Tell me about your "Hot Box"

[Dwight]

I kicked around trying to find the proper search terminology to come up with what others have written on here about "hot boxes" for drying leather goods quicker.

Worse than "Zero", . . . it wouldn't even recognize my entries.

So, . . . I'm just reaching out to those of you who use them:

What temperature do you have yours set on?

How do you regulate the temperature?

What did you use for a heating element?

Any and all info will be welcomed, . . . and of course, many thanks.

May God bless,

Dwight

[rickdroid]

Not sure if I am understanding your post, but if you are trying to search for "hot box" on leatherworker.net go to google and try  site:leatherworker.net hot  box.  These are some of the results i got with that search string

if i misunderstood then i apologize for taking up the bandwidth.

rick

Edited July 31, 2016 by rickdroid
add hot box to search string

[Dwight]

Thanks, Rickdroid, . . . I tried the same "hot box" in the search window here in Leatherworker, . . . it did not pull anything up for me, . . . must have mis spelled it or something, . . .

Anyway, . . . i never got around to building it 4 years ago, . . . thought I would now, . . . could not remember what people had said or posted, . . . other than it seemed to work for them real well.

I had in the back of my mind that folks were talking about a 130 degree or so temperature, . . . that was the big puzzle piece I was REALLY looking for, . . . the temperature.  

Ahh, well, . . . maybe just have to 'spearmint a bit and see what works.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Red Cent]

Dwight, I have considered it also. Besides trying to figure out where to put it. I would think a flood light (or two) in the bottom of a box ( I picture mine 24" square and 5-6' tall=small footprint) and, maybe an inexpensive thermostat on/off switch in the top. May not be necessary.

I would say 130 F would work. That would be the highest temperature needed. I have baked some CC holsters in the oven @ 150 (lowest temp setting) for about 15 minutes. Kinda wet when started and came out good and stiff.

 

 

[cleanview]

my "easy bake oven" is an old dresser shell, with insulation, shelves where the drawers were, and a door on the front........100 watt ceramic heater (looks like a light bulb) and a 70 watt light bulb.  a thermostat that is actually a electronic controller for a reptile tank. it stays at 80, and when wet forming I turn it up to bout 90-100 degrees. Its biggest benefit is in the winter when it is colder. There are two small fans inside of it as well. simply hastens the drying process. i leave things in there 12 hours.

[rickdroid]

15 hours ago, Dwight said:

 I tried the same "hot box" in the search window here in Leatherworker, . . . it did not pull anything up for me, . . . must have mis spelled it or something, . . .

I doubt that you misspelled anything Dwight, the search engine on leatherworker.net is not very efficient.  I have always had better results using google.  Remember, go to google.com and use the keyword site:   as in

'site: leatherworker.net words i want to search for'

Go to google.com and type in the phrase 'search help' and any the first three or four links should give you plenty of help.  The links that are the most helpful will have support.google.com as part of the address.  When you get to the help pages be sure and read the part on 'search operators', these items can help define the website you want to search and the specific items you are trying to find there.

Hope i havent gone on too long, maybe this will be of some help.

rick

[klaykrusher]

Check out this video.  At the 9:50 mark you can see his drying cabinet.  Just a microwave or refridge cabinet with a few holes cut out for a couple clamp lights and a fan from the side.

Here is another, start at the 3:44 mark.  Not much detail, but another perspective I guess...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DTST319cFw

 

[JLSleather]

HEY,.. tha's the same little 'tub' I use to hold dye for dippin'!  Wonder if I git me summa them there gloves, would corn on the cob taste differnt?

 

[Dwight]

Thanks again everyone, . . . especially the search info rickdroid, . . . I do a lot of searching, . . . never saw it used that way.

I found most of my building materials today, . . . will get the others later this week, . . . will post the "results" when I get er done and tested out.

May God bless,

Dwight

[BHPshooter]

I really need to build one of these. Things dry fine and dandy during the summer (my entire place tends toward the "too damn hot" side of things this time of year), but in the winter, things change drastically. This could be a big help.

Thanks for the links and info, everyone!

[dikman]

I have a similar issue, BHP, and this thread got me thinking. A box, with a fan blowing in warm air, should dry things pretty fast, I would think? So instead of messing around with lights just use a low-powered heater with a fan? Just thinking....

[malabar]

I use an actual oven.  I have a convection oven that I use for all of my leather work. I put the pieces on wooden racks inside of it. Set it to 170 (the lowest temp) and set it to run for 24 minutes.  At the end of the cycle, I check the pieces, put them back in the another 20 minutes or so, and voila, they're done.

tk

[Dwight]

4 hours ago, malabar said:

I use an actual oven.  I have a convection oven that I use for all of my leather work. I put the pieces on wooden racks inside of it. Set it to 170 (the lowest temp) and set it to run for 24 minutes.  At the end of the cycle, I check the pieces, put them back in the another 20 minutes or so, and voila, they're done.

tk

Thanks, Malabar, . . . but you just don't know me.  

That holster the "I" would put in there for 24 minutes, . . . might wind up in there for 24 hours, . . . or 2.4 hours, . . . or somewhere in between.  I guess you could call it an "Attention Span Lost Disorder", . . . my attention span just won't let me do those kinds of things.  

Fortunately, . . . it is something I have fought all my life, . . . most of the time successfully, . . . but I can just see me putting a $125 creation/product in that thing, . . . remembering to go to the mailbox, . . . stopping to spray some roundup on the way, . . . but having to find my sprayer first, . . . and needing to charge the battery in the tractor so I can move it out of the way to get in the shed where the sprayer was.

Thanks for the idea, . . . though.

May God bless,

Dwight

[msdeluca]

On 8/5/2016 at 8:20 AM, Dwight said:

Thanks, Malabar, . . . but you just don't know me.  

That holster the "I" would put in there for 24 minutes, . . . might wind up in there for 24 hours, . . . or 2.4 hours, . . . or somewhere in between.  I guess you could call it an "Attention Span Lost Disorder", . . . my attention span just won't let me do those kinds of things.  

Fortunately, . . . it is something I have fought all my life, . . . most of the time successfully, . . . but I can just see me putting a $125 creation/product in that thing, . . . remembering to go to the mailbox, . . . stopping to spray some roundup on the way, . . . but having to find my sprayer first, . . . and needing to charge the battery in the tractor so I can move it out of the way to get in the shed where the sprayer was.

Thanks for the idea, . . . though.

May God bless,

Dwight

Dwight,

I think he is saying that his oven has a built-in timer, which would solve your issue.... I have the same malady.

I'm working on a hotbox design that utilizes a thermostat, timer, CPU fan, and a couple of light bulbs.  The electronics will cost about $12, the wood and other misc. parts I've got lying around.

Defiant 6.4 Amp Timer

120x120mm CPU Cooling Cooler Fan 

Fine -50-110°C 12V W1209 Digital thermostat Temperature Control Switch + Sensor

•••••••••••••••

Optional Upgraded Thermostat

LED Digital 110V Temperature Controller Temp Sensor

Edited August 7, 2016 by msdeluca

[supercub]

Or, you can do what I do.  I use a food dehydrator similar to this one. Variable temperatures adjustable from room temp up to around 160 degrees.  And, it does a pretty good job making jerky!  Cabela's has one for around a hundred bucks.  I got mine at JC Penny a number of years ago.

[JLSleather]

I thought about those computer case cooling fans (probably because mine are loud) but I don't think they move the volume of air i want going.  

As for timers, any digital stop watch will work (I have one that does a countdown you can program up to like 9 hours) or a $3 alarm clock.  Dwight.. ya still gotta remember to SET IT

I've never used a "hot box".. just good size fan in front of the work at room temp (75-ish all year).  And I generally end up with holsters you could defend yourself with without the gun!  But now you folks got me started ....

 

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by JLSleather

[Dwight]

Well, . . . I just went and did it.  Looked around to see what I had, . . . what I needed to buy, . . . what I could try.

Wound up with a piece 48 by 18 more or less for the back, . . . couple of 10 inch pieces for the sides, . . . scrap 2 x 12 made the bottom, . . . 3/4 chip board for the top.

Got a 120 / 140 degree clicker off Ebay ($8.00), . . . cuts out at 140, back on when temp goes back down to 120.

Got 4 ea 100 watt bulbs from Lowes, . . . wired and fired it up.

Took 2 hours to get to 140, . . . never quite tripped the clicker, . . . and that is OK with me.  Gotta put some wires or racking in there, . . . plus going to put a piece of aluminum in there between the bulbs and the leather, . . . want the heat, but not the light, . . . gonna try it out later this week maybe.

So far got maybe $15 invested in it, . . . rest was stuff I just scrounged from the pack rat Dwight.

1 is the outside, 2 shows the bulbs in the bottom, 3 shows the clicker up in the top, 4 shows it all turned on and running.  Got a light switch on the left side behind the door that turns it on/off.

I didn't really plan on it happening that way, . . . put a couple magnetic catches on the right side to hold the door closed, . . . jacked up the hinges a bit on the left side so the mag catches would work, . . . wound up with a little crack a bit over 1/16 of an inch at the bottom and the top, . . . allows for a pretty good exchange of air.  

I am excited about it, . . . I think it will work, . . . and I won't have to worry about anything staying in there too long if I should forget.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 7, 2016 by Dwight

[dikman]

Well done, Dwight! I'm a great believer in using what's available (which is why I have all manner of "stuff" squirreled away!!).

As for forgetting things, you're not alone there. I don't believe it's actually "forgetting" rather a case of trying to do more than one thing at a time and getting distracted. I wish I had a $ for the number of times I've walked into my shed, or a room, and thought "damn, now what did I come here for?!!!).

[msdeluca]

Nice frankensteining Dwight...

I'm waiting on my stuff to get here... decided to order a couple of 150 watt black heat emitting ceramic lights (no light, just heat...)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351606514580

 

[Dwight]

NOW, . . . I'm interested in that heat lamp, . . . I'll have to keep this thread so when my first couple of bulbs burn out, . . . I can try these.  

Make sure you give us a good write up and pics, . . . that looks like a good idea my friend.

May God bless,

Dwight

[chiefjason]

I just put the shoe rack in my dryer and run if for 40-50 minutes.  I have a solar one I use for small stuff in the summer time if I don't want to use the dryer or don't need it fast.  Mag holders and such mostly.  Clear Plastic box with foil in the bottom, a small metal rack, and some holes in the top.  

[BHPshooter]

On 8/5/2016 at 1:34 AM, malabar said:

I use an actual oven.  I have a convection oven that I use for all of my leather work. I put the pieces on wooden racks inside of it. Set it to 170 (the lowest temp) and set it to run for 24 minutes.  At the end of the cycle, I check the pieces, put them back in the another 20 minutes or so, and voila, they're done.

tk

Completely dry in an hour? That would be something else. I generally hang things up to dry overnight, wherever it happens to be warmest (which varies greatly, depending on the season).

I really like what you guys are doing here... I think I need to stop thinking about it, and just do it.

Dwight, can you tell me more about your "clicker"? I searched ebay, but all I found were garage door openers... I'm assuming there is a more technical name for that component that I don't know. At any rate, that temp range sounds just about perfect for me.

[Dwight]

28 minutes ago, BHPshooter said:

I really like what you guys are doing here... I think I need to stop thinking about it, and just do it.

Dwight, can you tell me more about your "clicker"? I searched ebay, but all I found were garage door openers... I'm assuming there is a more technical name for that component that I don't know. At any rate, that temp range sounds just about perfect for me.

Here you go BHP, . . . http://www.ebay.com/itm/161879098455?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I'm thinking it probably needs a 8 or 10 inch piece of metal up in the top to heat up and make it "click", . . . but I haven't done anything on that once I saw that my 4 100 watt bulbs just went a tad shy of the 140 mark and never went over.  

I'll still do it, . . . but right now it is not one of those things that "NEED" to get done.

May God bless,

Dwight

[msdeluca]

About ready to cut wood... did some drawings and an electrical schematic.

I blame Dwight...

Click to go to full size images for printing.

 

 

[Dwight]

I thought about using a fan or two, . . . like the CPU fan, . . . but when I got done, I found out in my "hurry" I offset the hinges so there is a crack all around three sides of the door, . . . funny thing was, . . . pretty good air circulation, . . . without the fan.

I purposely put the bulbs in the bottom, . . . heat rises, . . . making the chamber hottest at the top, . . . and I'll have to do some temp readings down further to see what temp is where.

"Never mess with a good thing, . . . even if it was from dumb luck", . . . has always worked for me.

May God bless,

Dwight