# Portable garage heat idea?



## jaykal001 (Nov 27, 2013)

Hi peoples, wondering if anyone has ever used a little buddy heater (propane ) as some temp heat in the garage.

I've got some drafts and a window that is not at all air tight. I figure I'm probably OK for an hour here or there, but winder if anyone had any experience with it.

Thanks, Jay


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*They are too small to "heat"*

It depends on the size, square footage and height of the ceilings. I have that model and unless you stand right in front of it, it's not much heat. Good for a deer blind or fishing shack to warm your hands but not really enough capacity for a shop. 

If it's a garage with a cement floor, there are safety issues with an open flame. You will be cold. If it's a basement, then there are safety issues also. I use electric heaters and have well insulated walls and a wood floor in the woodshop. I keep it at about 50F and raise it to 55F or stand in front of it occasionally to warm up. Once you get moving, sawing, planing, etc. you will warm up. I don't like working on cold cast iron tools, but that's just the way things are here. I live in Michigan. 

I may put in a small woodstove in the woodshop, since there is so much scrap wood to burn. I'm not that concerned with dust or sparks, but really the loss of floor space. Cement board makes a decent hearth that's fireproof. we'll see. I don't really want to install a roof chimney in the cold weather either. That means a 90 degree turn and out the wall and another 90 degree to go up... :thumbdown:


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## smokey1945 (Feb 20, 2009)

Hi Jay,
I live in Ohio and use a "Big Buddy". My 'shop' is my two car garage. It is 24x32 and I have all of my equipment on wheels. I move the 1 car out when I work. Last year I tore the walls and insulated the ceiling and behind the walls. My heater will bring it up and maintain 60 when I'm out there. And the 25/30 gal bottle lasts 3-4 weeks depending. I'm happy with it.

Before I insulated I used 2 electric heaters and froze!
Good luck
Smokey


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Yah, it's all about insulation!*

I'd be sweatin' bullets at 60 degrees. :laughing:

Love your signature line. so true!:yes:


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## smokey1945 (Feb 20, 2009)

I'm old and don't move real fast anymore.:blink:


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## jaykal001 (Nov 27, 2013)

I too will just be working in half of a 2 car garage. If its ridiculously cold here in WI, I will do something else for the day 

I don't need to maintain a high temp, just a place to work for a bit. I was thinking I'd use it like I use my space heater in my basement, just with some portability and storability.

I just use a roll away table, so am looking for a way to just get a little warmth.


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## Crusader (Jan 14, 2013)

Here's what I did. First of all I also work in a 2 car garage, although from here on out I'll refer to it as my shop :laughing: It's mostly uninsulated, the front half is anyway.
I got my hands on an older but still working electric furnace. I unhooked two of the elements, wired a thermostat and mounted it on the side. Then I bought a 10 foot section of pre wired 220v dryer plug. Flipped it upside down and mounted it on a cold air return I bought from HD cut a hole in the side so it blows from the bottom. I have it on a roll around base. 
It works great! Takes all of 15 minutes and my shop is nice and toasty, the thermostat is mostly for safety sake. It may sound kind of complicated but it isn't.


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## Tom King (Nov 22, 2013)

We use one or these. Also, we have some big kerosene burning ones, but don't use them in small closed spaces like a garage. I had a hard time buying one of the small, propane burning ones that worked, and finally ordered a factory reconditioned one off ebay, and it's run probably ten 20lb. tanks through it with zero issues.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200485167_200485167


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Ditto on the 2 car garage (shop) situation. Not sure how your insulation situation is but I have a small elect. heater with fan that works pretty good. The fan, I think, helps a lot to get the air moving. I am in Denver and, as I am sure some of you are in similar circumstances, its not been above 10 F all day but that little heater got it to about 45 F from about 35 F in about a one hr. period today. I don't think it ever gets below freezing in my garage so that probably helps and of course I was wearing a light jacket. :thumbsup:


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

I agree with your quote too smokey!:yes:


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Coincidentally there is an infrared heater ad at the top of the page of this thread I noticed after I posted my reply. Interesting:whistling2:


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## WoodMachiner (Sep 19, 2013)

Tom King said:


> We use one or these. Also, we have some big kerosene burning ones, but don't use them in small closed spaces like a garage. I had a hard time buying one of the small, propane burning ones that worked, and finally ordered a factory reconditioned one off ebay, and it's run probably ten 20lb. tanks through it with zero issues.
> 
> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200485167_200485167


I have used these before to heat my garage/shop (26x32). They work great! I actually have two of the 60,000 BTU models. A 20lb cylinder will last about 10 hrs if you run it straight. Before I got my furnace I would turn it on and have the garage warm in about an hour. If your looking for a long term solution, keep an eye on CL for a cheap used furnace, or get in touch with a local HVAC company. They are always pulling used units out that may not be good for a house, but for a shop... I was able to get a 98% efficient downdraft trane furnace for about $100. I cut a hole in the floor upstairs between two joists and blow the heat down. This heats the concrete. I only was able to get away with this option because the Mrs's car sits directly below it when I am not working in the garage. I keep the setting at 45 when I am not working out there. Most of the time the heat from the cars keeps the garage warm enough for the furnace not to run. I have to disclose that I built and insulated the garage well, knowing I wanted a nice shop.


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## sjsak1 (Aug 22, 2013)

I use a propane heater in my garage/shop. Just use common sense. I let it run for a while then shut it down. If I get a chill, I crank it up and take a 10 min break. Toasty again. I shut it down when spraying finishes or sanding. Will do until I get a shop built out back.


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Jay,
I saw this thread a few days ago at work and wanted to respond, but had to wait until got home then forgot.
Anyway I remembered this morning as I was lighting my propane heater in my shop. When I first started using my Propane heater I was really paranoid and kept my heater next to the front door away from things.








It wasn’t very efficient to heat the whole garage unless I left it on all the time so I started moving it around to where I was working. Well after moving it around while it was on I realized that it was pretty safe and now I have no worries. 








Now I would like to buy another one because I don’t stay in one spot very long and would like to at least break the frost in my tool/hardware area. It’s a pain to have to move my heater from my work bench every time I need to look for a bolt or tool.


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Easy enough to build some kind of safety stand for it if you are worried about knocking it over.:icon_smile:


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I've been looking into it and I've decided to buy one of these MH9BX - Portable Buddy with the optional hose for the 20lb bottle:










They are on Sale right now at a few different places for around $80.


Oops, they are not allowed in CA.:furious: I just got to get out of this state.

Ok I found this one which IS approved for CA at almost twice the cost, just in case someone for CA is reading this. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307957_200307957.


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## Dandan111 (Oct 29, 2013)

These are cheap. I have seen one on a const. site and it was working great. I would go this direction for portable. http://www.drheaterusa.com/cart.aspx check them out on amazon.


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