Hi everyone, in the quest of making a carbon fiber timing belt cover for the engine of my car i understood i need to use the high temperature resin and cure the part to "unlock" its properties.
Since it's my first project i'd like to keep expenses low to not waste money in case i give up and i tried to see if i could come up with something.
I would like to know if a curing oven set up like this would work:
-600x600 wooden box, with all 6 sides made of 3mm osb wood panel, 50mm insulation panel and again 3mm osb wood panel on the outside
- Temperature regulator ITC-2000 (up to 100°C) (https://www.amazon.it/Inkbird-Temperatura-Riscaldamento-Raffreddamento-Calibrazione/dp/B0185M6I28/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=itc-2000&qid=1602081498&sr=8-1)
- 2000W Heating element (https://www.amazon.it/Victool-Ceramic-Ceramica-Elemento-riscaldante/dp/B08GQP692W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=elemento+riscaldante+1000w&qid=1602080802&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWU83MlUxTEc3TUhBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDQxNDY1MU5UU01RRUFKNUdRSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDY1MDcwMkE5T05JMkg4T1I4TiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
- 220v  circulating fan (https://www.amazon.it/VENTOLA-120x120x38mm-220-230V-CUSCINETTI-METALLICO/dp/B00PZWAA2G/ref=sr_1_7?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=ventola+220v&qid=1602179544&sr=8-7)

I would make a small partition in the box to house the heating element, with some holes to circulate air in the main partition with the fan

It's around 50€ for the electronics, with the materials for the wooden box and wiring i think i should spend around 100€ while in other topics i've read of people spending 4 times as much.
The question is, would this work to cure a small part at the requested 60° for 6 hours? is the wood going to be a fire hazard with this setup?

Should be totally fine. At 60C, the element is barely going to be on, so there isn't much risk. My MDF oven has been going strong for 4 or 5 years now, and I use it virtually every day as high as 150. I would probably be a little more comfortable using MDF rather than OSB, but at 60 I really don't think it will be an issue.

I'm also not totally sold on that fan. I would look for an OEM oven fan - these have the fan on a shaft so that the motor stays outside the oven. Also dirt cheap, so worth considering. Again, probably more of a concern for going to higher temperatures, but just my 2c.

For engine bay parts I'd like recommend curing temp MIN.80°C. On 60°C only the final working temperature could be over the Tg.
About the oven, my experience from experimental autoclaves building is use the heating element with lowest thermal inertia as possible. It means heating elements based on khantal wires. Especially with ON/OFF temperature controlers with one sensor input it is important to have stable temperature.

Thank you both for the advices!

@ Hanaldo: yes my mistake, i meant MDF instead of OSB, what thickness did you use? I think i'll be using 50x50mm square wooden posts for the frame and i was thinking 3mm MDF as the sides (it's what is most available in the store i intend to buy things from...)
The fan should be rated up to 80°C, if it fails a few months later it's not a problem, if the oven works and i want to keep working with carbon fiber i can upgrade it later

@Rosta Spicl: Thank you for the temp advice, but this poses another problem. The insulation i was going to use (XPS, extruded polystyrene, what the local store has) is rated to max 80°, does anyone know a better (but still cheap-ish) material?
For the kanthal wires do you mean something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miki-Furnace-Kanthal-Heating-670mmx5mm/dp/B00ZA0U33E
How is it held in place? for sure i don't want it to be in contact with the wood...

I am also searching about DIY ovens so I guess I can help. 

My idea is also to build wooden frame with "box in a box" like design with insulation around. But I think that 3mm mdf might be too thin, someone will correct me if I am wrong.
I envisioned it like this: build wooden frame, cover it outside with 10mm MDF, cover inner sides with rock or fiberglass wool (100mm) and make another box with top from steel sheet of 0.5-1mm thickness that will be attached to frame also. Door would open from top, like a chest. I hope you get the idea.

Yeh I used 16mm MDF, but mine is quite strong. I intended for it to not be dead space and to be able to function as a workbench as well. 

It doesn't actually hugely matter. End of the day, you can use a cardboard box with some halogen globes in it to cure composites, it doesn't have to be anything special. It is when you start thinking about how much energy the thing is going to use to heat, how accurately it will be able to maintain temperature, how long you want it to last, how safe it is going to be - those are the things that mean you start refining it. If you intend to use it once or twice and it isn't worth investing your time and money in, then you can go as simple as you like.

Yes i also thought it like a chest with the hinged top this is what i was thinking of doing before starting this thread. I made a quick 3d to estimate materials and costs, the black thing is the fan, the grey thing is the heater i was thinking to use at first.



As i said i would like to keep it as simple as i can and upgrade it later if i have the need, so if it's not the most efficient way it isn't a big problem... but still i'm open to advices if i can do better without spending too much!