How do you stay warm?

Michelle Walsh · #1 2007-10-30, 11:29am

This will be my first winter in an unheated shed. It's already beyond chilly now. And I'm having problems with any beads that I squeeze...thermal shock. If I keep them round I'm fine. I know I have to adjust my thinking as far as how often the bead gets bathed in the flame when it's cold.

But what about me? lol

I've thought of putting in heating lamps where the lightbulbs are on the ceiling. It has high ceilings. I don't know if they make clear ones or only the red.

How do you stay warm?

~Michelle

Bunyip · #2 2007-10-30, 12:25pm

I keep warm by living in Florida. I don't need a heater. Quite the opposite in fact. I think you have problems I envy

villa design · #3 2007-10-30, 12:29pm

Michelle, I bet you can buy a plug-in heater from the hardware store. A friend of ours who's a firefighter says they're around $50 and heat a small room very well.

Feldt's Glass · #4 2007-10-30, 12:37pm

I do a small heater by my feet. I can't keep it heated well in the winter because of the ventilation so I just heat myself.

Debbie · #5 2007-10-30, 1:36pm

In Iowa? That's nuts. I stay warm by having my studio in on a landing/room in the house. How about the basement?

G.L.McBead · #6 2007-10-30, 1:51pm

Pre heat your squeezer a little before you squeez.I live in Olympia so I know what you mean,my shop gets cold too.
I use a little propane heater that goes on the top of the little cans and I got a adaptor to fill the little tanks with my big one.1 little tank last one full day.
G.

Debbie · #7 2007-10-30, 2:06pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.L.McBead

Pre heat your squeezer a little before you squeez.I live in Olympia so I know what you mean,my shop gets cold too.

Oh, you don't know what cold is until you've spent a winter in Iowa (or Minnesota, or South Dakota, etc.). Think -40 degrees.

Terreverte · #8 2007-10-30, 2:19pm

I moved to Texas from New Jersey a couple of years ago, it solved my cold problems, now just have to figure out how to torch in 100 + temps without passing out.

In Jersey, I used a space heater too, but put it on top of the torch table, so it would blow warm air at my hands. The warm air prevented the shocking you mentioned for just about everything except small sculpture. The only problem was my feet and legs eventually got so cold, I would have to quit and go inside. I guess you could use two heaters, one for the floor and one for your hands.

darcy · #9 2007-10-30, 2:31pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MapleValleyGlass

I've thought of putting in heating lamps where the lightbulbs are on the ceiling. It has high ceilings. I don't know if they make clear ones or only the red.

~Michelle

You might try putting halogen floods in there. They put off one heck of a lot of heat! I had them in some spot lights and they were a bit too close to me....I got sunburned!

Michelle Walsh · #10 2007-10-30, 2:31pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debbie

Oh, you don't know what cold is until you've spent a winter in Iowa (or Minnesota, or South Dakota, etc.). Think -40 degrees.

She speaks the truth. Hm....thinking about the basement.

~Michelle

Abacus Beads · #11 2007-10-30, 3:10pm

Thermal Undies help alot to
Liz R

Emily · #12 2007-10-30, 3:29pm

I'd think about the basement. It's going to be cold even down there, too, particularly because you'll have to work out something to do with the ventilation. It gets chilly working in my basement in the winter, and I'm nowhere near the Great Plains.

How do people heat those ice fishing cabins on the lakes in Minnesota? Or do they just drink enough that they stop caring how cold it is? I don't recommend that for torching.

Teri.p · #13 2007-10-30, 5:00pm

I sit on a heating pad.

TessT · #14 2007-10-30, 5:29pm

As a former Minnesotan, I know first hand that ice fisherman fully heat their ice houses (we're not talking tents or bucket sitters) - often with propane heaters. They tend to drill the holes for fishing under trap doors in the floor (you have to re-auger these periodically when they freeze over) - when not fishing, you shut the doors; when fishing, you attach "tip ups" to your line so a light or buzzer goes off when you have a fish so you don't have to key an eye on them and interupt your drinking/card playing/etc.

I don't know how to keep the entire body warm in -50 degree weather while lampworking - I would recommend electric/battery socks, long underwear, and fingerless gloves. You could drape your legs with an electric blanket (covered with something cotton or fireproof) and/or sit on a heating pad.

SuzyQ · #15 2007-10-30, 5:31pm

My first winter I was in the stand alone garage with the door open for ventilation. I wore sorrel boots, an old one piece ski suit, hat, neck warmer and gloves with the fingers cut off. I got a hot plate to put my press on. It was nice to hold my hands over too, lol. I had to take a break every hour for something hot to drink on the really cold days. Never again....

NLC Beads · #16 2007-10-30, 5:43pm

Good hat, space heater, fleece/flannel lined jeans, wool socks... layers upon layers of shirts...

As for the pressed beads thermal cracking, be sure to reheat them a bit before putting them in the kiln/fiber blanket... Reheat each side at a time, it will remove chill marks, then heat thoroughly and they'll do better. (Thank you, Just Plain Beads!)

One of my friends knitted/crocheted (I don't know the difference) me a hat I love for winter...

tammydownunder · #17 2007-10-30, 6:27pm

I remember when you so proudly posted pictures of your new house and your studio/shed. How many Iowa winters have you survived? Surely you know that everything freezes hard as a rock. I'd suggest moving back to the big house because you'll spend a fortune trying to keep things warm.

Tammy

Kevan · #18 2007-10-30, 7:10pm

It gets cold in Olympia. The twenties are cold. It might not be Iowa cold, but it still feels pretty cold.

Get an electric parabolic heater. We got one at Costco. It's shaped like a satellite dish. You can aim it at you and it keeps you really warm. It's radiant heat, no fan.

Kevan · #19 2007-10-30, 7:10pm

And insulate the shed. Did you insulate? It will make a big difference.

Carolyn M · #20 2007-10-30, 8:00pm

I work in an unheated workshop attached to my house. It used to be a general store. My DH crawled under the floor to push in insulation and had a duct installed from our house furnace. I have a parabolic heater and I wear four layers of clothing. My bead release freezes pretty regularly, but it thaws quickly in warm water. I get the best colours from raku!!!

I actually think it is a bit warmer here than it is in Iowa.

Lara · #21 2007-10-30, 8:00pm

I have a foot warmer. It is a rubber pad that is heated. It is not supper hot, but it takes the chill off the concrete and has made tons of difference. Also a hat and layers.

BeadMaven · #22 2007-10-30, 9:57pm

I got one of these but not for that price.
Mine was at ACE and was 80-90.00.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7X-_-100045793

My shop is pretty good sized and it will run me out at times...its easy to fill and light too.
I get around 16 to 20 hours on a 3 gallon jug of Kerosene, maybe a little more.

I had a different one that could be pointed at me but I was always worried my clothes would get too hot without me feeling it....it wasn't aimed at my feel but at my side/back. That one could be hooked onto a 30lb BBQ propane tank.

Just a suggestion HTH.
Kevan's looks cool too though.

Otter's Flame · #23 2007-10-30, 10:35pm

MVG,
My studio is not in my house and in the Winter I do get cold. Due to the exhaust fan and make up air, any warm air gets sucked out the exhaust and replaced with cold air. There are probably several fixes for this but here are two that I am aware of. First, as has been mentioned, buy a radiant heat heater. They will keep you warmer then trying to heat the air. The second, and I don't know how practical this may be for you, run your outside make up air through a duct that opens just beneath and towards the front of your torch. This way there is less ambient room heat lost through ventilation. I hope this helps.

Otter

Michelle Walsh · #24 2007-10-31, 7:02am

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I call the shed small because it's smaller than a house, but it's pretty darn big for a shed. I just had 20 people standing in there with me for a 4-H demo and there was still plenty of room left for more. The ceiling is open and the walls and ceiling are covered with weathered barn wood. The shed is set on a concrete pad and I have no idea how to insulate something like that. I know the basement just isn't going to work for me here.

I'm thinking layers, radiant heat, and more layers! I loved the idea of the hotplate for the presses. Also looking forward to potentially more success with raku. Do we need to put that tip in the raku thread? Move to Iowa.

Nikki- I've been really carefully to get the beads back in the flame right away. Flame polish, both sides...that's why it's so confusing to me. Maybe the hotplate will help with that.

Thank you all for sharing your tips and experiences in the cold!

Brrrrrrrrrrr,
Michelle

Michelle Walsh · #25 2007-10-31, 7:08am

This is what I'm talkin' about....

Cosmo · #26 2007-10-31, 7:08am

You just need a bigger torch.

With my CC running full blast, I never get cold....

Cat · #27 2007-10-31, 7:14am

Just a thought, but you may end up with $300+ monthly electric bills to heat the shed with any kind of space heater. The roof doesn't sound like it's very well insulated and all the heat is going to just go through roof. Your kiln will also have to work harder to keep at temperature. I paid $300 a month last year just on electric during the winter to heat a 22' x 15' breezeway area - and yet I was never really warm. For that price, it may be well worth it to spend some money and get set up inside.

Edit - I just reread your post and you mention high ceilings. That will be a major issue - you are going to be heating a lot of unused space (the high ceilings). My vote is move inside.

Michelle Walsh · #28 2007-10-31, 7:21am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cosmo

You just need a bigger torch.

With my CC running full blast, I never get cold....

I'll get a bigger torch....just as soon as you pry the hothead from my cold, dead hands.

~Michelle

Michelle Walsh · #29 2007-10-31, 7:23am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat

I paid $300 a month last year just on electric during the winter to heat a 22' x 15' breezeway area - and yet I was never really warm. For that price, it may be well worth it to spend some money and get set up inside.

Holy crapoly

Cat · #30 2007-10-31, 7:31am

I'm also looking at your picture. Your shed is completely unprotected and out in the open wind, etc. I understand how cold it gets, as I'm originally from Minneapolis. I drove through the flat plains of Iowa one winter and couldn't even keep my car on the road - the winds just blow like crazy down there. You will really have a horrible time heating that shed. It won't be cheap at all. And my breezeway was connected to the house.

I also suggest tying a rope from the house to the shed so you don't get lost going back inside during a blizzard.. LOL