Heat for the reloading bench

[trickyasafox]

i either just light a butane torch and toss it next to the powder cannisters i store under pressure in tight metal containers or tape an aerosal can so it sprays constantly and light it with a bic.

 

[Bill2k1]

I'm sorry but how cold can it get in North Carolina?

I would insulate the building (20x20 will not break the bank) and call it a day. You can run the heater for an hour to heat the place then it should be okay for a long time unheated.

 

[ball3006]

If so many of you guys are....

worried about blowing yourselves up while reloading, well, maybe you should re-evaluate what you are doing on the loading bench. I have a small electric heater positioned next to my bench aimed to keep the chill off me. I have been using this set up for over 40 years, and I am still here. Even if some powder gets on the heater, it will only burn, not blow up. What are you doing throwing powder on a heater anyway? chris3

 

[The Bushmaster]

Hey ball3006...I bet I use the same coiled element heater...Don't you just love the smell of the burned powder when some flakes make it to the heater...Almost like being on the range without the loud noise (music)...

 

[Archie]

Now in the basement it's easy to vacuum this stuff up before it presents a hazard, but outside in a cold outbuilding...

Since no one else has mentioned it, I will. Vacuuming powder is discouraged. The kernels rubbing against each other and the material of the vacuum generate static electricity. Which will then discharge to the powder itself. Sweeping isn't supposed to be so bad.

I cannot believe the vapors given off by powders is strong enough to ignite, save holding a match or lighter directly over a freshly opened can of new powder.

Freeholder, make sure you have some form of floor insulator. Even scrap lumber on the floor will keep your boots off the concrete… which is a really efficient heat sink. Preventing heat loss from your feet will make the place seem less cold, at least. I would not worry about a kerosene heater, if the 'flame' part is not open to the powder or primers. As has been mentioned, it takes direct contact to ignite either primers or powder. The brass and bullets won't mind at all.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Yer lungs might...I work around these things and they are NOT space heaters...

 

[YellowLab]

Throw some money at some insulation. R-12 or better for the walls R-18 for the roof.. Will save you $$$ all year round.

You'll burn less kero/propane and will stay warmer longer.

You'll really need to compare you electric rates with the cost of kero. This year people I know with electric heat are paying LESS than I do with Natural Gas.

But a few rolls of insulation will probibly get you the most bang for the buck.

 

[kenjs1]

I think the radiator is a great idea. You may want to rig a deflector of some type behind it. I know you said you don't have a lot of amps so what about just using a heating pad and either sitting on it or keeping it on your lap? You can rest your hands on it\under it too? They also sell those heated cushions- mostly massaging ones. Those would work and be safe. Unusual alternatives I admit.

 

[caz223]

I guess I sweep the primers and any visible dirt up, then I vacuum.
Always find a few more primers.
I clean and lube my press, then sweep the bench, then the floor, then vacuum. One of these days I'm hoping to find a live primer, and see what a high speed self-propelled vacuum looks like.
I haven't personally done this, but I've heard third hand about someone SMOKING while they were vacuuming their reloading room.
Well, can you guess what happened?

 

[dfaugh]

Woodburner

OUTSIDE

My cousin has a setup with a woodburning furnace outside, that pipes hot water into the house and garage (into radiators). Thermostatically contolled and all that. Costly in his case, but its a very large house, and a complcated arrangement with multiple thermostat zones. A small, simple unit might work for you. IF you have a place to cut/get wood, of course, its virtually "free" heat...

 

[The Freeholder]

Throw some money at some insulation. R-12 or better for the walls R-18 for the roof.. Will save you $$$ all year round.

Roof's already insulated. See below for why I don't do the rest. Pity the guy who built it in the 60s didn't insulate it then, but oh well...

I'm sorry but how cold can it get in North Carolina?

I've seen -12 F where I live. Not cold by Wisconsin standards, but my building will drop to near ambient over a short period of time. Even if it's in the 40's, I don't care to sit there for 2-3 hours reloading.

I would insulate the building (20x20 will not break the bank) and call it a day. You can run the heater for an hour to heat the place then it should be okay for a long time unheated.

Cinderblock walls and a slab floor aren't that easy to insulate. Granted, If I'd thought of it 13 years ago, before all the workbenches, shelves and pegboard it wouldn't be a big deal. Now, I'd have to rip it all out, furring strip the walls, insulate, then either hang sheetrock or paneling or something. No thanks. It'd be easier and less work to have one of those "we build you an outbuilding and haul it in on a trailer" companies build me a building just for loading. Not an option. My wife and I have enough arguements about my hobbies already.

I used to heat with a small wood-burning stove. Homeowner's insurance company made me take it out because it wasn't UL listed. Heat was free; I just used branches and such trimmed off trees. It was a small stove (really meant for coal), so I basically burned yard waste and scrap wood. Worked just fine.

I think I'll just stick with what I'm doing. Kero is $2.50/gal, and 5 gallons lasts about 48 hours of burning time.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Sport45]

I think I'll just stick with what I'm doing. Kero is $2.50/gal, and 5 gallons lasts about 48 hours of burning time.

I have a kerosene heater as well. Haven't had to fire the thing up in a decade since moving to Houston though. For what it's worth, when I did use it I burned Mineral Spirits. In 5-gallon quantities it didn't cost any more than kerosene and the fumes were less "intense". Mineral Spirits are usually sold as "oderless" and contains less sulfur than krosene. My garage at the time was attached to the house. Kerosene would "stink up the house" according to my wife, but mineral spirits wouldn't.