Wintertime Detailing Without a Garage

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expdetailing

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There's a 10 X 20 portable shade canopy on sale at HF for $119.
Usually, 10 X 10 are about this price.
This year will be my first year attempting to detail in the wintertime, but I do not own a garage. What do you guys do, who don't own garages, to get the job done in the cold?
I was thinking of a portable canopy, lined with heavy-duty tarps, with a portable propane heater/kerosene heater inside.
I don't know if this sounds feasible or dumb and ghetto. What do you guys think?
 
I live in Philadelphia Pa and work from home but outdoors garage too small, Last year I had kerosene heater keep in garage by pipes to keep from freezing and to warm buckets of water, this year once 35 degrees hit I'm not working unless doing rinseless and even than may turn down work, several years back was working and temps were in mid thirties but water was freezing up on paint so it had to be 32 degrees or less. had to use small steamer to thaw water to dry vehicle.
 
Well detailing with a canopy isn't going to work out to well as the heat is just going to escape and/or not be held in due to no insulation. What I used to do is this, get your LSP applied before it gets too cold and let it roll. Aw far as rinseless washes go, well, on those sunny 35 degree days you can get a rinseless done in the sun as the car should be warm enough, I never had a problem with this temp, well, other than the fact that it would sometime leave behind a film. Just get the water as hot as you can stand it, get out there, get the job done and dry it off quickly as you go, you'll be alright:xyxthumbs:
 
In what state do you reside, expdetailing? "Cold" is very subjective.
 
I have that HF 20x10. I own it. Don't waste your money on it. Its a pain in the **s to set up and it falls apart very easily during high winds or rain storms. In my opinion I would not get it. BOL


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Thanks for the input guys. I will try to answer each of your questions here.
I live in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. We'll be below frezzing for a better part of the winter.
What's wrong w/ the HF canopy? Is it just a POS? Maybe a majority are just the same way?
I came up with this idea because I want to work for others during the winter months.
I can remeber painting signs in my garage with my father 15 years ago in the wintertime with a kerosene heater. Looked like a jet engine with a tank below. It kept us above 55F, but as soon as you turn it off, the temp plumets quickly. I'm thinking, there's got to be a way to get this done.
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGthWiXRaZw]Mr. Heater HERO: CORDLESS!! - YouTube[/video]

I heard there was one that ran kerosene but can't seem to locate, I prefer kerosene.
 
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expdetailing said:
I can remeber painting signs in my garage with my father 15 years ago in the wintertime with a kerosene heater. Looked like a jet engine with a tank below. It kept us above 55F, but as soon as you turn it off, the temp plumets quickly. I'm thinking, there's got to be a way to get this done.
Click to expand...


That's a "torpedo" heater. You're right, they DO put out a good amount of heat, BUT they can burn/melt anything too close to the "hot" end of them.

I'm sure there's a way to get done what you want, but how much money are you wiling/able to spend on such a project?
 
I live in Geneva not to far from you. You are going to need some form of structure to keep working the winter up here. A torpedo works great but as soon as turn off you will lose the direct heat and unless contained, the heat you have.

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I want an improvised unit, that does not look trashy, and can be moved around. It also has to fit in a minivan that has seats that fold into the floor.
The best my brain can come up with is a portable canopy wrapped with plastic with a kerosene heater inside. I am willing to spend $500
 
Sorry if I'm being nosey but I'm curious what professional detailers do when its too cold outside. I guess it wouldn't make sense to get into the business if you didn't have a garage. Especially in the winter

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make as much money as you can in the spring, summer, and fall. Save anything and everything over your monthly budget so when the 4 months of winter hit you have enough money to survive.

or

Move to Florida, CA, Texas, or any other warm climate.
 
God bless you if you can save for the last quarter of the year. I think wintertime should be the busiest time of the year for a detailer because that's when cars really need to be cleaned. Not having a garage is an issue. However, there's got to be a solution. I googled "portable canopies" and a lot sprung-up. Looking at them in a picture, however, is difficult to determine how truely portable and user-friendly they are.
 
Wintertime detailing sounds amazing! Hello from South Florida- where if it's not pouring rain, steam is coming off the pavement. Lots of fun to detail in. Constantly fighting water spots and trying to keep the wax from drying onto the clear coat too quickly.
 
You'll run through a lot of fuel trying to heat a portable canopy to detail in. Even in TN's relatively mild winters I spend a few hundred($300-500) a month in natural gas just heating our insulated shop to 55ish on cold days.
 
In the winter when I was mobile, I kept a heater in my trailer unit over night when the temps dropped. That kept the water from freezing, and I only went out when the temps went above 35, and even then, if the car has been sitting outside, it could take some time for the surface temps to get high enough to not freeze the water. Most of what I did in the winter was maintenance washes, and left the heavy detailing and waxing to spring.
If you have clients, try to sale them on a winter prep detail which should make it easier for you to maintain them over the winter.

HUMP
 
expdetailing said:
Thanks for the input guys. I will try to answer each of your questions here.
I live in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. We'll be below frezzing for a better part of the winter.
What's wrong w/ the HF canopy? Is it just a POS? Maybe a majority are just the same way?
I came up with this idea because I want to work for others during the winter months.
I can remeber painting signs in my garage with my father 15 years ago in the wintertime with a kerosene heater. Looked like a jet engine with a tank below. It kept us above 55F, but as soon as you turn it off, the temp plumets quickly. I'm thinking, there's got to be a way to get this done.
Click to expand...
Here's my solution for winter detailing: I just moved from Cleveland, Ohio to South Carolina last week. Even though the Browns still lost Sunday on the last play(again), at least I watched the game at the outdoor patio at the sports bar.
 
Lucky you, from Cleveland to SC; I bet you'll miss shoveling snow until your back hurts.
 
expdetailing said:
Lucky you, from Cleveland to SC; I bet you'll miss shoveling snow until your back hurts.
Click to expand...

Shoveling? We don't need no stinking shoveling ... the wife has a 4-wheel drive and I have a front wheel drive and a manual trans. No worries :xyxthumbs:
 
I usually do fine in the winter, but I am in Louisiana so that might be a factor. I don't detail in weather below 40 degrees, though
 
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