# You know it's cold when...



## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

It was -1 here yesterday without the windchill. I went into the shop to stoke a fire for the cats (similar to the CatSand 2009 v1.2, only much more lazy- I think their motors are burned out).

As I was walking to the stove wondering why the fire went out, I heard a shattering "pop" like I had stepped on some glass. I looked down and I had stepped on an extension cord. I thought, "no way." I picked the cord up and it was stiff as a board, due to the extreme cold. Where I had stepped on it had broken clean through the otherwise flexible rubber/plastic insulation, exposing the guts of the cord. Sheesh. Another thing to repair… lol.

Mark my word, "someday" my shop will be insulated and temperature controlled.


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## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

Steve;

That should be plain old illegal!

That's just too cold.

I always say I'm lazy, and now I can prove it, but I don't feel like it. Just kidding.

I built my shop about eight years ago. Two things never got finished. Trim around four windows, which are in the skylight openings of the ceiling, and are around 11' up, so I don't see them very often.

And the second thing, which is embarrassing to admit to, and a pain in the butt, finally got done yesterday.

My heating and air conditioning system uses outside air for combustion. Two 2" p.v.c. pipes stick out through the wall, one for intake, one for exhaust. No chimney needed due to the efficiency of the units. The down side is it produces about five gallons of condensate on very cold days.

So for the last eight years I've had to go empty a five gallon bucket of water every day during the winter.
There is a condensate drain, but the end freezes, so the bucket came into play as a temporary fix.

Yesterday I took about six minutes to install a condensate pump, forever relieving me of dumping the bucket.

I am now a free man.

Lee


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Steve: My shop is insulated and heating and air conditioned. But it costs about $16.00 a day to heat it with propane. So I only turn it on for a while ti get rid of the chill. It's usually about 42 in the shop when I go out there. Today it was 32 and outside it was 6. But it was 36 in the area where I have the water storage for the house, so nothing was frozen

The ceilings in my shop are 16' so all the heat goes up. It's always nice and warm in the veneering room because it's on the second floor.


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

I've got a woodburner in it, but it has to get red hot all night if I'm even going to think about going out there the next day to do anything… sure would be nice to just go out and do something in it without my hands wanting to stick to all the metal surfaces… lol.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Geeze Steve, that's darned cold! I grew up in St. Elmo IL and only saw it -8 once. But, with this "global warming" thing, who knows?


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

you know its cold when …... mr trim got his long britches on ! heck its 67 right in my house and im wishing i had a furnace ! lol suck it up boys lol


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Lee, I'm glad that you solved that problem. I remember last summer when the whole thing froze up.


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

Mr.Trim, you need some heavier skivvies.

Lee- glad you got that fixed…


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## GuyK (Mar 26, 2007)

Got a call this morning from the Farm ( www.thelandsathillsidefarms.org ) I do volunteer work for asking if I could come out and help thaw the water pipes for the cows. It was -14 outside of the barn and only 18 inside with the 65 milking cows we have. The barn sits in a narrow valley and along a stream which makes it a lot colder. Needless to say after 3 hours of heat guns on the pipes we were finally able to get the water flowing again. I am glad my shop is in the basement of my house and heated.


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

lol i must have to import those steve i havent seen any around here ! lol


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## mmax (Dec 9, 2008)

Got up yesterday and it was -32. You don't have any bare skin showing in this weather.


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

All the sudden, -1 feels like a Caribbean Cruise.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

you know it's cold when you cut yourself - but don't bleed!

you know it's cold when your air compressor just keeps on going, and never realize that it's tank is already over pressured … .(cold air / pressure/ gauge don't like one another) and when your tools motors trip the breaker on startup…

brrrrrrrrrr….......


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

The old girl saw me struggling out in the shop, freezing my rear end off and finally let me bring a few things in to work on in the basement. Finished basement. (made a big mess.)
But it was nice doing a little work.
i knew I should have installed that hanging heater out there this past summer….... shucks


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## FEDSAWDAVE (Jan 1, 2009)

Man, you guys are "cold" LOL

Something like 58 for a high in Tampa Bay today and Floridians were wearing parkas!

I really need to shut the windows tonite…..SORRY!  That was just a joke.


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

Jarrod-

That's a pretty good idea about the fridge…

FEDSAWDAVE-

I keep my house between 58-62 in the wintertime… anything much higher and my wife and I are opening the windows.


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## matter (Jan 30, 2008)

Hit the defrost button on my VW and the vinyl on the dash cracked.

Alternator wiring harness went on my F150 and the insulation broke off of the wires during replacement.

Both cars had dead batteries yesterday morning. My booster battery as well. -22c when I got up


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

I despise dead batteries when it's that cold… man-o-man… my fingers hate that cold weather.


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## FEDSAWDAVE (Jan 1, 2009)

Steve…no you don't. No way your house is that temp. No fridge, right? You keep the milk and cheese on the porch?


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

LOL… yeah, we keep it pretty cool. I used to fight it, my wife is a furnace. But, now… I actually like it.

When the wind blows out of the north, even though we're in the timber the furnace wants to run constantly. So, we got in the habit of just shutting it off in the winter time, and burning wood. Yesterday when it was -1, I finally turned it back on, just for the safety of the pipes. I really didn't feel like crawling under the house in -1 and dealing with water… or ice, however you want to look at it.

It's 59 in here now.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

I saw something about using a lightbulb to turn a fridge into a place to dry your wood, why not keep your glues in there too?

defroster (and a previous ding I suppose) cracked my windshield this past week. also Took three attempts to replace my wipers - can't do it with gloved hands or fingers that are throbbing with numbness - (which doesn't sound possible)

Wasn't going to freeze in the basement, but I hate wasting a free day, so yesterday I put on thermals and fleece pants under my jeans, 2 pair of socks, hooded sweatshirt under my shirt jac, ballcap and gloves on to go down into the shop… unlike Karson I have a hair over 6' clearance between the concrete and the joists (in most places), my low ceilings keeps the heat right where I need it. (And the joists keep bumping me where I don't, if I'm not paying attention) Otherwise, I had a nice comfortable, and very productive cleaning day yesterday - finally crossed the tipping point, and have a shop that is about as clean as is likely possible. Seriously was never this clean save the day before we moved in. (3 bags full of sawdust, 2 full trashbags of junk, lots of kindling, and finally everything sorted and put away! I found a thermometer on the bench (and Prince Albert in a can), 48 degrees early afternoon, moved it up to a higher shelf, where it was warmer, a balmy 52 degrees!

Yesterday was the coldest day on record for several years, even with a fire going all day, the house barely got above 60.


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## naperville (Jan 28, 2008)

Except for this year, I would have to close the shop in January and February as it is to cold to work, even with a kerosene heater. (Shop in detached garage) Now that I'm in the new shop, it is very nice… I keep it about 63 during the day and it drops to 50 at night. The 30 min drive to and from the shop in the -18 degree cold is a pain.
I hope spring comes soon…


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## marcb (May 5, 2008)

-1? Is that all? I was out buying a dust collector and loading it into my truck outdoors in -9 the other day. I would have loved -1


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## motthunter (Dec 31, 2007)

Brrr.. thank goodness I finally did insulate and heat this year. Worth every penny


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## Michael121 (Jun 30, 2008)

-6 yesterday with up to -15 wind chill.

I like cold weather 40's or so but negatives are a little much, even my van ignition turns slow.

I spilled coffee on my front porch as I was leaving Kori my 8 year old forgot her backpack and as she ran out I was holding the door she bumped my arm and poof. The coffee hit the concrete steps and was ice before I could lock the door.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

Cold…................ - 35 Celcius (-31F) the other day, not incuding the windchill. Was in Timmins a few years back and it hit -65 (-85F) .......perhaps it was -65F but regardless, when you spit it sounded like a firecracker when it instantly turned to an ice pellet. Truck wouldnt start, had to have it towed and thawed and when they towed it, I shut the truck door and the door hinges broke, door fell off. I always think about one of my brothers who, during the winter months works in constant -50 C ( -58 F )......ouch

My shop is heated and I keep it at 50 F. Some think thats too cold until they step outside. Most people work faster when its colder and I'm one of them.


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## FlWoodRat (Sep 12, 2007)

Geesh, and I was whining when I went out to my shop the other morning and it was only 44 F. I had to wait a few hours, but it warmed up and was 68 F by mid afternoon. Then I was able to get some glue work done.

When I went out this morning at 5 am it was in the mid 40's again, but now its a balmy 54 (0900).

It felt quite comfy while I was sanding.


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

-65? That's crazy. I'd sell everything I owned and move south to the -1's. LOL Heck, at -65, you'd just about be in a place where any direction you moved would be south. Tell Santa I said "Hi."


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

steve , your just shameless ! suckin up to santa and its only jan. lol i get my hands on him hes gonna tell me where he left all them tools i ask for ! lol


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

mrtrim- LOL… Hey, I'll pull any strings that I can pull when it comes to Santa… I don't envy where he lives tho.


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## ShannonRogers (Jan 11, 2008)

Jarrod's fridge pic above could work even if the fridge is in perfect working order. If it is below freezing just open the fridge to warm up the shop to a toasty 40 or so. LOL

For another take on measuring temperature, check out Larry Williams blog on his chewability index


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

I jus' keep chunkin' that Juniper in the Blaze King. Maintains about 70-75 F. I like my shop!!!!!


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## odie (Nov 20, 2007)

You know it's cold when Odie does all the glue-ups on a kitchen counter.


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

Steve, I might swap you for a day. It was 114F here last Thursday.


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## motthunter (Dec 31, 2007)

was 10 below here.. and the inside of my car windows frosted over.. kinda sucked


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

Yikes Grumpy… 114? Maybe we could split it and chill out at a cool 60 degrees or so for both of us… lol.


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

Needless to say Steve, I did not go in the workshop that day.


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

More ice today… lots of crashes. I had to pull out my YakTrax boot chains just to walk around on it. It was the worst kind of ice- spotty. C'mon summer.


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

You know it's cold when you can't walk around in swimmers & bare feet. LOL


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

Grumpy- LOL… I don't have any business in swimmers and bare feet now, I think it's going to have to warm up about 85 degrees.


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

Don't talk to me about cold!

From misc pics

Bob


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

From misc pics


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

*Bob, where's the swimmers?.*


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

Grumpy:
Just ahot tub here.

From misc pics


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

This guy is crazy


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## Gundalf (Jan 28, 2009)

15 below here two weeks ago and my overhead flourescents would not come on… It was about 28 below wind chill and even in the unheated, insulated garage the temp was down to -5…


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## unknownwoodworker (Apr 5, 2008)

You know it's cold when bags freeze.


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

YOU KNOW IT'S COLD WHEN YOUR THONGS STOP STICKING TO THE BITUMEN. LOL


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

Grumpy- LOL… I hate that when I lose a flip flop in the tar…. it isn't the "losing it in the tar" bit that gets me, it's the step after I lose it…. lol

...too cold to be in flip flops here now, though. My 7-8 inches of snow is finally starting to melt a little…


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

Steve, I know the feeling. I would be good to have some snow down here for a day or two.


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## Al_PG (Jan 29, 2009)

I had the block heater cord on my car split when I moved it this winter it was around -35c. Car wouldn't start and it was too cold to fix it so I waiting a couple days until it warmed to -15c to start it and moved it into the garage to get out of the wind and fix it.

Nice pictures Bob and Grumpy


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

Maine, about 20 to -10 usually in the winter. My 25×25 ft shop is insulated. I use a non vented propane heater, about 28,000 btu's. I use about $100 of gas/winter. Not to bad. It heats up the shop in about 30 minutes enough to work. And it gets toasty after awhile. I've made storm windows to help.

Interestingly, The other day I went out and started the table saw cold. I kept flipping a 20amp circuit breaker upon startup because the belt was frozen in position. Turning the belt a few revolutions by hand loosened it up.


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## laflaone (Apr 28, 2008)

Man, it got really cold where I live( SE coast of FL) last week. One of our squirrels went up on the birdbath to have a morning drink. He (or she) was very puzzled when he went to get a drink, and there was no liquid! He took a tentative step out on the ice, and it broke through! I have never seen a squirrel move so fast. Probably the first time it had ever encountered ice. It got down that night to 32. Burrrrrr! The tribulations of winter. I guess we will just have to bundle up and suffer through it. By the way. It was 81 here yesterday.


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

I just went through every post, and no one had any concern for the Catsand2009!! Steve, bring those babies in!!! You don't want a kittysicle do you??? Bring 'em in the warm house!!!!


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

Matt- LOL… Ya gotta trust me, they are warm….


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

YOU KNOW ITS COLD WHEN THE GLOBAL WARMING PROTESTORS WONT THAW OUT. LOL


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

I thought Scotland was cold then I went toliove in Germany for five years, they (the germans)thought Germany was cold til they went to Russia. that's seriously cold.Alistair


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

Poem about our Australian summer 
Extremely touching and thought provoking!! 
I found this beautiful Aussie Summer poem and thought it might be a comfort to you. 
It was sent to me and it's very well written; I hope you enjoy it because it's 
the best piece of English literature I've seen in quite a while…. 


S*#t,

It's HOT !


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