Suggestions for staying warm in da Shop?

I do a fair amount of astronomical viewing at night throughout the year. I need to keep warm. About 20 years ago, my wife was at a KMart
store when the announced a blue light special in sporting goods for boots. She (not being an out door type of person) checked out the special and picked up 6 pair of weird snowmobile boots for $1.00 a piece. This is one of the best things she ever got me. They look ridiculous, very 70's goofy colors and would make horrible hiking boots, but for standing around in the cold, they are marvelous! Cold garage or shop floors that suck the heat out of your body, no problem, warm feet. Standing around on ice or in snow at sub zero (F) and the tootsies stay warm and pliable. They are padded to the hilt but still permit comfortable waking around while still letting your feet know where they are. These are not high quality brand name boots, and they are all different from each other, but this was unquestionably the best six bucks she ever spent. Makes me think that I might hold hold on to her for a little while. I keep a pair in the shop in the winter since I keep the shop door closed and the heater vent closed in the winter unless I plan on
working there for long periods. Its nowhere near the 2AM in the snow looking through an eyepiece for hours kind of cold but its still cold. I don't like wearing a parka in the shop so I wear a very warm hodie with the sleves cut off. Warm feet, warm head, the perfect combination. The parka is left for the outdoors. My mom used to always say, " if your feet are cold, put on a hat, and son of a gun, it works, but those snowmobile boots are priceless.
 
U didn't say if u have natural gas heat in the house. Whatever type heat you use in the house, go and find a, preferably used, small furnace..same type.. U won't need any ductwork, and should be easy to vent/chimney thru roof. Size don't matter much, install a cheap thermostat and it will shut it off fast if it's a big unit. Oh yeah ...insulate.... costs way less all around :>)
 
I have a similar shop building to yours, except ceiling is 12’ high-basically a two bay detached garage. In my case, no ceiling. Just open rafters and Sheetrock walls. I also have/had no insulation, and no heat. Well, there was a nice big heater hanging from the rafters when we bought the place. But the oh so erstwhile RE agent and honest seller forgot to mention it wasn’t hooked up - and that there was no incoming natural gas line leading to the building, or the heater! And the seller took it with him when he moved. So I lived with the shell for 15 years. No heat, just layers of sweaters and rugged he man winter work clothes.

Well, finally decided three years ago to tear out the sheet rock and put insulation in the walls. Each year I do 1/3rd of the shop. New insulation. New Sheetrock. And importantly, new wiring with an upgraded panel, upgraded single phase and three phase circuits. Everywhere. Now, This spring, I have only one wall to go. Then maybe I will tackle the ceiling. Or hire some guys to do the heavy lifting for me.

Moral of the story is it worked out for me to do the upgrades in smaller phases. It’s easier and more managble to hang rock, pull wire, tape-mid-paint, etc, if the extent of the work is broken down into small chunks. Cost gets spread out over several years also. Might be something to consider. As they say - how old will you be in three years, if you DONT upgrade?

Glenn
 
I'd go with the insulation first and foremost - blow in for the walls and R13 or 15 batts for the garage door (assuming it's a garage). I did the latter on my 2 car garage when we moved in this summer and it made an instant difference. At least 10-15F cooler in the summer and about the same in the winter. Even the car cooling down is enough to warm up the garage when it's down to zero outside. Cost ~$80 give or take and took a couple of afternoons. I find that a well insulated shop knocks off the temperature extremes. In my case it's enough to do without heating or cooling (so far), in yours it should let you get away with a smaller heater. The smaller temp swings will also reduce the risk of condensation and rust.

another plus if the garage is attached is that it will also reduce the amount of heat leaking out of your house via the garage.
 
If your overhead door is a typical garage door with no insulation, just a single layer of metal between you and the outdoors, insulating that door or changing it for an insulated one would be the single best move you could make.
 
Just another slightly off topic comment, I have a pair of insulated overalls that I picked up in LIDL a couple of years ago for £11-00. They are truly excellent to the point that I usually wear just a shirt and jeans or workpants underneath them, or they get too warm!
 
This thread has brought out the guys who've come to terms with a cold climate.

Those rubber barn mats from Tractor Supply are great. They are cheap and rugged and a quick fix for a cold or wet floor.

Several guys mentioned infra red heat in various forms. I put in one of those propane fired tubes that hangs off the ceiling and love it. It heats the concrete floor, and the heat just rises very evenly with no cold spots. It draws in outside air for combustion and vents out the wall, so there is no air interchange in the shop. I had to give up heating with wood, and this is almost as nice.

An old friend who looked for simple solutions wore wooden shoes in his shop all winter. He said with thick, wool socks they were warmer, drier, and easier on his legs on cold concrete than any leather or fabric shoes.

I'll be back in my shop this afternoon as soon as I've cleared some snow. I know my show blower will start right up at 10 below since it is sitting in that warm shop right now. I just need to dig it out.


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Thanks for all of the tips. My feet and always cold, even in SoCal on a nice day (right now). I plan on moving up to NorCal once I find what I'm looking for, and a safe, supplemental heater will be a must.
 
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