# Mr Heater Buddy??



## cdgajoe (Nov 23, 2013)

Hi all, I'm new with lumberjocks and I'm part time woodworker. I have enjoy reading some of your comments and suggestion that really help me more understand and appreciate being woodworker. I'm hard of hearing (deaf) since birth and sometime I don't always get the answer I'm looking for so thanks!
After review the comments about best heater for our wood shop (2 car garage), does anyone have Mr Heater - MH 18B Big Buddy? How good is that for Northern Colorado area?


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

Depends on what you consider warm, and how big and how well insulated your garage is. 
I have its little brother - the 9000 btu one. I'm in southern AZ and bought it to take the chill off during the two weeks of the year we get for winter. I'm in a 600' insulated workshop. It works for a little area around my workbench but that's about it because it's just too small for my workshop. The one you're looking at is supposed to heat up to 400'. Basically it's just two of mine stuck into one housing. Also, they use a little throwaway cannister of propane. You'll be going through them like crazy trying to heat a garage in Colorado. If you want to use it to really heat then you need to use a 20lb tank of propane and that takes an adapter that isn't included in the original purchase price, it's about $40 more. 
I do like the safety auto-off for tipping or low oxygen, and I can pick it up while it's running and still feel safe. 
Edit: And welcome to LJ, 2nd friendliest place on the internet. 
Edit-2: I just saw where you said you're deaf. IF YOU CAN'T HEAR WHAT I TYPED BACK THERE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL TYPE IT LOUDER.


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## TaybulSawz (Oct 17, 2013)

I live in Northern Oklahoma and I think it would be fine. If you start it up and leave it for 30 mins. You can come back out and be nice and toasty. It will run a LONG time on a BBQ grill tank,


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## woodenwarrior (May 23, 2012)

I have a similar heater to the one you are looking at and I have found that as Taybulsawz states, if you leave it running for a hour hour or so, it will take the chill off. Don't expect it to be a sauna in your shop but it makes moving the digits a little easier when its cold out. I've used it in both Colorado and Kentucky where the winters are less than balmy. On a safety note, be mindful of where you place it in your shop and avoid running a sander around it…from experience… fine, airborne sawdust catches fire quickly.


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## taoist (Jul 31, 2011)

I have 2 heaters in my garage workshop and the Big Buddy is 1 of them. I like it because it has an oxygen sensor in it and shuts down if the oxygen gets 2 low in the shop. I also have a round metal 30,000 to 80,000 btu propane heater that I use to heat the shop up when it's really cold. I don't leave it on, the big 1, as it will get 2 warm if I do and it eats 20lb tanks fast when it's on high. So I leave the big buddy on but on low to use the O2 sensor.
You will notice that propane is a wet heat so be prepared for unprotected tools to rust if you use it a lot. Also the big buddy has a built in fan but you have to be next to it for it to be of any use. 
Good Luck.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Northern Tool has a BTU calculator on their website, here is the link. Basically you have to decide how much warmer you want your shop to be than the outside air temp. Crunch it through the formula and that will tell you if your heater can put out enough BTU's to get your shop to the desired temp. I'm pretty sure it works on the assumption that your shop is insulated.


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## TaybulSawz (Oct 17, 2013)

The insulation factor is a BIG one. If your Garage is "Drafty" then this heater is NOT going to be big enuf. If, on the other hand, it'd fairly well insulated and tight, then this should do well for you. The note about Propane raising the Humidity in your shop is a valid one so, be aware. A dehumidified might be a good idea.


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

JustJoe you too funny. Yer killin me here.


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