Question about shop heater?

[ctubbs]

I was a volunteer firefighter for a few years. Fact of life, any dust derived from a flammable substance will ignite and under the correct conditions it will explode. This is known to me from personal experience. It is impressive, but it is not pretty. I very highly recommend a non open flame heat source that does not reach the ignition temp of wood dust. That crap can and will blow up. The flame spread of dust is tremendous. It approaches gasoline fumes.
There are many that have used open flame heat sources in a wood shop without an incident. There are those no longer with us due to doing the same. I do not know any of you face to face yet, but I would truly hate to get along without any of you. That is my $0.02 worth. Whatever you use, please get professional advice before you endanger yourself and your family.
Charles

 

[randyrls]

My uncle has a furnace in his workshop that he salvaged from a house being demolished. He put a smallish 3 quart(?) tank on it and ran the flue outside. He runs it for about 30 minutes while he is setting up and it keeps the workspace warm for 2 hours. Then he runs it for a little while longer.

 

[workinforwood]

Yes or no is the answer. Depends on the type of heater. I have a Modine ceiling mount gas fire heater and it will not explode in my shop. Yes, it has exposed flames, but the air the flames are burning is coming from outside the shop and the burnt gases are also exhaled outside the shop. So the risk with this heater is extremely low.