Bit Cold Today In The Shop

[kmmcrafts]

Going to be a cold day working out in the shop today.. I don't know the temp inside the shop yet as I haven't been out there yet.. but outside temps is -4F.. no heat in the shop but it's usually a couple degrees warmer in there.. 9  clock orders and 2 ornament orders to make.. I've got until end of next week to get them in the mail.. however the temps are't supposed to improve all that much either..

I've got a small radiant heater that mounts to a propane tank that usually keeps me fairly warm when on low setting.. betting I run it on high today though.. LOL

Wife told me not to work out there... said to bring the saw in the house Hahaha.. NOPE.. been there done that once.. took three 12 hour days of cleaning to clean up the aftermath... I know what shes up too on that one.. she just wanting me to do a good deep house cleaning that she doesn't have to be a part of...  

[meflick]

Should be able to give two reactions to posts like this - first part the sad face  (to too cold); and laughing face on your wife encouraging you to bring saw in for ulterior motives to get you to do a deep cleaning.  Fortunately our workshop is in a garage space that has heat and we also have a space heater in there we can use.  We are cold here today, but not as cold as you guys - for which I am thankful.  

[rjweb]

Just took my dogs out for a walk, well me walk they run, the temperature is 39 in Texas, RJ 

[Sycamore67]

Took my dog out this morning and it was -4 F and she was quick.  Clear skies and snow cover makes for cold.

My shop was 60 F this morning and will warm it up a bit.

[WayneMahler]

Best of luck staying warm Kevin. Guessing you do the finishing inside the house though ?

[kmmcrafts]

3 minutes ago, WayneMahler said:

Best of luck staying warm Kevin. Guessing you do the finishing inside the house though ?

Yes, I just use beeswax and mineral oil mixture to finish my stuff so not really any smells or drying time needed.. Guess I'd better get out there and get some work done.. warmed up to +5 now and I've already made my chilli to simmer in the crock pot for our dinner tonight.. should warm me up if I'm still cold, LOL.. 

[MTCowpoke22]

I feel your pain, and then some. We've been down to the -20s here for the past two mornings and may crack 0 today, but highs for the foreseeable future are in the negatives. I'm in the same boat in that I have a couple of radiant heaters and a couple of milk house heaters out in the garage. Last night they got it up over freezing (barely) in there. And when all the heaters are on, I have to be careful about lights and tools as I start to trip breakers if too much is plugged in. I put in about an hour or so a day if I can last that long, and any glue up or finishing happens in the basement. Just keep telling myself how much I enjoy woodworking and how much I need to get a few projects done.

[kmmcrafts]

Well, not too sure how long I've been out there.. I was able to make one clock.. came in for a warm up and to glue the clock portion to the base so I can put the beeswax mineral oil mix on it tonight.. then it'll get packaged up and mailed out in the morning and repeat for the next clock.. The clocks aren't scheduled to be mailed out until the 9th.. so I'm actually ahead of schedule.. not one to like to wait to the last minute though and I hadn't sawed now for a  few days.. didn't want to forget how..  

Might actually go out after getting some lunch to make the next one.. maybe get it in the mail tomorrow too.. One thing I like how I have my orders set up.. I have 14 days before I have to have them in the mail.. even in my busiest times.. I've been able to stay several days ahead.. but.. I have that this way in case I was to get sick or another unexpected something came up.. I have another topic about selling on Amazon.. but I suppose it's a better fit for the business section.. and maybe not take this topic off coarse too far..   

[stoney]

Yeah Kevin I live a little NW of you in Muskegon and it has been pretty cold here as well although we get some warming affect from Lake Michigan.   Boy I don't know how you can work on a scroll saw in such conditions.   I worked in all kind of conditions during my working career and I found that just standing or sitting in one place in a unheated building was the pits.   I would rather work outside in the cold if I could have a job that required movement. 

Edited December 27, 2017 by stoney

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, stoney said:

Yeah Kevin I live a little NW of you in Muskegon and it has been pretty cold here as well although we get some warming affect from Lake Michigan.   Boy I don't know how you can work on a scroll saw in such conditions.   I worked in all kind of conditions during my working career and I found that just standing or sitting in one place in a unheated building was the pits.   I would rather work outside in the cold if I could have a job that required movement. 

Yes, I remember working in my brothers sawmill out in the cold.. I'd work up a sweat in this cold temps.. It's really not too bad with that little heater I have.. biggest thing to get cold is my fingers.. I wear mechanics gloves from Harbor Freight as they are thin so you can still feel what you're doing and they also have some little grips on them.. I just turn and put my hands by that little heater and heat up my gloves.. they stay warm through a couple of cuts usually then I just repeat, LOL.. I have the heater aimed at me and it actually gets a little hot on my legs and feet so sometimes I'll have to adjust how I'm sitting.. Ran it on low this morning and was plenty warm.. just my fingers that was getting cold.. My shop is well insulated too.. it was actually 17F in there surprisingly.. Plan to block off a section for heating up just the small portion where I work the most at.. I don't really mind the cold.. and would be plenty happy just to keep the shop around 30 - 35.. biggest thing is.. my 788 don't like to turn on if it gets much colder than 25 - 30.. I normally start it up and let her warm up.. she spits and sputters in the cold.. acts like a car needing a tune up LOL.. but it smooths out after a min. or so..  I sometimes will aim the heater toward the motor so it won't do that.. not sure how good for it it is to run it that way.. I've always worried I'd fry the motor or something.. done it since it was new 8+ years.. but that is why I have so many back up saws I guess, LOL 

[stoney]

Yeah I hear ya on fingers getting cold.   I worked in the electrical field and at times had to terminate wires in the cold.   One thing that worked quite well was cutting just the fingertips off a pair of jersey or yellow work gloves.   Next I would rig up a medium base bulb socket and install a 200 watt incandescent light bulb then hook up to a power source.   I would hang on to the lit bulb for a bit then terminate wires until my fingertips got cold and stiff then repeat the process.   The method worked quite well.  

Edited December 27, 2017 by stoney

[Rockytime]

Fortunately it is 55 here in Denver. Think I'll go out to the shop.

[Sycamore67]

Yea, in the old days I could work in the cold. But now, my arthritis does not get along well with the cold.

I feel fortunate to have a heated in the winter and cooled in the summer workshop.

[RangerJay]

Here - not far from International Falls (about 2 hours west of us) this cold snap has meant nighttime temperatures between -30 and -40 the last few nights.  To add insult to injury we just returned home after spending a family Christmas in Thunder Bay - the street we live on is a frozen mess of ice and running water - seems there is an issue with the fire hydrant at the end of the block that has yet to be repaired - apparently it looks we will be living with it until after the New Year when Public Works returns to full staffing levels. Still have water but I'm guessing not much more than a couple pounds pressure.

As far as the workshop goes - not gonna be in it for at least a little bit - recovering from my second knee replacement (Dec 18th) - but recovery is going well so I'm hoping just a few days.

 

Jay

[woodduck]

WE are expecting 37 degrees centigrade down under today which is close to 100 degrees Farenheit. Now back to the shed & the air conditioner.

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, RangerJay said:

Here - not far from International Falls (about 2 hours west of us) this cold snap has meant nighttime temperatures between -30 and -40 the last few nights.  To add insult to injury we just returned home after spending a family Christmas in Thunder Bay - the street we live on is a frozen mess of ice and running water - seems there is an issue with the fire hydrant at the end of the block that has yet to be repaired - apparently it looks we will be living with it until after the New Year when Public Works returns to full staffing levels. Still have water but I'm guessing not much more than a couple pounds pressure.

As far as the workshop goes - not gonna be in it for at least a little bit - recovering from my second knee replacement (Dec 18th) - but recovery is going well so I'm hoping just a few days.

 

Jay

Everything you just said brings me to ask this one question....Why on Earth would you stay there? Why not head somewhere that your feet don't freeze to the floor? Just asking because I don't understand and I am truly curious.

Ray

 

[Rockytime]

18 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Everything you just said brings me to ask this one question....Why on Earth would you stay there? Why not head somewhere that your feet don't freeze to the floor? Just asking because I don't understand and I am truly curious.

Ray

 

Lake of the Woods is there. Walleye fishing! Yeah

[crupiea]

72 here today. Quite nice.

[amazingkevin]

17 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Going to be a cold day working out in the shop today.. I don't know the temp inside the shop yet as I haven't been out there yet.. but outside temps is -4F.. no heat in the shop but it's usually a couple degrees warmer in there.. 9  clock orders and 2 ornament orders to make.. I've got until end of next week to get them in the mail.. however the temps are't supposed to improve all that much either..

I've got a small radiant heater that mounts to a propane tank that usually keeps me fairly warm when on low setting.. betting I run it on high today though.. LOL

Wife told me not to work out there... said to bring the saw in the house Hahaha.. NOPE.. been there done that once.. took three 12 hour days of cleaning to clean up the aftermath... I know what shes up too on that one.. she just wanting me to do a good deep house cleaning that she doesn't have to be a part of...  

That is more than funny.What ever a woman speaks is not what you think.

[RangerJay]

14 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Everything you just said brings me to ask this one question....Why on Earth would you stay there? Why not head somewhere that your feet don't freeze to the floor? Just asking because I don't understand and I am truly curious.

Ray

 

I guess if you live in areas where winter weather and a few days of extreme cold is a deal breaker then you've got a problem .... those folks who hate the cold around here and have reached retirement age seem to like spending their winters in Florida, Texas or Arizona.  Fortunately we enjoy every season - winter included.  The deal breaker for us is summer heat - and we ask exactly the same question of those who live where summer temperatures sore to extreme levels:  "Why the heck would you live there?".

 

Jay

 

[kmmcrafts]

8 minutes ago, RangerJay said:

I guess if you live in areas where winter weather and a few days of extreme cold is a deal breaker then you've got a problem .... those folks who hate the cold around here and have reached retirement age seem to like spending their winters in Florida, Texas or Arizona.  Fortunately we enjoy every season - winter included.  The deal breaker for us is summer heat - and we ask exactly the same question of those who live where summer temperatures sore to extreme levels:  "Why the heck would you live there?".

 

Jay

 

I cannot agree more with this.. My inlaws live in Texas south of San Antonio an hour or so.. anyway visited them back in 2010 ( I think ) while there every single day was 105+ one day was 127F and we went to a little creek place where a lot of folk go to cool off.. the water was what we would consider the temp of a hot tub /sauna thing.. no cooling me off in that.. LOL

I deal pretty well in cold..until it gets into the low teens or lower.. then I get cold.. but.. on a positive note... Most of our winters are at least mid teens with only a hand full of what I would consider stay in the house kind of cold.. and even then.. it's not very often it gets that way.. Also rarely get to a heat where I feel I have to stay in the air conditioning.. . That said though.. My wife has some health issues that the cold really bothers her.. but also so does the heat.. so... I may move south one day.. but not to a place where it's extreme hot or cold.. maybe somewhat in the middle.. We both love Tennessee.. not sure how cold or hot they get there.. but we have talked about going there on and off.. once the kids get through school and probably after retiring.. Or we'll buy a second home or another travel trailer and just go south for the worst of the cold days.. which the worst is typically mid Jan. to mid Feb..   

[MTCowpoke22]

15 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Everything you just said brings me to ask this one question....Why on Earth would you stay there? Why not head somewhere that your feet don't freeze to the floor? Just asking because I don't understand and I am truly curious.

Ray

 

Because Montana is for Badasses. I don't handle heat very well, And I grew up here dealing with this type of winter weather. I know how to prepare for snow and blizzards, and how to enjoy them. I can't imagine having to gather up everything every few years and clearing out for a hurricane, or dealing with all the people in Washington, California, Texas, or the northeast. I know this place isn't for everyone, but that is why I live where the air hurts my face.

[RangerJay]

1 hour ago, MTCowpoke22 said:

Because Montana is for Badasses. I don't handle heat very well, And I grew up here dealing with this type of winter weather. I know how to prepare for snow and blizzards, and how to enjoy them. I can't imagine having to gather up everything every few years and clearing out for a hurricane, or dealing with all the people in Washington, California, Texas, or the northeast. I know this place isn't for everyone, but that is why I live where the air hurts my face.

We gotta be careful here ...... or people might start to figure out we're hiding a secret ..... and want to get in on it .....

I gotta show a picture of my workshop - these pictures were taken a few years ago - the poorer quality picture was taken on a morning the thermometer hit -43 and just after the shed was fired up.  Today my scrollsaw sits on a the bench in front of the lit window.  There is nothing more enjoyable than spending a chunk of a winters day in the "Shed" under conditions like these - icing on the cake is when the bird feeders are active, snow is falling, wildlife is visiting and, of course, making some sawdust ...... pretty tough to beat.

Jay

[OCtoolguy]

16 hours ago, crupiea said:

72 here today. Quite nice.

I'm with you Crupeia. I have lived in the cold when we were up at 8500 feet in Colorado. Never again. Snow is for skiing. Nothing else. And now, I'm too old for that. So, I'll be staying where it's at least moderate. Never to be cold again. And, I don't care how big the fish are.

Ray

 

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, MTCowpoke22 said:

Because Montana is for Badasses. I don't handle heat very well, And I grew up here dealing with this type of winter weather. I know how to prepare for snow and blizzards, and how to enjoy them. I can't imagine having to gather up everything every few years and clearing out for a hurricane, or dealing with all the people in Washington, California, Texas, or the northeast. I know this place isn't for everyone, but that is why I live where the air hurts my face.

Whatever blows your skirt up I guess. Ha! Not being a smartass. I just hate being cold. I hate having to put on more than one layer of clothing. I hated having to go out to my garage an hour ahead of working just to fire off the kerosene heaters. Not for me. Never again. I do agree with what you say about the crowded conditions but I guess when you grow up in it, it's only an inconvenience when you have to go out in it. I do like having my choice of hardware stores within 5-10 minutes too.

Ray