Keeping a lathe and mill warm over winter?

Last winter I used lamps to slightly warm my mill and lathe over the cold period when I don't use the shop (to keep the condensation problem down). I'm doing that right now, but the light bulbs burn out and even when working they make a nice glow that escapes the garage, probably alerting the up-to-no-good-types that there's something of value in there.

I've been looking for coffee-cup warmers, which I've read will do something similar as they put out about 25 watts of heat. They don't seem to be around anymore.

Any other suggestions? I have a Model Engineer's Workshop issue from a few years ago that has a DIY thermostat and heater project, but I'd just as soon use something cheap and ready-made.

Thanks, Pete (in St. Paul, MN)

Reply to
Pete Bergstrom
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"Pete Bergstrom" insisted

How 'bout pipe warming tape? You could just wrap a section of the base or table and let 'er run. The stuff comes both in bulk or already terminated with a plug.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

I ran into the same thing when I went back to Walmart for another coffee cup warmer.

They now call these candle warmers to heat the aroma therapy candles where flames are not allowed or where the soot given off by the candle when it burns is objectionable.

Look in the Artsy-Fartsy section. As the clerk for a candle warmer if you cant find one. Big notice on the package that these are not to be used to warm food or beverage. This may be why they aren't sold as coffee warmers anymore.

Uncle George

Reply to
F. George McDuffee

Pete

A small space heater will keep the place dry. I got mne at COSTCO a few uears ago. They have a thermostat that will allow it to be used as a warmer. Perhaps a piece of plastic over your lathe and mill will help. Bob AZ

Reply to
Bob AZ

Cabella's, Bass Pro Shops, your local gun store and many other places will have tubular heaters intended to warming gun safes to prevent condensation and rust.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

These can not be used unless the coils are immersed in liquid (otherwise they burn out) and besides you can not FULLY immerse them so the duration of heat will be very short before you need to add liquid or unplug them.

I just picked-up a used Corona kerosene heater for my shop. It starts and runs well and is independant of outside power. Although I like it for my use I don't know what the economics will look like yet (compared to electric or propane). Another good manufacturer is Kero-Sun. The simple, lower hassel, solution would be one of those oil filled electric heaters which look like an old time radiator; they never get hot enough to ignite things that come their way. And they work great.

dennis in nca

Reply to
rigger

I would really like to find a small, safe heating element that would make perhaps abou 30 watts or so. I need two, one to keep the poultry waterer from freezing, and I would put another into my welding machine. I will check out cabelas.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus19006

Iggy, I've got a box of power resistors looking for a good home. All NOS Mallory stuff. Cover shipping plus 5 bucks, they're yours. Will (just) fit into a flat-rate box, so there's probably 50 of 'em in there. Up to 100 ohm/100 watt, all heavy duty ceramic wirewound type.

Dave "Have I mentioned I've got lots of oddball stuff?" Hinz

Reply to
Dave Hinz

Reply to
Ignoramus19006

[snip]

It's called a "Golden Rod". Here are some

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Steve.

Reply to
SteveF

[snip]

First time I heated my shop with a kerosene heater I got surface rust all over the place. Some folks replied that this is due to the chemicals released when the kerosene is burned in an enclosed space. A nice man got an almost new kerosene heater at my yard sale.

YMMV.

Steve.

Reply to
SteveF

I thought about aquarium heaters for my machines, but they'd probably be more appropriate for your use.

Thanks, Pete

Reply to
Pete Bergstrom

I was thinking of the ones where you set a coffee cup on the warmer which sits on your desk. I'd turn a metal disk to sit on the warmer and make good contact with the machine.

Thanks, Pete

Reply to
Pete Bergstrom

Aha! I'll go searching this weekend.

Thanks!! Pete

Reply to
Pete Bergstrom

That might work very well for the colder temperatures. I used one of these to keep my mother's well from freezing up. Several years without a problem so far. The one I got had a thermostat that kicked in just above freezing; maybe I can find one that I could control across the range of dewpoints from season to season.

Thanks! Pete

Reply to
Pete Bergstrom

For chick waterer, a aquarium heater would not work.

I used to have a "heated pet bowl", where I would place the waterer. It worked great for 2 years and then the bowl broke. The newer pet bowls that I saw, are too small.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus19006

Ah, it looks like a GoldenRod with an thermostatic circuit for on/off control will do what I want. I might want to do a bit more on the insulating side of my cover tarps, though.

Thanks! Pete

Reply to
Pete Bergstrom

If you put a few large light bulbs in series they'll last forever and not produce much light. Since the resistance of the lamp filaments varies with temperature, you'd probably have to do some experimenting with the number and/or wattage of the lamps while monitoring the current in order to hit your 25W target.

Ned Simmons

Reply to
Ned Simmons

Which makes me think that aluminum housed power resistors would be really slick for warming machinery. It seems to me that attaching them to the machine's castings with a conductive pad or grease between would be more efficient than light bulbs or other free hanging heaters.

Like this...

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I've used bonded strain gages as small heaters in a pinch, but that's probably not practical for warming a lathe .

Ned Simmons

Reply to
Ned Simmons

Go to the Goodwill, Savers, or other second-hand stores. Plenty of them there - I haven't had to pay over $3 yet...

Reply to
Emmo

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