Hey guys this past summer I built a 16x24 workshop out back to put all my tools and planes in. I work on them and build them out there and store them there. My question is I kept it around 85 during the summer and cooled it when I was in it, but for the winter I am wondering what is the coldest I should let it go? It gets down to about 50-55 in the inside at night right now and I am wondering will that be OK or do I need to keep it warmer. I have gas and glow and a couple of electrics. I don't mind the heating it when I go out there just would rather not have to heat it all the time. What do you guys keep yours at??

All my stuff is in the garage. I have a propane heater that I leave on just pilot until I'm ready to go out there, then I turn it up till the thermo meter at the ceiling says 65 or so. Then I turn it back down to pilot. Never really worried about it. I would think in the dead of winter here in Zion it's prolly gets down around 35 or 40. The garage is attached to the house. If I forget and leave the heater on for an extended length of time it gets right toasty then but I don't think I could afford the propane bill.

For building you should be ok at those temperatures. Might have a problem painting though with some paints. And your epoxy will probably thicken up pretty good. The epoxy can be softened/thinned by carefully heating in a microwave for 10 or 15 seconds or hitting it with the heat gun.

how about winter storage will they be alright in a cold garge do i charge the battery frist ?

Small oil filled electric heater will keep that space above 50 unless it's inder 20 outside. Two will keep it toasty.

Tim

I live in Minnesota

My stuff is kept in an unheated garage

No problem

Epoxy needs to be at 65 degrees min during cure for max strength. Heating for short amounts of time will also adversly affect the overall strength.

Just looked at the temps for your home! WOW!!! If you have no issues I should be fine!! I guess that I should not complain about 30!!!

30 is T-Shirt weather here

Im glad I have a basement plus an extraroom to work on my rc's and chinese pocketbikes...I use the garage for the dirtbikes/quads and my ProStreet 69 Olds

If youre gonna keep nitro powered vehicles in temps below 50 make sure to set the engines with the piston at bottom dead center position so the cylinder doesnt shrink tight around the piston stressing it.For the gassers be sure to use a fuel stabilizer and lube all key points to the chassis...another thing to consider over thetemp rangeis the amount of humidity that accumulates in there.Cold/warm fluxuations in tempscan condense metals pretty easily and oxidize up aluminum aswell as start rust-ups.I left my brand new chinese pocketbikes in the garage and sheds over the winter a few years back..When I pulled them out in the spring I became disgusted with what I saw.My basement is always at 55-60 degreesyear roundand relative ambient humidity is at a controlled 60-65%

I have the same problem here in NC. Summertime its 100 deg in my shop, right now im struggleing to keep it above 50 deg, ( its in the 30s outside) I have a Stanley elect heater i run throut the winter & it has kept things above freezing so far in the last 10 yrs or so. One thing i want to mention is the Fromeco battery information says NOT to charge them below 50 or 55 Degs. I store all my gas & glow planes out there along w all my building supplies & to date I have not had any issues. I miss my basement i had when i lived in Pa!...Gene

Do you remove the batteries for the winter Mike?

Yes, T-shirt weather here too. Under the parka.

Jim

You guys are crazy! If it drops below 50 here I don't go flying!! Well maybe once and a while to get that "fix"!

But I can say that Yesterday I did a Toys For Tots ride for the Marines and it was 48 to start and 15 MPH winds. Yes it was cold but worth it!!!!! Funny thing is I am colder at the field when it is like that than on the bike! Guess I have to much to concentrate on when I am riding.

double post

48°, That's a heat wave. Wouldn't see those temps for 4 months.

Jim

Yes, I leave the batteries in them.

And just for the record: I'm not native to Minnesota, I like to think of myself as a temporarily mis-assigned New Yorker.

So, while it gets COLD here, I also don't go flying in the winter! (This is why my equipment "sits" in a cold garage all winter)

Now, excuse me while I kick back in my nice, warm easy chair. "Oh Honey, I'm out of hot chocolate!"

That's why I still live in San Diego:-)))))))))))))))))))))

Along with the fact that when we were married, my family was living in Honolulu, and my wife's family was living in New York. Perhaps needles to say, that neither of us had in-law problems.

Les

I lived in San Diego for 6 years. Best weather in the WORLD!

Amen, Minnflyer.

T-Maxowner.

No one can have too many toys.(at least that is what I keep telling my wife)

Les

Jim Do you go flying in the winter? And if so how do your engines react? I did notice the last time I was out that my OS 110a seemed to take a lot longer to crank and get running smooth! Was about 50. Maybe it was me.

I don't fly in the winter. Some of the more senior members go out for a New Year's Day Flight. Planes and accessories are kept warm in the vehicles until the last minute.

Jim

Have never found it to be an issue.