Shop fans/cooling options

paradisepwoffrd · Jul 17, 2016

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Good thing this came up, I an going to be needing a solution soon. Thinking about putting some standard ceiling fans in the rafters.

Friends shop is 30x40 uninsulated with a large door on one end. He has vent fans up high at each end. They don't do anything, door open or closed. He has a 24" pedestal fan. If you point where you are working and you can stay cool.

I think if you are going to use a vent fan as primary, it needs to have a flow rate of a significant amount of the air in the building. For example, your building is 30x60 and assuming 10 ft ceiling, that's 18000 cuft. You'd need 900cfm to move all the air every 20 minutes. I would also want to work in front of a door/window at the other end of the building from the fan.

rpf500 · Jul 17, 2016

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TBItoy said:
Good insulation and a large window unit AC will fix you up nicely.

How well is your shop insulated?

It's not insulated. Just a layer of moisture barrier between rafters and metal.

ranger11 · Jul 17, 2016

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I bought a 60" fan for my shop 28*32. I had to return it cause it blew to hard and was really loud. I have a huge window unit and now a small 20" or so fan. Works OK but still is 80+ degrees on a 100 degree day. I have a 3 ton package unit I'm getting ready to install. Hopefully will get it down to 75 or cooler. No insulation now but plan to add it over the winter.

5onrocks · Jul 17, 2016

customfab said:
Lol i pay a fair pay for what they kno most r starting out and want to learn so if they can handle it at my shop everywhere else will be easy. If you get started early you really get use to it the heat isn't bad but if u go from ac all day and then step out into a 95 we're shop your gonna melt and not do anything
[/quote

I worked there for almost two years. You get used to it. It's nothing different then working outside all day. I won't lie, I enjoy the AC in my truck and office.

TBItoy · Jul 17, 2016

Re: Re:

rpf500 said:
It's not insulated. Just a layer of moisture barrier between rafters and metal.

That sucks.

Mine has the r5? Foil backed bubble wrap between the wood and tin, but apparently it's not UV resistant on the inside, so all the welding has damaged it and it's rotting in half and the inner layer is falling off.

I'm planning to put foil backed foam board up on the inside of the lathing between the trusses. Hopefully it will help keep the temps under control.

jeeptj99 · Jul 18, 2016

We have 3 of those fans that are on the pedistools and they help a ton. I think dad got them from harbor freight or northern??? But we have doors on each end so that helps too.

bigs10blazer · Jul 18, 2016

there are some home depot ceiling fans on line, 84 in , for $250 ? i was going to try, i wanted the 96 inch ones but they are around $750

zayne2427 · Jul 18, 2016

HVAC Blower....Not Air conditioning but this baby moves some air. We have 3 in the shop and keep the doors open. It circulates really well

5onrocks · Jul 18, 2016

This was in the shop on the hottest day I ever worked at Custom Fab. No heater or trickery........ It was hot! :****:

Rjhoward32006 · Jul 18, 2016

X3 on the hvac fans. Anyone that does a/c has plenty of them laying around. Just put something to reduce the outlet hole size to give the fan some backpressure and your good to go.

zayne2427 · Jul 18, 2016

yeah we put a small flapper on it to decrease the outlet hole and somewhat direction it up or down

kushKrawlin · Jul 18, 2016

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onepieceatatime said:
I haven't looked into it much yet but I just heard a buddy say that there's a new cheap trend going on in the farming world where they're buying reefer units off semi trailers and adapting them to cool their shops.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

I don't even know what a reefer unit is .. But it sounds awesome. Put me down for one !!! :woot:

kushKrawlin · Jul 18, 2016

All of us poor folks in a hot shop or garage and I got 2 buddies building **** in their driveways. Woooo weeee. U wanna talk bout hot ****... Ain't no way. Nope.

Beerj · Jul 18, 2016

kushKrawlin said:
I don't even know what a reefer unit is .. But it sounds awesome. Put me down for one !!!

Crhall · Jul 18, 2016

I'm really wanting to cool my new building, I don't see it taking much. 40x72 stick built, very very well insulated. Other day it was 97* outside, but was 79* inside, I guess just from being well insulated. would love to knock it down to 70*, not sure if big window unit could do it, or keep an eye out for used 3 ton unit and do it right..

TacomaJD · Jul 18, 2016

Getcha either a couple of these (just a quick link to the style I'm talking about, may be better brands out and probably better places to order from) We have a bunch of these at work used to cool down copper after it's annealed or brazed. "cool down the product".....and the employees molaugh

http://www.ruralking.com/selecture-30-2-speed-high-velocity-pedestal-fan-10398.html?fee=2&fep=374&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKEAjw_LG8BRDb1JTxm8uP_UwSJADu_8pWmnh6eBA_3PMPKRhaul7m7vJRlthVjyrk0QJbbAhjshoCd27w_wcB

Or one of them ^ and one bigger 36"-48" floor fan if you have the space.

I have 1 little 3 speed 20" floor fan in a metal wire housing from walmart (maybe $30) and one about the same size that is on a stand like the one in link above that I got for free from a buddy. I only have a 20x24 shop, but I can point them in different directions and keep wind blowing where I will be located while I work. I wouldn't go with permanent mounted fans personally, because you'll always wind up working somewhere where the wind don't blow on you. I like my floor fan for when I'm laying under something too. Long as I have a couple fans that are portable, I'm good to go and just move them accordingly.