Heating element with temp control?

[Corpsie]

I'm looking to make a low temp "oven" with a heat range from about 100F to 200F (maybe higher if it's feasible and safe). I'm having problems thinking of or finding what I can use for the heat source. I know for 100F I can just use light bulbs, but I was hoping to find something a little bit more refined than that.

The purpose of this box would be to sweat out cosmo from C&R rifles, sweat out grease/oil and to assist in curing Alumahyde II finishes.

[284]

Mebbe a thermostat-removed space heater/toaster oven from goodwill?

[avanarts]

I'm not sure what would be used for the temp control, but I have thought of making something like that using a heat gun for the heat source. I think I bought the heat gun that I use at work at Frys Electronics. If you aren't familiar with heat guns, just imagine a blow dryer on steroids. The one I have puts out a lot of heat on the high setting and would be much more than you would need.

My idea for making the "oven" itself was for a piece of about 10" metal duct like is used for HVAC and can be purchased at Home Depot. Cap the ends and wrap with insulation and it is just about ready to go.

[Noah Zark]

The problem with radiant heat ovens is the high intensity of the radiant heat on the surface of the work exposed to it. Often you need a "shield" to block the direct radiant heat so that the effect is more "still convention" as opposed to "direct radiation." Effective shields are stainless steel tool wrap, which is sort of a thin stainless "foil"; or a piece of 1/16" or 1/8" perforated steel plate, or even galvanized window screen folded over into three or four layers.

Corpsie: How big an oven do you need? Receiver-sized, or full barreled actions? Building the insulated housing might be more of an issue than heating it. Also, if you get into curing some of the coatings, some are forced-dry (150F to 250F) and some are thermosetting (must hit part surface temp of 350F to 450F to cure). Those factors need to be taken into account.

I've used replacement heating coils from GE clothes dryers ($30 for a set at your GE dealer) to build or repair small tool ovens in the past. Also, www.automationdirect.com has small 1/16 DIN temp controllers for $100 or less, and the contactor that you'd need for the temp controller output to switch on and off the load current to the coil(s).

Noah

[Wrangler100]

I was thinking of something similar for a dip tank to put a parkerized finish on metal parts. It would need to control the temp of the liquid.

[Corpsie]

Noah,

I'd like to be able to stick a Mosin Nagant in there and still have plenty of room for the air to circulate. I'm going to be using Aluma-hyde and it's cure temp is around 90F. I was planning on it using convection and not radiation.

Sounds like I'll be sticking with making a low-temp oven (100F) with lightbulbs and a thermostat.

[schwensen]

Corpsie, check out this link. At his home page he has a lot of gunsmithing pictures and ideas. This one might work for your "oven".

http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/heater/heater1.html

[ksuguy]

Why not just use a regular kitchen oven? If your wife won't let you use yours, just go to a used appliance store and pick up a cheap one.

[Randomluck]

I heard tell of an old fridge gutted and made into an oven. It's tall and insulated with room for several actions if need be.

[Corpsie]

I do have space limits and I'm not going to buy an oven to heat things to 90-100F. That's an overkill.