Technical What do y’all do with your big shop fans in the winter?

I have a couple of the big 42” fans on wheels and they are always in my way. In the fall/winter it would be nice to get them up out of the way. I thought about a block and tackle type of a deal, but if these dudes ever fall, there will be carnage. Any ideas?

 

But, then I would be asking about heaters....

 

I built a leanto on the side of my shop for storing stuff.

 

I'm trying to avoid that for a while. Eventually, I'll double the size of the shop, but I have to renovate the house first, then I can start saving.

I like maximizing my space. Lots of stuff goes up in my shop.

 

Put it where the sun don't shine?

 

I just stuff them in a corner. I have more than fans, coolers on wheels don't hang from the ceiling very well.

 

I know this won't help but, being in South Florida, I just run mine a tad slower

 

An example of what goes up.

 

Post it up on garagejournal.com

 

Just moved mine out to the parts shed, and moved the salamander back in I hate cold weather

 

Growing up, space in my dads shop was always at a premium, one side of the shop was the “shady” side. He mounted up two evap coolers in the windows and just used them as fans to blow air across the shop.
Could you do the same?

 

They don’t work too well here. The humidity is generally too high.

 

Use em 11.5 months a year
During the winter you can have 30-40 degree fluctuations
Have shorts on in December in the morning storm comes through and have ice and sleet issues later that evening. Nothing like all 4 seasons in one day

 

He just used them as fans, never hooked water to them.

 

Get a shipping container out by the shop, they work great for storing all that stuff. I set mine up where eventually when I can afford a lean to it will serve as sort of an outside wall for that. Or maybe spend a couple hundred on one of those small sheet metal sheds from the hardware store.

 

That's what car trailers are for. Storage on wheels.

 

I have pondered that. Race car would free up a bay, but then someone would steal the trailer with my crap in it. Trailers are the number commodity amongst dirt bags in OK.

 

If they can mount a dragster on the wall you shouldn't have too much trouble.


If you sell me (or trade) that old cast hayloft wheel you might have just enough room.

 

How 'bout one of those 10'x20' party/ wedding tents?
Cheap storage in winter & spray booth in summer.
$125 at wally world & toss it out when you're done with it.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Party-Te...3?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101051980

 

I use a sea can and it sure keeps the garage from being cluttered.

 

Access to the attic in house? A up high tire rack like shelf on the wall in your shop looks doable.

 

The hayloft wheel came from my grandpa’s old place. I just carry it from house to house, hanging it on the wall.

 

Just face it towards the door and let it suck the cold air out of the shop. ☺

 

Hang them from the ceiling to blow the warm air down to where it's needed.

 

You guys are freaking geniuses!
That’s why I hang out here.

 

I use a ceiling fan, never have to move it. But I am Minnesota hot not Oklahoma hot.

 

Stash then in or under one of the project cars. I've got a couple of project cars in the yard that are full of stuff.

If you have a travel trailer or motorhome mothballed for the Winter. When we had a travel trailer, all the Summer yard furniture, bikes, grill, etc would go in the trailer about this time of year then come out in Spring.

 

Yep! Gotta have the flag....

 

I've got the same problem... single car fibre-cement shop, and a car-and-a-half worth of stuff in it .

For the simple stuff that I use all the time, I go up, hanging on hooks.

For stuff like the fans that I only have to put up/down once a year, I go up too. I just get a bit more serious about the fixings. Instead of hooks, I'll screw stuff to the ceiling with tek-screws or coach bolts. If there is any chance of it coming down on a car, I'll use some nylon rope and make simple secondary tie-offs.

My shop isn't as neat and sexy as some, but it sure is effective.

Cheers,
Harv