Dream Garage on a budget?

I know this may not be the news group for this, but I figured that
there are probably a lot of back yard mechanics in here.
I am looking at finishing my detached garage, and am looking for some
input.
The garage I have is unfinished inside, with no insulation. It is 30' x
25'. I have a 60AMP service to the garage, and am looking at using 3 x
8' electric baseboard heaters (wanted a woodstove, but insurance
company stomped that idea out).

Question one: Where on the walls should I mount the heaters? I would
like to keep them off the ground, so I can move stuff along the walls
when working on a car, and am worried a little about water. I am also
concerned with gas fumes. I do not have any torches at the present
time, but may have in the future.

Question two: How many plugs? I know that a good rule for housing is
ever 5'. Also with this, should I stick with 15AMP breakers for the
plugs, or should I consider making some higher? The only items I have
currently that may draw high current, is the compressor and my table
saw.

Last Question: What to use for the finished walls? Drywall? Plywood?
Other material?

Any suggestions would be great.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)gmail.com

 

mike: NEC codes state an outlet every 12 feet which means that the longest
reach an cord should have to make is 6 feet. However the more plugs you
have the merrier since you would have more accessibility. I would probably
insulate and add plywood on some walls and add peg board to others so that I
could hang my tools on. I would have increased my amperage to at least 100
Amps if not 200 Amps with separate service. The heaters should be mount low
because heat rises but how low I could not tell you. I would ground fault
all my outlets since it is a possibility that they may come in contact with
water. I would also add a few outlets on the exterior of the building and
install flood lights under the eaves so outside work a\can be performed.

Sarge

 

Mike

Outlets every 5 feet. Each one a 4 plex or a 220 outlet and a 120
outlet. Put a 125 amp panel in. Lots of spaces for breakers and
additional circuits. It will be legal because you will be feeding it
with a 60 Amp as you mentioned. A second circuit from the entrance
panel for just an outlet and a light for when you want to change things
and need to cut the 60 amp power.
All outlets 20 amp. Lighting circuits 15 amp.

Bob AZ

 

I have a detached garage myself. There's a picture here:

http://freebsd-corp-net-guide.com/94tcpics/project.html

I think you would be better off with the traditional forced air
heater that hangs from the ceiling and blows down. You can see mine
in the pic. Get one that plugs into
220v power and assume when it's running that it's going to pull 30 amps.
If you can find a natural gas powered one, and you can run a gas line
to the garage, that is much better.

A lot of guys run with oil fired heaters and use the used oil from the
oil changes done on the vehicle. Terrible pollution of course and
probably illegal. Another possibility is a portable kerosene or
propane heater.

Baseboard heaters take forever to heat a garage up and you can't store
anything in front of them. They also are going to be more expensive.
Baseboards are fine in a house where they are on all the time but are
worthless for heating up a big space quickly.

garage ventilation is usually terrible so if your going to do anything
that generates fumes, your going to want the garage door open, and
heating is pointless then,