Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[Tony G]

Because it isn't feasable to keep a decent temperature 24hrs a day with the little 5KW heater we have, I've been trying to think of ways to at least get the chance to glue small peices together. Some of the small electrical heaters still use 750 to 1500 KW and that's a lot of juice for what you get. So I got a couple of sheets of 1 1/2" styrofoam and cobbled together a "hot box" that is 36"w x 48"l x 30"h. The corners are pinned together with 1/8" x 18" rods which makes it easy to put together and pull apart. It is heated with two 100w bulbs in reflectors. I don't have a thermometer handy but it was nice and toasty in there this morning while the ambient air temp in the shop was near the mid thirties. (outside temp was 14)


I still have to come up with a way to heat the hull and cabin this winter if I want to lay down some epoxy. It may be just a different version of this as I don't want to invest in a bunch of heaters. I can heat up the outside of the hull by directing the gas heater toward it for a short while as we bring the shop up to temp before going to all electric heat. Then it may be up to some more reflectors and a means of clamping them in place for twelve hours. I've even thought about getting some electric blankets and draping them over the hull adjacent to where we're working to see if they could hold a constant temperature. Any ideas out there?

[Commander 147]

Tony

It is rare that I need to heat my work area for Destiny most of the time my problem is that it is so hot I can hardly breath let alone work and the epoxy kicks much faster than I want it to, but I have had a couple freezing nights since I started this project and I may get a couple more soon. But heat lamps directed onto the raw epoxy was enough to make it kick properly even though it frooze overnight. My shelter has no way to heat it since it is open on both ends. You are enclosed and insulated so work on the inside of your boat might work out with just the heat lamps like I used. 1976 was the last year I lived in the cold county so I have probably forgot a lot of the pain involved in working in that enviroment but you asked for suggestions so............

[mbd]

... Any ideas out there?

Move South?

I'm still trying to get over the shock that you tore out your previous gorgeous and curvy interior...

On the constructive side of things, I don't know about exterior hull work, but perhaps, if you're planning on it, you could make insulating the interior your first order of business, then keep it nice and toasty inside?