curing oven

[rocketcharlie]

Hi, Are there any pictures of curing ovens on this forum? Would you like to share yours? What is the heat source? I am thinking of building one.

 

[Wayco]

Here's mine, sunny Arizona and our side yard:

Summer is build season here.

 

[Rocket86]

I use a 24 X 18 tupperware type plastic tote. It's translucent and when turned upside down it makes a really toasty mini greenhouse. I've never measured the actual temperature, but metal parts are too hot to hold on the occasional warm day. I use an actual greenhouse for larger stuff. By actual I mean the temporary garden types.

 

[Speaknoevil]

Hi, Are there any pictures of curing ovens on this forum? Would you like to share yours? What is the heat source? I am thinking of building one.

I did a build thread on mine: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/high-temp-epoxy-curing-oven.48330/

 

[prfesser]

I can't provide pictures at this time but my current oven is a box made of blue 1" styrofoam, double-layered and glued to give 2" thick walls. Eight pieces about 1' by 3' for the sides, four about 1' square for top and bottom. Top is removable for access. Heat is provided by an incandescent bulb; a 60 watt bulb will bring the temperature up to (at least) 180F, with a small fan to equalize temperature throughout. A cheap aquarium thermostat ($20 from fleaBay) regulates the temperature. Preheating takes a long time, several hours at least; I preheat overnight.

If the item to be heated is short enough, I stack a few bricks inside during preheating. That provides thermal mass, helps to keep temperature constant when adding or removing items.

Best -- Terry

 

[jqavins]

How large do you need? An old cooler should work pretty darn well if it's big enough. An old refrigerator or chest freezer should work very well, and accommodate larger items. Terry's light bulb should work well in either of those, and you could always go up to 100 W or 2×60 W if you think you need to. (Two bulbs could also help in keeping the temperature even, but I really doubt it's necessary.) Remember, in a small space with not-so-great insulation, a light bulb can bake a cake.

 

[rocketcharlie]

Thanks everybody. You have been very helpful. Well, everyone except the guy in AZ as I live in the North, LOL. I was overthinking this build so this is good news.

 

[Fattbank64]

How large do you need? An old cooler should work pretty darn well if it's big enough. An old refrigerator or chest freezer should work very well, and accommodate larger items. Terry's light bulb should work well in either of those, and you could always go up to 100 W or 2×60 W if you think you need to. (Two bulbs could also help in keeping the temperature even, but I really doubt it's necessary.) Remember, in a small space with not-so-great insulation, a light bulb can bake a cake.
View attachment 419191

"Sherman, set the WEYBAC Machine to 1970."
"Sure Mr. Peabody!"

 

[Zertyme]

Well, here's mine.



It's made out of an old steel barrel, wrapped in insulation. I use 2 U-shaped finned heating resistance (1kW each). They are wired to 2 temperature controllers.
I use two so that I can control the resistance base on the layup temperature while checking the temperature inside the oven.
It can easily go up to 200°C: I already ran it for 7h at 100°C without any problems.
I also added a rod in the middle (not shown in the picture) connected to a rotisserie motor.

 

[Wayco]

You may think my post irrelevant, but I bumped your thread and got more posts that were.
Everybody has sunshine some of the time, it doesn’t take a “curing oven” to cure epoxy. Put a plastic box over your project like Rocket86 suggests. You don’t need a flame thrower to start a campfire...

 

[John Kemker]

You may think my post irrelevant, but I bumped your thread and got more posts that were.
Everybody has sunshine some of the time, it doesn’t take a “curing oven” to cure epoxy. Put a plastic box over your project like Rocket86 suggests. You don’t need a flame thrower to start a campfire...

But, it's SO much more satisfying and quicker!

I like the P'rfesser's curing box idea. I've been reading his book over and over again since it arrived about a month and a half ago and I got to thinking that it's a wonderful idea for heat-curing rockets, as well as propellant. I've got a metal shed in the back yard that currently doesn't have anything in it. I could take a propane or kerosene space heater out there and hang the rocket from the ceiling and get a nice curing oven that way for larger projects.

 

[Cory]

Here's mine, sunny Arizona and our side yard:
View attachment 418990
Summer is build season here.

Glad I'm not the only one who uses the Estes fin alignment jig for larger rockets!

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

I've used the inside of a hot car to cure large epoxy layups. That was when I lived in New York. Just leave the car in the sun with the windows up...

 

[Scrapmaster87]

Cardboard box and a hair dryer. Max temp around 145f.

 

[PatD]

Cardboard box and a hair dryer. Max temp around 145f.

Or a heat shrink gun (think Monokote) if you need higher temps. That puppy gets HOT!! Actually I don't know if they make those anymore, been a while since I did RC. Like as in I used to build mine from balsa kits, ARFs were a glimmer on the horizon. Mine is a TopFlight.

 

[PatD]

Total thread bomb, sorry, the thought of MonoKote pushed me here. Anyone know of a CL and/or sailplane forum where someone might be interested in old CL or East German RC kits?