For Those Without Shop Heat...

84Toyota4x4 · Dec 10, 2007

Heres a silly question most people probably dont worry about and just deal with. I have some paint stripping and spray painting to get done on an engine block/head, but the paint stripper says it should be 70-90 degrees surface and ambient temp to work properly. Also, as we all know, spray paint likes warmer temps than whats currently outside too. Now, I have a big propane blast furnace type thing I can use to keep the shop I work in warm, but the shop (more like shed) doesn't have insulation so it cools off FAST once the heater is turned off.

My concern is running the propane blast furnace to warm the shop (open flame) and using highly flammable aerosol chemicals at the same time. With the rate the shop cools down at, if I shut it off to spray, then back on again, it would already have dropped to damn near the temp outside again and take a while to heat back up. Not to mention all the fumes and flame again.

I guess my question is, how the hell do you manage to get good adhesion and or paint quality when theres no fricking heat and its the middle of the winter!? Id like to do a good job since its the engine block and its kind of a "do it once" part I cant easily take back out to repaint.

~T.J.

nick c · Dec 10, 2007

I usually take my parts and either let them sit inside for a day or two before hand, or if its small enough I throw them in the oven. :redneck: (don't tell her i do that...or that i use the dishwasher once in a while)

That way when I start they are nice and warm. I also keep the paint I want to use inside durring the project so its warm.

After its painted I really don't want it inside, tried it before it sucks, took forever to get the smell out. So I bought a couple cheap radiant heaters from Lowes last year, they were onsale for $20 each. And I put both heaters on high and one on each side of the parts. I take an old packing blanket and using chairs or whatever is handy I make a cover over it so the heat is somewhat trapped around the parts. (just pretend your a kid again and making a blanket fort). And i let them sit for a couple days that way. Works fairly well.

MIG'DHORSE · Dec 10, 2007

what you should be more worried about is the fact that the propane heater will burn a substantial amount of oxygen from the air you breathe. many people have died from asphyxiation in this exact situation. just be careful, use common sense, and if you start feeling woozy in your garage, get out.

pokey · Dec 10, 2007

MIG'DHORSE said:
what you should be more worried about is the fact that the propane heater will burn a substantial amount of oxygen from the air you breathe. many people have died from asphyxiation in this exact situation. just be careful, use common sense, and if you start feeling woozy in your garage, get out.

yep and propane create a ton of moisture as it heats a cold space(lots of condensation then rust). use the propane to warm things up with good venilation then use the electric heat to finish up while painting. It aslo helps to warm your paint cans up in a sink of hot water beforhand.

Totalled · Dec 10, 2007

TheMasterbater · Dec 10, 2007

Thats why i have heated floors......

In my dream shop. (Which will become reality soon)

bobbed_84_toy · Dec 10, 2007

As Pokey said, fill the sink up with hot water and let the paint cans sit in there

2pwrlftrs4u · Dec 10, 2007

84Toyota4x4 said:
Heres a silly question most people probably dont worry about and just deal with. I have some paint stripping and spray painting to get done on an engine block/head, but the paint stripper says it should be 70-90 degrees surface and ambient temp to work properly. Also, as we all know, spray paint likes warmer temps than whats currently outside too. Now, I have a big propane blast furnace type thing I can use to keep the shop I work in warm, but the shop (more like shed) doesn't have insulation so it cools off FAST once the heater is turned off.

My concern is running the propane blast furnace to warm the shop (open flame) and using highly flammable aerosol chemicals at the same time. With the rate the shop cools down at, if I shut it off to spray, then back on again, it would already have dropped to damn near the temp outside again and take a while to heat back up. Not to mention all the fumes and flame again.

I guess my question is, how the hell do you manage to get good adhesion and or paint quality when theres no fricking heat and its the middle of the winter!? Id like to do a good job since its the engine block and its kind of a "do it once" part I cant easily take back out to repaint.

~T.J.

you could take it to the craft shop and shoot it in a booth

War-Jeeper · Dec 10, 2007

cans in hot water and see if any of your buddys have any heat lamps thats what i used worked quite well

84Toyota4x4 · Dec 10, 2007

MIG'DHORSE said:
what you should be more worried about is the fact that the propane heater will burn a substantial amount of oxygen from the air you breathe. many people have died from asphyxiation in this exact situation. just be careful, use common sense, and if you start feeling woozy in your garage, get out.

Whenever I run the heater inside, I leave the door open about a foot (big sliding barn type door) because the heater is SO big, it can still keep the room warm even with the door open. Definitely enough ventilation there.

pokey said:
yep and propane create a ton of moisture as it heats a cold space(lots of condensation then rust). use the propane to warm things up with good venilation then use the electric heat to finish up while painting. It aslo helps to warm your paint cans up in a sink of hot water beforhand.

Cant run an electric heater, not enough power. The shed Im working in is a good 150 feet from the house, and its only got a small 20 amp breaker to run the whole shed, and it barely runs all the lights let alone an electric heater. You can use a hand drill and make the lights go out. The shed just wasn't built with power consumption in mind, just storage with a couple lights. Ive just converted it over to a "workshop".

Totalled said:

See above.

Thanks for the tips though. I'll see what I can come up with.

~T.J.

JOOP · Dec 10, 2007

I'm in the same situation kinda. I just did this a few weeks ago when I painted my jeep.

I had to have the door open for ventilation, which was enough, I was high as hellthat day. But anyways if the surface is cold, the paint stripper wont work. I ended up using a space heat pointed directly at the working area. Then the stripper work very well. (Dont waste your time on the spray stuff get the kind you paint on)

As far as painting. I wasn't to worried about keeping it warm. It had to sit overnight anyways to dry. Plus being a cold surface it kinda help fight any runs from happening.

SnoFalls · Dec 11, 2007

a good infared radiant heater should serve your purposes. It'll heat whatever it's pointed at and (if electric) won't have an open flame.

Something like a pair of these