Heating garage for paint

[andeep]

I'm going to paint my car with 2k, and as it seems the weather is never going to get any warmer, I need a way to heat the garage. Usually I just paint in the summer.

I'm planning on using a propane space heater to initially get the garage and the car metal super hot, then turn the heater off, turn the extractor on and paint. Once I've finished painting and all fumes have cleared, turn the spacer heater on again to bake the paint.

Only problem I've heard with propane is moisture. But if I have the extractor on at a very low speed while the heater is on (low speed so I don't suck all the heat out), will I eliminate any moisture problems?

The garage is just a brick garage with no insulation (no windows)

And yes I do have air fed for 2k

 

[norsa]

Now i paint at home workshop, thats exactly how i do it. Never had a problem. Dont superheat the panel though, just heat the area up to 20'. Kill the heater and tack. If its wet you will find out with the tack rag.
Nick

 

[steveo3002]

just make sure all the panels have reached a reasonble room temp , on these frosty mornings the panels can stay icey cold for ages in a warm room

takes some effort to take the chill off them too

 

[norsa]

just make sure all the panels have reached a reasonble room temp , on these frosty mornings the panels can stay icey cold for ages in a warm room

takes some effort to take the chill off them too

Fair comment. Hair drier works well.

 

[andeep]

Yep I agree that the most important thing is to get the panels up to a good temperature, not just the air. As as soon as the extractor is turned on, the air will drop in temp, but hopefully the panels will retain their heat until I've finished painting and can turn the propane space heater back on.

With regards to moisture/condensation, is this experienced when everything cools down and the moisture/humidity in the air causes condensation on the panels?

 

[norsa]

Not in my workshop no.

 

[El Donkey]

I am using a tent garage for painting so temp also an issue. Bought a ceramic heater from aldi for just 15 quid which works well but only brought the temp up by about 6deg when it was freezing outside.

Then to improve lighting I dug out an old halogen outdoor 1000w flood light and fitted it to a rail high up. Not only did this give super lighting the temp shoots up and it heats the car too. I just had to make up a hardboard heat reflector covered in tin foil to stop the fabric above the light getting too warm.

So my advice, get some flood lights as they serve two purposes well. My old one has no glass cover so may project the heat on to the car better but if you bought a cheap set on stands I see no reason not to remove the glass from those as the anti burn guards will still be there. Unless some one knows differently?

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Infra-red heaters work very well and are far more efficient than space heaters as it only heats the panels.

 

[langy]

I am using a tent garage for painting so temp also an issue. Bought a ceramic heater from aldi for just 15 quid which works well but only brought the temp up by about 6deg when it was freezing outside.

Then to improve lighting I dug out an old halogen outdoor 1000w flood light and fitted it to a rail high up. Not only did this give super lighting the temp shoots up and it heats the car too. I just had to make up a hardboard heat reflector covered in tin foil to stop the fabric above the light getting too warm.

So my advice, get some flood lights as they serve two purposes well. My old one has no glass cover so may project the heat on to the car better but if you bought a cheap set on stands I see no reason not to remove the glass from those as the anti burn guards will still be there. Unless some one knows differently?

How on earth are you getting the temp up to 20 in a tent at the outside temps we are having ???

 

[andeep]

The problem with infra red is that I would need so many in order to heat the entire car for a respray...

 

[El Donkey]

How on earth are you getting the temp up to 20 in a tent at the outside temps we are having ???

Its actually easier to heat the tent than it is my detached garage. Although I'm not hitting 20, with a 1000w flood light and then a 500w one on a tripod pointing at the panel I am working on, the panel gets warm. Even last week I had the digi thermometer reading 13 on top of the car and 18 in front of the panel.

Stand under the flood light and its like taking a cheap holiday :-)

 

[Ian1044]

Just had this exact problem, I used a couple of 2000w fan heaters and a 500w halogen light as described above. The halogen makes a massive difference, though I didn't take the glass out. Worked well for me.