Hot box build question

[Captain Furious]

Gang,

I grabbed some plans for a hotbox off an old site and was wondering if anyone has any input for controlling the temperature in the box. Also, do I need to be concerned about a fire hazard with a hotbox? Do I need to "fire proof" it in any way? Anything I should know about or be aware of when building it? Also, do I need any insulation on the outside of it? Thanks in advance for your input.

Bill

 

[Jacques]

Dude, you are in for a learning thing now. You can do it though.
Look for a heating and A/C controller that can turn off and on your heat source. Fans needed for convection!
Something like this need you. http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_thermostats_controllers;pg115456.html

Sweet, they have a video!

 

[Jacques]

Dude, you are in for a learning thing now. You can do it though.
Look for a heating and A/C controller that can turn off and on your heat source. Fans needed for convection!
Something like this need you. http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_thermostats_controllers;pg115456.html

Sweet, they have a video!

Sorry, this one won't work! It only controls up to 110F. I don't have an edit option on the post anymore.
The one I use goes to 212F, but they don't make that one anymore.

 

[ScotsSkier]

I used a digital programmable controller on mine. I also used 2 heat sources. One tube heater to build up the temp and some roof heat tape to maintain the temps stable - I programmed it so the main heater switched off before it reached operating temp. One thing you need to watch is that you really need to set whatever temperature controller you use BELOW the desired temp as it will overshoot when it switches off if you have insulated the box right

 

[eok]

For a temperature controller, an "Inkbird ITC-308" can be a good choice for this kind of thing. Around $40 on Amazon. Handles up to 1100 watts, temp controller range is -58 to 200 F. For these kinds of things it's always best to first test with a separate accurate thermometer & then adjust your controller settings accordingly.

Yes, you should probably factor safety into the design. It all depends on your controller, heat source, enclosure and insulation. I've seen someone just throw something together with a simple portable floor heater (set at a relatively low 400-600 watt heat setting) and some home insulation foam panel materials. I've also seen a design that uses multiple 100 watt incandescent light bulbs and a small circulation fan - in a foam insulation board enclosure. Things can get dangerously hot if not controlled correctly. Foam insulation board is usually not fire rated and burns quite well in a forced air environment. Ignition can sometimes happen surprisingly easy in very low humidity situations - like at altitude in winter. ;^) So, take care & keep an eye on things while it's 'cookin. Smoke alarm or heat detector alarm in the workspace is worth considering.

 

[Captain Furious]

Thanks, guys! Let me first say what an awesome community this is. Everybody is so helpful, nice and supportive and it's so appreciated. I really appreciate the generosity of the members I've experienced on these forms since I've joined.

Moving on to a question about the hot box. My buddy is building it for me and he's a very skilled Craftsman. He's building the box out of plywood. He's got it set up to accommodate four sets of super fats that can go as wide as 142 at the waist. My question is, do I need to put some type of insulation inside of the box? If so, what is best? The original plans I looked at on the internet indicated that insulation wasn't necessary. I have a kick-ass fan to circulate the air in there and we're trying to figure out the heater situation. My buddy's going to test it all before he delivers it over to me. The temperature we're shooting for will be about 125 degrees.

Do any of you guys have any tips on how to use the hot box? I plan on using it to really get my bases soaked up with a cold weather wax. How many times a year do I need to HotBox my skis? After hotboxing my skis how often do I generally need to wax? How l9ng should the skis cook and what kind of wax would you recommend? Should I HotBox with fluorinated waxes or should I save the fluorinated waxes for when I hot wax my skis? Any other tips and information would be much appreciated.

Thanks again, folks.

Bill