# Am I missing an eyebrow? (propane shop heater)



## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

That title, for the unfamiliar among you, is a famous quote from the Mythbusters TV show on Discovery.

Harbor Freight was having a sale on their "sits on top of a propane canister" heaters, so I picked one up.

This morning I learned why it has that little hole in the back of the reflector with big lettering around it that says "PLACE THE LIT MATCH HERE".

It turns out that lighting it with one of those flint-based torch lighters from outside the guard is not such a great idea.

POOF!

Didn't loose an eyebrow, but I won't have to shave my knuckles for awhile…
Keep smelling burnt hair any time my hand gets too close to my face. 

Anyway, this things makes a strange kind of heat. According to my contactless thermometer gadget, it is heating up all the surfaces in the shop (even those that are not near it or in its line-of-fire), but it doesn't seem any warmer in the shop unless you stand in front of it.

Im wondering if one of the torpedo style air-moving propane heaters would solve that issue?

(since somebody will ask…it is a completely uninsulated and very "leaky" old 400 sq foot garage building)


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## conifur (Apr 1, 2015)

It is an infrared/radiant heater, heats objects not air.


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

Glad nothing more happened than singing the hairs off of your knuckles 

Back in the early 40s, in the early morning before work, my grandfather went downstairs to light the boiler that had flamed out. The boiler backflashed, burned his face and singed off his eyebrows and lashes. He told no one in the house as they were still sleeping and just went to work. My grandmother, as she did every day, picked him up at the P&G plant. When he got into the car, my grandmother was shocked and asked him what happened. His face was red as a beat with no hair around his eyes. He simply said it was no big deal and told her what happened.

I never met my grandfather as he passed when I was 6 months old, but I know he had a good work ethic and was a man's man. I think he's where I got my creativity and mechanical skills from. Never had a teacher for anything I do with tools.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

> It is an infrared/radiant heater, heats objects not air.
> 
> - conifur


^^^^^^^^^^^ there's your answer….


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

> Glad nothing more happened than singing the hairs off of your knuckles
> 
> Back in the early 40s, in the early morning before work, my grandfather went downstairs to light the boiler that had flamed out. The boiler backflashed, burned his face and singed off his eyebrows and lashes. He told no one in the house as they were still sleeping and just went to work. My grandmother, as she did every day, picked him up at the P&G plant. When he got into the car, my grandmother was shocked and asked him what happened. His face was red as a beat with no hair around his eyes. He simply said it was no big deal and told her what happened.
> 
> ...


I was fortunate enough to have known both of my grandfathers…a house builder and an electrician. No doubts about where my skills came from. Just wish I had had a third grandfather who was a plumber.


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

> It is an infrared/radiant heater, heats objects not air.
> 
> - conifur
> 
> ...


Guess maybe I will park this one near the TS/workbench to warm my "backside", and add a torpedo style heater to warm up the shop.


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

LOL Maybe a 4th as a mason  Yeah didn't know either of mine. Both passed at a relatively young age. The other worked in the garment industry as a pattern maker and designer. My Dad is a retired dentist. Worked with his hands obviously, but wasn't much with a hammer and screwdriver. Even at a young age, I was assigned repairs around the house.


> I was fortunate enough to have known both of my grandfathers…a house builder and an electrician. No doubts about where my skills came from. Just wish I had had a third grandfather who was a plumber.
> 
> - JeffP


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

> That title, for the unfamiliar among you, is a famous quote from the Mythbusters TV show on Discovery.
> 
> Didn't loose an eyebrow, but I won t have to shave my knuckles for awhile…
> Keep smelling burnt hair any time my hand gets too close to my face.
> ...


Got the Mythbusters reference right off the bat.

Lost a few hairs off my hands a few times. A bit of soap and water lessens the burn-hair smell.


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