Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

DIY curing oven for around 100€? Am i missing something?

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic38158.aspx

By AleHachiRoku - 10/8/2020 5:58:21 PM

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?
By Rosta Spicl - 10/12/2020 10:25:50 AM


ddf
 
AleHachiRoku - 10/9/2020 12:11:34 PM

I use obviously the standart khantal wire diameter 1-1.5mm, lenght 8-10m for oven volume about 150l. Wind it up, using ceramic bushings. The loops has to be separated, doesn´t touch each other. Fiberglass wool is OK. I use standart kitchen oven fan working on 100°C for a several years, no problem. I´d recommend silicon wiring. Easy, cheap, works good.
Try to buy some secondhand kitchen oven, it works great.