisture laden warm air externally and bring in low moisture cold air from outside. A timed exhaust fan on shutting down is a good way of doing this.

regards Martin

Edited By Martin Kyte on 16/12/2022 23:34:04

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I am at last reaping the benefit of a insulated 12 x 8 workshop were I used to curse that there was not enough room to swing a cat!!!!!

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A warm(er) front is coming across the country now, timing dependent on location but it will arrive with me late tomorrow. Anything that has cooled down in your external unheated workshop WILL be dripping with condensation within 24 hours. I have turned on a small 40W heater under the only machine I have in my store shed as this will be more effective than trying to dehumidify the shed in the cold.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Did The Model Engineer ever do a wood burning stove build?

Something with good updraft and a tightly coiled flue to maximise the amount of heat transfer before allowing the smoke to belch out into the back garden and down the street

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

They should be banned unless you live somewhere off grid.

[JAParticipant @ja]

Posted by Ady1 on 17/12/2022 19:33:13:

Did The Model Engineer ever do a wood burning stove build?

Something with good updraft and a tightly coiled flue to maximise the amount of heat transfer before allowing the smoke to belch out into the back garden and down the street

Old technology.

Soon everything will be heated by fusion. The details will be in the May 2120 copy of MEW.

Until then we will have to rely on global warming.

Happy Christmas.

JA

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Fusion power is still just around the corner then!

Ive just come in from outdoors on our globally warmed planet, if that’s warm then roll on global cooling!

Edited By V8Eng on 17/12/2022 22:04:50

[JellyParticipant @jelly]

Posted by Ady1 on 17/12/2022 19:33:13:

Did The Model Engineer ever do a wood burning stove build?

Something with good updraft and a tightly coiled flue to maximise the amount of heat transfer before allowing the smoke to belch out into the back garden and down the street

Irritatingly I can't find the video now, but I have seen a build video on YouTube recently for quite an advanced one applying the same concepts as modern boilers (Primary and Secondary Combustion Chamber with dedicated air supply to each) to maximise the heat output, followed by a flue arrangement to work as a radiator.

The guy went into some detail of how to size the various bits, and was at pains to point out the risk of fire and the need for a guard… Just as well really as when demonstrated the initial part of his flue-radiator was glowing orange.

If I can find it I'll post it up for others.

Edited By Jelly on 17/12/2022 23:29:02

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