Too cold to paint

[Dino]

It looks like it may be several more weeks before I can paint the engine bay and underside of the hood.  I'm not too worried about the suspension, engine, and the small stuff but really need to have the engine bay in paint this year.  I spoke to an SPI tech who confirmed that I can shoot single stage topcoat right over their epoxy so I'm going to do a wet in wet.  The problem is that the metal needs to be at least 60 degrees and even though it's hot now, that can be over with quite fast in Michigan.  If the temps have dropped by the time I'm ready to paint it won't be by much, the concern I have is that temps will go down fast as night approaches.  I will be using thick plastic sheeting to surround the engine bay only so I have a mini booth, but I need to leave the garage door open so I can see what I'm doing and prevent overspray.  Once the paint is setting I can close the garage but I may need something to keep it warm in there.  I'm not a fan of leavig an electric heater unattended but I'm also not looking forward to waving a heat gun around all night.   

I know others have been in the same boat so I'm open to suggestions.  I do not have the option to move the car elsewhere and I truly need this done before winter.

Any safe heaters out there I can set on the ground under the engine bay for the night?  The car's on stands and the pinchwelds of the rockers are probably 2 feet off the ground.

[Dino]

You know what, I wouldn't sleep a lick knowing there was a heater going in my garage so scratch that idea.  I'll just need to heat up the area enough before and after painting and stick around until the paint has set so I can shut it off.

Maybe I should get one of those propane heaters.  They heat up the place pretty good but I need to make sure I have air coming in and need to shut it off while painting and while there's fumes in the garage.

I'd like to leave the garage door partially closed but I'm not sure how much.  Maybe having the garage door up 3-4 feet off the ground with a fan in the opening pulling fumes out may work.  Man I wish I had a paint booth again!

[RallyeMike]

I've painted single stage when it has been 50. I think you are on the right track - warm up the garage before hand for a good period of time. Be prepared and shoot it quick once you ventilate. Be sure to use a low temp reducer and not lay it on too thick because it flashes so slowly.

[six-tee-nine]

In fact propane burners are powerful but the burning process brings alot of water into the air.

use some sort of electrical device, anything without an open flame can stay on while painting....

[tsmithae]

I generally heat the garage up significantly before I start spraying.  When I'm ready to shoot paint, I kill the heater and spray. I like to set up a fan to pull fumes out an open window and don't turn the heat back on until the fumes are cleared.

[Dino]

Alright, sounds like we're on the same page.  I'm not too worried about the single stage topcoat, it's the epoxy that worries me.   
An electric heater would indeed be nice as I can let it run throughout the process.  Thanks gents!   

[71 SE3834V]

I looked back and it looked like it was the very end of Sept when we painted mine last year and if you remember I was pushing to get done because we had a cold snap but then it warmed up again. It seems to be warmer, later this year. Not often it's this hot on Labor Day weekend but that can change in a hurry around here. Get-er-done!

Your garage will hold the heat longer being attached to the house. Mine holds it pretty good but it's a 1 car with drywall on the walls so it has the dead air space. I have a 50,000 btu kero heater if you want to borrow it. You could at least heat it up to T shirt temp, shut it down and then use the elect. to maintain it after painting.

[Dino]

I remember, but we had pretty nice weather that day!  It can go either way here.  Best case scenario I will be painting late September but by then it will be wel below 70 even.  We may get a warm spell but who really knows?  Of course, the forecast may be way off again and dragons might complain October is too damn hot.   

A kerosine heater would surely help, but I'm worried the fumes left behind may react with the paint.  I'll hav to look into that.

[reworked]

I Used one of those oil filled electric enclosed heaters in my engine bay....lots of heat and no flame/spark...the ones that look like a small old fashioned water radiator for heat

[stripedelete]

I Used one of those oil filled electric enclosed heaters in my engine bay....lots of heat and no flame/spark...the ones that look like a small old fashioned water radiator for heat

yep!  They work well.   Ask around,  you might be able to round up 3 or 4 for a short time.

[Dino]

Alright I'll look for those.  How big do they need to be?  The garage temp will likely go down into the 50's at night so not too horrible.  The SPI epoxy needs a metal temp of 65 so if I place one of those heaters in the engine bay will 1500W suffice?

[reworked]

I tented the engine bay and placed heater in it, got plenty hot even though the outside temps were near freezing...don't know about plugging in many of them as they draw a fair  bit and unless your on separate circuits they will trip the breaker

And Thanks Dino...been reading your posts and threads for years...you always ask the questions I am afraid to 

[stripedelete]

They make two sizes.  One is about 18 inches long/wide.  The other is shorter. You want the larger.

I may be remembering wrong, but, you have a 2.5 or 3 car garage with dry wall?
I would say 3 heaters would work well.  Your slab will not have fully cooled in October so you may get away with 2 if you let them run for a couple of days and keep the door shut.  That may seem unsafe but they are oil over electric and behave more like a steam radiator than the burn-the-house-down ceramics.


They are approx. $40 new.  But I've seen them on Craigslist for $20.  If you happen to be headed headed east on the Ohio turnpike I'll loan you one(maybe two?).  

[Dino]

Ha!  That was good.  

I lost my sense of shame years ago so I ask away.  

I'm doing the tent thing as well.  I'll get some thick plastic somewhere and go to town.  I have open studs in the garage, 2.5 car, so I'll just tack the plastic in place with one of those hammer stapler thingies.  I also need to paint the underside of the hood and the hinges so I'll fab a separate little booth just for those.  The hood will be suspended from the rafters.

Thanks for the offer stripe!     I'll let you know if I'm  going that way.

[Silver R/T]

I used propane heater to heat my garage when I was painting parts for a customer.