And don't have a heated garage/workshop...Where do you work? or do you take the winter off? Do you brave the chill and build but finish indoors? How do you manage the fumes if you do?
Good question--I am very interested in the answer to this! I am having to budget each project, so I can't build all the projects I need right now before the cold weather sets in. Glad you asked this! I hope someone out there has a good solution!
I would also be interested in suggestions. My husband and I don't want to take the winter off so we're thinking of going the space heater route for the building, and probably paint/staining with a drop cloth indoors. I was just at Costco Friday and saw a few different kinds of heaters for something like $40 - $60, and they have a few more online. Not a good permanent solution for a heated garage, but to work on projects throughout the winter without freezing to death?!? I'm hoping it will work out, I'm not willing to stop for the long Montana winters!
a space heater is the way to go, btu you have to be really mindful of where you put it in the garage, because of flammables.
my FIL is a woodworker, and he usually took the winter off, because it would just be too cold in the garage. now he--and a couple of buddies--share a heated workshop space, so he can work all year round.
perhaps connected with others KOW-ers and rent a warm spot to work this winter? :D
I agree with the Costco heater idea. I had one mounted to the wall out in the garage but ExMann took it down and took it with him when he came to pick up his "things". GRRRRRRR! I love the wall mount idea. You can position them to point down and they are up and out of the way from tripping on them, flammables, etc. Very safe in my opinion.
I just came in from freezing to death:( its cold enough that in the middle of using the air nailer the compressor stopped working! hubby says when the oil init gets to cold it won't come on! ! I really do hate winter... goin shopping for a heater I guess :)
We are insulating the garage door and setting two space heaters in the area. I wish we had a heated pole barn, but that has always been a pipe dream. But for the farm house table and benches that I did. The cutting and initial sanding was completed in the garage then assembly and finishing went on inside the house over plastic. I am planning on my smaller projects during the winter months so I can easily move inside, if needed.
I have a space heater....but I can only have it on medium or I blow the fuse! And I have to turn it off to run the saw. I may have to use an extension cord from inside the house so that I can have it on high. It was really cold even with gloves and layers and it's even colder outside now! I have plans (we'll see if I can get it warm enough) for a few projects and presents to do soon so I'll have to figure out something!
So, I'm working on the rolling cubby bench now that it's cold...I'm working inside the house, but I do my cuts & sanding in the unheated garage. It's working out, except for yesterday when I decided I would just stay in the garage to finish nailing on the last 8 trim pieces....I forgot where I was and ended up kneeling/sitting on the concrete floor for about an hour...holy schmoly, I was frozen by the time I was done!
I will have to snap a self-portrait of myself as I'm working just to give everyone a good laugh. I've been working on the lego bench (I'm almost finished assembling it! yay!) but I had to bring it inside (into the living room----needless to say, it's a hot mess!!) to do the assembly because it's soooooooo cold that I can only be in the garage for a max of about 20-30 min at a time...I'm such a sissy when it comes to the cold weather! lol I have my knit hat pulled down over my ears, my knit headband thingie around my face, my scarf wrapped around my neck, my jacket with 2 layers of shirts under it, and 2 pairs of gloves on....topped off with the ever-important safety glasses. haha
I'm going to look into a few of the space heaters mentioned here...I need to do something! I spend more time putting on the stuff to go out to do the cuts, than I do actually getting something done. LOL
I can do minor builds at times during winter, but not often. I built out a hall closet to accommodate all of our art supplies and board games not too long ago, but it was in the high 40's that week and i only needed to make a few cuts for supports and shelves. I wouldn't want to build a bed or anything complicated right now lol...All we have is a carport, so it's not really possible for me to build in the winter unfortunately. I can't wait for spring!
I work in an unheated shed. I have a kerosene heater out there, but it doesn't heat my shed up very quickly. So I wear a quilted flannel shirt under my coat, and I work with hand tools to generate a lot of body heat. It's a sight to see steam rolling off your body in January. Unfortunately, I can't really do fine work in the bitter cold, so I wind up not doing a lot out there in the winter. So looking forward to the basement workshop in my new house.
Our garage is insulated but not heated. I live in Southcentral AK and build all winter. I have a small space heater that I keep near where I'm working. I can't run more than two things at a time so I often do the heater/saw shuffle and I bundle up. Hat, fleece, wool socks and winter boots. I haven't had issues with any of our tools freezing but I do have to keep the wood glue in my pocket while working or it gets too thick to squeeze out of the bottle. lol I bring the finish work inside and work in our laundry room. It is good size for a laundry room and has tile floor so I can finish most projects in there.
kristen
Sun, 10/10/2010 - 05:52
Good question--I am very interested in the answer to this! I am having to budget each project, so I can't build all the projects I need right now before the cold weather sets in. Glad you asked this! I hope someone out there has a good solution!
zigmommy
Sun, 10/10/2010 - 12:08
I would also be interested in suggestions. My husband and I don't want to take the winter off so we're thinking of going the space heater route for the building, and probably paint/staining with a drop cloth indoors. I was just at Costco Friday and saw a few different kinds of heaters for something like $40 - $60, and they have a few more online. Not a good permanent solution for a heated garage, but to work on projects throughout the winter without freezing to death?!? I'm hoping it will work out, I'm not willing to stop for the long Montana winters!
zoebird
Mon, 10/11/2010 - 21:40
a space heater is the way to go, btu you have to be really mindful of where you put it in the garage, because of flammables.
my FIL is a woodworker, and he usually took the winter off, because it would just be too cold in the garage. now he--and a couple of buddies--share a heated workshop space, so he can work all year round.
perhaps connected with others KOW-ers and rent a warm spot to work this winter? :D
Carrie and 3Chicks
Sat, 11/06/2010 - 04:49
I agree with the Costco heater idea. I had one mounted to the wall out in the garage but ExMann took it down and took it with him when he came to pick up his "things". GRRRRRRR! I love the wall mount idea. You can position them to point down and they are up and out of the way from tripping on them, flammables, etc. Very safe in my opinion.
Sharon L.
Sun, 11/14/2010 - 06:36
I am setting up in our basement. It is heated. Not sure if I am going to hook upo some sort of vac table...still thinking on it...
natasha
Tue, 11/16/2010 - 10:28
I just came in from freezing to death:( its cold enough that in the middle of using the air nailer the compressor stopped working! hubby says when the oil init gets to cold it won't come on! ! I really do hate winter... goin shopping for a heater I guess :)
marketgirl76
Mon, 12/06/2010 - 12:40
We are insulating the garage door and setting two space heaters in the area. I wish we had a heated pole barn, but that has always been a pipe dream. But for the farm house table and benches that I did. The cutting and initial sanding was completed in the garage then assembly and finishing went on inside the house over plastic. I am planning on my smaller projects during the winter months so I can easily move inside, if needed.
If anyone has another idea, please post!
mamma_joy
Mon, 12/06/2010 - 19:21
I have a space heater....but I can only have it on medium or I blow the fuse! And I have to turn it off to run the saw. I may have to use an extension cord from inside the house so that I can have it on high. It was really cold even with gloves and layers and it's even colder outside now! I have plans (we'll see if I can get it warm enough) for a few projects and presents to do soon so I'll have to figure out something!
tnslb
Tue, 12/07/2010 - 04:24
So, I'm working on the rolling cubby bench now that it's cold...I'm working inside the house, but I do my cuts & sanding in the unheated garage. It's working out, except for yesterday when I decided I would just stay in the garage to finish nailing on the last 8 trim pieces....I forgot where I was and ended up kneeling/sitting on the concrete floor for about an hour...holy schmoly, I was frozen by the time I was done!
amyk1971
Thu, 12/16/2010 - 04:35
I will have to snap a self-portrait of myself as I'm working just to give everyone a good laugh.
I've been working on the lego bench (I'm almost finished assembling it! yay!) but I had to bring it inside (into the living room----needless to say, it's a hot mess!!) to do the assembly because it's soooooooo cold that I can only be in the garage for a max of about 20-30 min at a time...I'm such a sissy when it comes to the cold weather! lol I have my knit hat pulled down over my ears, my knit headband thingie around my face, my scarf wrapped around my neck, my jacket with 2 layers of shirts under it, and 2 pairs of gloves on....topped off with the ever-important safety glasses. haha
I'm going to look into a few of the space heaters mentioned here...I need to do something! I spend more time putting on the stuff to go out to do the cuts, than I do actually getting something done. LOL
lulublu
Sat, 01/15/2011 - 04:41
I can do minor builds at times during winter, but not often. I built out a hall closet to accommodate all of our art supplies and board games not too long ago, but it was in the high 40's that week and i only needed to make a few cuts for supports and shelves. I wouldn't want to build a bed or anything complicated right now lol...All we have is a carport, so it's not really possible for me to build in the winter unfortunately. I can't wait for spring!
Heather
suzieandjesse
Fri, 01/21/2011 - 08:30
Ha, my wife and I cut/fabricate some of the stuff on the back deck in the cold... Layers, layers, layers!
Finishing has been happening in our living room with copious amounts of plastic tarping.
Come on, spring!
claydowling
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 16:27
I work in an unheated shed. I have a kerosene heater out there, but it doesn't heat my shed up very quickly. So I wear a quilted flannel shirt under my coat, and I work with hand tools to generate a lot of body heat. It's a sight to see steam rolling off your body in January. Unfortunately, I can't really do fine work in the bitter cold, so I wind up not doing a lot out there in the winter. So looking forward to the basement workshop in my new house.
Lavina
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 21:28
Our garage is insulated but not heated. I live in Southcentral AK and build all winter. I have a small space heater that I keep near where I'm working. I can't run more than two things at a time so I often do the heater/saw shuffle and I bundle up. Hat, fleece, wool socks and winter boots. I haven't had issues with any of our tools freezing but I do have to keep the wood glue in my pocket while working or it gets too thick to squeeze out of the bottle. lol I bring the finish work inside and work in our laundry room. It is good size for a laundry room and has tile floor so I can finish most projects in there.