Inexpensive wood stove for garage workshop

[stoveliker]

I think the OP is unhappy because his initial question was not (immediately) answered. Instead other questions were raised. (And subsequently debated.)

The point of this site is not to cater to users' wishes, but to educate and answer. If wishes are unsafe or illegal, it is pointed out - as a principle (is how I understand this forum operates).

As we all know (at least, I know this for myself), oftentimes when venturing into a new area, we don't always know what the right questions to ask are, what affects the boundary conditions of the questions we posed, and in particular what the legal/official implications are of choices made.

It is unfortunate that the legality of the situation asked about by the OP is not universally agreed upon, but the back and forth at least did point to where there are or may be issues with what he/she wants.

Finally, I think that a stove in a larger open area, without floor insulation, is in general well-served by having a blower on the stove to distribute the heat.

 

[bholler]

I think the OP is unhappy because his initial question was not (immediately) answered. Instead other questions were raised. (And subsequently debated.)

The point of this site is not to cater to users' wishes, but to educate and answer. If wishes are unsafe or illegal, it is pointed out - as a principle (is how I understand this forum operates).

As we all know (at least, I know this for myself), oftentimes when venturing into a new area, we don't always know what the right questions to ask are, what affects the boundary conditions of the questions we posed, and in particular what the legal/official implications are of choices made.

It is unfortunate that the legality of the situation asked about by the OP is not universally agreed upon, but the back and forth at least did point to where there are or may be issues with what he/she wants.

Finally, I think that a stove in a larger open area, without floor insulation, is in general well-served by having a blower on the stove to distribute the heat.

Well said but there really is only one person who disagrees with the legality of woodstoves in garages. It all there in black and white. "Solid fuel burners shall not be installed in any garage or space where gasoline or other flammable vapors are present". Now many of us including me think the code is stupid. And many again including me decide to accept the risks and do it anyway. But there is no valid argument saying it is legal.

 

[stoveliker]

Well said but there really is only one person who disagrees with the legality of woodstoves in garages. It all there in black and white. "Solid fuel burners shall not be installed in any garage or space where gasoline or other flammable vapors are present". Now many of us including me think the code is stupid. And many again including me decide to accept the risks and do it anyway. But there is no valid argument saying it is legal.

Contrary to my urges, I'm not entering the debate of whether that applies to this particular situation

 

[bholler]

Contrary to my urges, I'm not entering the debate of whether that applies to this particular situation

We don't have enough info to know if it does

 

[ChillyB]

I'll offer some very limited experience. Had an uninsulated pole barn with one of those cheap 55 gal drum stoves. It was OK but barrels are too big to build a fire that I'd trust in a thin drum. So I dont recommend those.

That stove went out a window using single wall junk pipe. I dont recommend the junk pipe, and I think going out a window stinks, too. Not too difficult to g through the roof and its a much nicer install that drafts better. How high is your roof peak from window, by the way? Put as much thought into the chimney as the stove.

Have you checked out homebuilt waste oil heaters? I saved a water heater tank for such a project (someday). Of course not "listed" so understand insurance implications.

For wood Id find a double door plate steel brick lined stove from a local facebook or whatever and put it where you WANT it, not where a window invites it, then go through the roof. Id set it up on a high hearth with plenty of clearance and a shielded wall.

Even if you dont end up 100% compliant (your business) its worth abiding by as many of the code requirements as you can tolerate for your own peace of mind.

 

[Sparkynutz]

I found a lopi answer 95 with all pipes a few minutes from me. They are asking an arm and a leg but gonna see if they'll take $300. Its a little big but hopefully it should work ok.

 

[bholler]

I found a lopi answer 95 with all pipes a few minutes from me. They are asking an arm and a leg but gonna see if they'll take $300. Its a little big but hopefully it should work ok.

I think you will find it isn't too big at all. What type of pipe is included?

 

[Sparkynutz]

Looks like a few sections of double wall stainless or chrome pipe.

 

[Poindexter]

It seems to me the original question is about heating roughly 62k cu ft, tightly insulated but in Wisconsin, with short and ugly wood.

The side debate about gasoline is relevant. Whether or not code allows it, storing gasoline (even in fuel tanks) in the same room as an open flame is just dumb. My oil burner boiler has an electronic ignitor in my garage, my (gasoline) snowthrower is in the garage, no way would I put an open flame in there. Do you light a joint before checking the fuel level in the tank of your motorcycle?

26x26 is a very generous 2 car garage and might even be a three car garage in some areas. Slipping a lawn mower or an ATV in there is going to very tempting for many people.

The next relevant question to me is 'what kind of shop?' I got serious about hand tool wood working +/- 3 years ago. I have a pretty comprehensive set of antique handplanes in all the common sizes now, and I don't want the air in my shop crossing back and forth over the dewpoint freaking ever. If I find surface rust on one bench plane I have to look at all nine bench planes, probably 20 irons on the joinery planes, a couple dozen chisels, plus I got a metric ton of handsaw teeth. In a metal shop, a welding shop, this would be possibly a much smaller issue, but grinding or wire wheeling a bunch of angle iron for a high dollar project later is going to be a problem. I like to keep my shop at least 10 degrees above whatever the dew point is every minute of every day. Keeping my crap sharp is a big enough headache without throwing dewpoint challenges into the mix.

At the OP, if you are doing something like maintaining a tractor for an 18 wheeled rig with chrome plated tools, regular condensation on your various sockets may not be a problem. If you have much in the way of unplated steel in there intermitent wood heat is not a good answer.

What kind of shop are we talking about?