Heating in a Bow Shed

[emichaels]

Alright this may be completely impossible here in Maine. But there are some incredible resourcful and creative people posting here so I thought I would ask for some ideas to heat a bow shed and not have tonnage of ice forming under the plastic. Thermo-dynamics is not my strong subject. Any ideas that have worked for some of you.

[ 11-11-2005, 09:09 PM: Message edited by: emichaels ]

[StevenBauer]

Sunshine!

:D

Steven

[emichaels]

We do have a lot of that !!!!

[ssor]

Seriously, double cover the shed and seal the covers and run a small blower to inflate the space between the two layers. Then use what ever heat source you have. Talk to the green house people in your region. It is done to at least maintain above freezing inside.

[emichaels]

I was wondering about running somekind of air movement between two layers. Just didn't know if I would be moving water around to accumulate in a local area. Will take some thought....

[ 11-11-2005, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: emichaels ]

[kc8pql]

I have more experiance with heating a bowshed than I'd ever hoped to have when I started my boat. This will be the tenth (and LAST) winter. I'm in Ohio. We get lots of cold, snow and some hellish ice storms, probably not a whole lot different from where you are. I've never had a problem with ice build up. Snow just slides off when it builds up to a couple of inches deep. We had an ice storm last winter. Didn't have power for ten days. I had four acers of tree limbs down that covered the ground three feet deep (I'm still cleaning that up) but it didn't do anything to the bowshed. What did stick slid off in about an hour the next day when the sun came out.

I just heat my shed when I'm working in it. Two 20,000 btu kero heaters and the heat from a wood stove in the shop, which the shed is attached to, keep it plenty warm enough to work even when it's in the teens outside. On a sunny day, which doesn't happen very often here in the winter, just the heat comming thru the garage door from the shop is plenty. I should add that this is a big shed, 25 X 44 X 19 high butted to a shop about the same size.

[ 11-11-2005, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: kc8pql ]

[emichaels]

kc8pql.

Where in OHio are you ?? I grew up in Cincinati. Miserable winters , damp cold, ice all the time, not much snow to play in though. In Maine we can have stretchs where it doesn't go north of 0. -20 to -30 at night in January. At least that is how it has been the last couple of winter. It almost seems impossible to heat a plastic shed up to 55 or so to be able to do epoxy on plywood, (Simmons 18').

[ 11-11-2005, 10:11 PM: Message edited by: emichaels ]

[kc8pql]

Originally posted by emichaels:
kc8pql.

Where in OHio are you ??....It almost seems impossible to heat a plastic shed up to 55 or so to be able to do epoxy on plywood, (Simmons 18').Lake Erie. I used System Three with fast hardner. Kicks just fine down to 35 deg. Getting the shed warm is more a matter of cost than anything else. In cold weather I'd go thru 10 gallons in two days when I was doing epoxy (38'hull wood/epoxy/glass.
Here's the shed and shop :

http://tinypic.com/flkqvs.jpg

[emichaels]

Cool setup maybe I can makeit work here too. I know I see a lot of the bowsheds around here. Don't know if they all have boats in them though.

[pipefitter]

How about putting cross ties in at about 8-10ft off the ground and putting a plastic ceiling in there so all the heat doesn't go up to the top?Wont need as much height for building a Simmons and could always remove them for anything larger.

[ 11-11-2005, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: pipefitter ]

[emichaels]

Originally posted by kc8pql:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by emichaels:
kc8pql.

Where in OHio are you ??....It almost seems impossible to heat a plastic shed up to 55 or so to be able to do epoxy on plywood, (Simmons 18').Lake Erie. I used System Three with fast hardner. Kicks just fine down to 35 deg. Getting the shed warm is more a matter of cost than anything else. In cold weather I'd go thru 10 gallons in two days when I was doing epoxy (38'hull wood/epoxy/glass.
Here's the shed and shop :

http://tinypic.com/flkqvs.jpg</font>[/QUOTE]The land of the "Cleve", cold up there wnd windy too. Nice setup for sure. I like pipefitter's idea of a ceiling to trap heat down, then maybe a fan to inflate the cavity above the ceiling would dry moisture out so Ice wouldn't form.

[pipefitter]

Is the humidity high up there when it is that cold? In CO I used to beg for humidity. Fingers split,chronic chapped everything and snow that you cant make snowballs out of.

Use of Merc vapor lights helps with heat too.If you had collar ties you could hang flourescents from them as well for some decent lighting over your project.

In a smaller space those portable radiator heaters are pretty cost effective to run maybe.Something you can turn on a couple hrs before you venture out there to kind of give the heating a head start.

[ 11-11-2005, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: pipefitter ]

[imported_GregW]

Some recent insights here.

Bowshed (http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012628)

[HR]

For epoxy work, instead of heating the shed I heated the work. I set up 3 or 4 heat lamps on planks about 6' long and suspended the planks about 12" to 18" over the epoxied joint (I was gluing the lapstrake planks on my Eun Mara). I would shift the lights after about 3 or 4 hours to get a relatively even heat through the joint. Worked great.

Howard

[Lewisboats]

Do you epoxy with the kero heaters going and how does the residue(from the heaters) affect bonding between coats of epoxy? I had heard that kero heaters leave an oily residue on things.

Steve

[kc8pql]

I've read discussions of that, but I'didn't have a problem. My shed has louvered vents in both ends that I leave open year 'round and I think the sheer volume of my shed and shop combined keep anything from building up to a level that could cause trouble. I also have two box fans hanging from the ridge that circulate the air and keep things moving fairly well.

Edited to add: in a small shed it may be something to think about. Adjusting the heaters properly for complete combustion is important for several reasons.

[ 11-12-2005, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: kc8pql ]

[Farmer Diddley]

I was thinking of starting a thread on this very topic. I plan on building a 30'-long x 18'-wide x 12'high (approx) bow shed next summer to build an approx 25' sailboat (design TBD). I live in Nortwestern Vermont (approx 12 miles from the Canadian border)... so heating this shed is a subject of much interest to me.

We have long, cold winters in these parts, and I am not very optimistic that I'll be able to heat the shed enough to do epoxy, paint, or varnish work. I will most likely try and heat it, but I may just end up working on smaller "pieces" of the boat during the winters in my 20'x20'x8', insulated, well-heated workshop.

emichaels, please keep us posted on your attempts to heat your shed, especially any success stories.

[Rick Tyler]

Are there problems using kerosene or propane space heaters in an enclosed space without a vented burner? I'm concerned about carbon monoxide.

[ 11-12-2005, 11:17 AM: Message edited by: Rick Tyler ]

[kc8pql]

Could be. Depends on what type of heater. The big blower heaters used on construction sites are bad about putting out large amounts of fumes and and one would assume carbon monoxide. In fact that type could be responsible for the oil residue problems people have had with epoxy. I use the Kero-Sun type unvented heaters that can be used in the house. When they're well mantained they don't give of any odor, but they all require outside air ventlation. Thats why I leave the gable vents open in the winter.

[emichaels]

I use a kerosene heater in the cellar shop all winter. Doesn't seem to be a need for venting. But then again sometimes I start typing dskldjfjlllllssssf a little funny jkdjlffalksafas after s long day down there..

[emichaels]

Originally posted by kc8pql:
I've read discussions of that, but I'didn't have a problem. My shed has louvered vents in both ends that I leave open year 'round and I think the sheer volume of my shed and shop combined keep anything from building up to a level that could cause trouble. I also have two box fans hanging from the ridge that circulate the air and keep things moving fairly well.

Edited to add: in a small shed it may be something to think about. Adjusting the heaters properly for complete combustion is important for several reasons.What is the footprint dimensions of your bow shed ??

[kc8pql]

Originally posted by emichaels:
[QUOTEWhat is the footprint dimensions of your bow shed ??

25 X 44

[Paul Girouard]

Go to a heating company and ask for a old elec forced air furnance. We use this setup once in awhile to heat a remodel for drying sheetrock mud , or like we'll be doing on this next job drying in a porch area that will have a vinyl roof surface that needs to be kept dry and warm for the product to be installed , then the plastic tent can be removed.

Our guy disconnects a couple of the breakers so the furnance can be run all the time, puts out less BTU's, or you could put a thremostat in line . No fumes, good heat.

You'll need 220v. power , you could wire it right to the elec. pnl , or put a plug on it and use a dryer ,oven or welder plug .