Shop building questions

[JPG]

Is a floor outlet a good idea? How can you prevent sawdust from eventually packing into the duplex and possibly causing a fire?

A box that contains the receptacle with the face vertical solves that. However it is a trip hazard!:(

I think a removable wooden box to cover it will suffice. I am sure a woodworker can be located to make one!:D

[heathicus]

I purchased an outlet cover designed for exterior use. It has a gasket under the cover and doors over each outlet. But it is something I'll keep an eye on and redesign as appropriate.

[wgander]

I had a retractable electric cord professionally wired to the center of my garage ceiling (finished garage) when I first moved in and was doing a lot of wood workiing. No matter where I moved my Shopsmith, I could plug it in and didn't have to worry about tripping over an electrical cord.

[mrhart]

How about heating?
What are your options here? Gas, Propane or electric. This will also affect your overall electric demand.
What lind of temps you you deal with there?

[heathicus]

How about heating?
What are your options here? Gas, Propane or electric. This will also affect your overall electric demand.
What lind of temps you you deal with there?

Winters aren't that bad. 20s and teens on the worst of days. But those aren't that frequent and don't last long. Snow is very rare. I can get away with a space heater to start off with. Summers are brutal. 100+ degrees and high humidity. I'm hoping by then I can get a window unit that provides both cooling and heating.

I also have the option of an antique wood burning stove ("box" style) that I have in storage at my parents' house. If I had a little more room, I wouldn't hesitate. It would be a great source of heat, and I have the wood to feed it (if not project cut-offs, then actual firewood). I'm just not sure I want to dedicate the space to it and not sure what I would do with it or how I would work around it in the summers. I wanted to get the shop built and get my tools in there first, then evaluate that.

[Ed in Tampa]

Have fun building it.
Just my opinions.
I will never buy any more of those cheap "shop lights"... Just buy the proper boxes and those very inexpensive porcelain sockets. I like the ones with a built in plug-in point.
.

Never thought of that, at first I was going to say your method would cost more since a socket with plug is about $8 but I guess by the time you buy the shop light and tubes it would be less. What is the going price for a 150W equalvent CFL?

Question has anyone put CFL bulbs in a garage door opener?

[JPG]

. . .
Question has anyone put CFL bulbs in a garage door opener?

??Wonder why you ask?" I would not use a slow 'warm up' one in that application. Since the worst (normal use) thing you do to an incandescent lamp is sudden power up the fluorescents would probably last longer.

However I have had compact fluorescents 'blow' at turn on, but rarely and not recently.

I have had good results with them in long on/seldom power on/off applications.

Most openers that I have seen are switch operated with 'maybe' a thermal time cut off switch to prevent the light staying on with door raised.

I do not have a garage let alone a garage door or an opener for the non-existant door!:D Think 'car port'!

[mrhart]

Winters aren't that bad. 20s and teens on the worst of days. But those aren't that frequent and don't last long. Snow is very rare. I can get away with a space heater to start off with. Summers are brutal. 100+ degrees and high humidity. I'm hoping by then I can get a window unit that provides both cooling and heating. 1. A wall mounted radiant heater woule work well. Keeping mounted closer to where you would stand the majority of the time. It would warm the objects in the room a well (warm up the SS a little before you turn it on). Radiant is fairly inexpensive. 2. A low profile ceiling hung unit heater (fan blows-directional louvers) but that would have to be propane or NG. 3. Through the wall mounted heating and cooling unit (like a motel room).
All these would need a dedicated circut you should plan ahead for. Options 1 and 3 depend on the size, but option 2 could run on a 15-20 amp circut.


I also have the option of an antique wood burning stove ("box" style) that I have in storage at my parents' house. If I had a little more room, I wouldn't hesitate. It would be a great source of heat, and I have the wood to feed it (if not project cut-offs, then actual firewood). I'm just not sure I want to dedicate the space to it and not sure what I would do with it or how I would work around it in the summers. I wanted to get the shop built and get my tools in there first, then evaluate that.

I would keep my floor space dedicated to tools and room to work--hang it or poke it throough the wall, just plan ahead.
I can help you with some specs and mayeb get it cheaper than you can there. PM me if you want.

[mrhart]

[ATTACH]15025[/ATTACH]

This is a pretty cool radiant and you can mount it on a stand as well. If I didn't has gas, I would try this.

[wgander]

My father in law had a pot belly stove in the shop that he used for heat as well as metal working. It produced a lot of heat and stayed warm after the fire went out. I finally had to knock down the chimney (before it fell down): the stove is now a decoration outside the shop and I have considerably more floor space. My plan is for a ceiling mounted heater. For now, I use an electric heater if I have something to do. I prefer to wait until it isn't so cold to spend longer periods of time in the shop.