DIY Hotbox?

[Guest tdinardo]

I was thinking about trying to build a hotbox (I suspect I just have too much time one my hands...but it seems like a cool project). Has anyone built one before? I was figuring on building it out of 1/2" plywood, lining it with aluminum reflective material or possibly kiln bricks, producing the heat with kiln coils, and controlling the temperature with an adjustable thermostat.

To calibrate the box and ensure no hot spots I was figuring on using a piece of 3/8" plywood cut to simulate a board and then laying out the temperature calibration strips at about 2" intervals for the length and width of the board. http://www.t-m-c.com/7_level_horizontal.html

I've not been able to find a lot of info on the best temperature to run at, but it appears the 90 C is common. Anyone have better information than this?

Any comments on length of time in the box for wax penetration, de-lamination repairs\epoxy work, etc? Thinking about maybe trying to have a programmable timer for set it and forget it operation.

Anything I'm missing or any better ideas for how to do this? Or am I just insane for thinking about doing this?

[Guest Randy S.]

Wouldn't you want some sort of simple fan to circulate air and ensure even temp throughout? The one I saw at a shop actually looked like an oversized ski travel bag built like a Dominos Pizza delivery bag with some sort of heat source with fans blowing hot air into it.

Edit: I just found the thing.

Its called a Toko Thermo Bag and the link has lots of details on how it works. They cost thousands of dollars to buy, so I think I'll fork out the $30/board for the times I want it done.

[Guest tdinardo]

Wouldn't you want some sort of simple fan to circulate air and ensure even temp throughout?

Thanks for the Toko Thermal Bag link. That has a lot of great information! Particularly the temperature data.

I was thinking about the airflow issue. If I was piping in hot air I'd say it would be a requirement, but with IR coil heat it should operate like a pottery kiln, so as long as the coil layout it good, it should produce very even temperature and heat distribution. If you vent air flow in it would be much more difficult to maintain even temperature as you'd be brining in room temperature air across the surfaces of the board (unless you had a heat exchanger to preheat the incoming air stream).

Now, with that being said, it's possible that using an external heat source and blowing the air in might work well and be easier to make. I'm really not sure what's the better method but I'm definitely open to that idea. I'll probably throw both ideas into AutoCad and price out the parts list to see which is more cost effective.

Thanks for the input!

[alexeyga]

Thanks for the Toko Thermal Bag link. That has a lot of great information! Particularly the temperature data.

I was thinking about the airflow issue. If I was piping in hot air I'd say it would be a requirement, but with IR coil heat it should operate like a pottery kiln, so as long as the coil layout it good, it should produce very even temperature and heat distribution. If you vent air flow in it would be much more difficult to maintain even temperature as you'd be brining in room temperature air across the surfaces of the board (unless you had a heat exchanger to preheat the incoming air stream).

Now, with that being said, it's possible that using an external heat source and blowing the air in might work well and be easier to make. I'm really not sure what's the better method but I'm definitely open to that idea. I'll probably throw both ideas into AutoCad and price out the parts list to see which is more cost effective.

Thanks for the input!

Imho it will be much cheaper and easier with a cheapo heat gun pumping hot air in... You have many options how to control the temperature and if you want to make it more complicated, you can play with temperature sensors and relays to turn the gun on/off... Though, honestly speaking, I still don't see any purpose in this project at all and I refuse to believe that you don't have anything more usefull to do... :D

[RJ-PS]

There was a link here in the past on schematics for a DIY Hotbox, it used regular light bulbs for heat source so overheating wasn't an issue.

I don't think it's rocket science, enough heat to melt wax, not enough to mess up the polymers in the board.... shouldn't be hard for some of the genius minds on Bomber to figure out.

Question: Does anyone know the bloke on Bomber who is actually a rocket scientist?

[Guest tdinardo]

There was a link here in the past on schematics for a DIY Hotbox, it used regular light bulbs for heat source so overheating wasn't an issue.

I'll dig around in the archives a little more to see if I can find that post.

I came across what is probably the best heating element for this a few minutes ago. I just have to give a call over to the fabricator on Monday to see what it would cost to have one made the right size (the company does all kinds of customer heater elements). Having had a bunch of significantly more complex stuff fabricated for other sports, I can't see this costing much more than a Snap-on heat gun goes for, but I could be wrong. I can't see the entire project costing more that a few hundred dollars. Figure if you have 5 boards and you paid $30 each to have it done it would pay for itself if you did all the boards twice. If you have some ski's to do, then you reach break-even faster. Then you always have to factor in having your buddies bringing over cases of beer or a good single malt in exchange for using it. (priceless).

Imagine one of these: http://www.duralite.com/store/images/HEATERS-%20Sinuated1-detail.jpg about the length and width of a 200 Tanker. :D

Yes. Clearly I have lost my mind. Someone beat some sense into me.

[Guest tdinardo]

Imho it will be much cheaper and easier with a cheapo heat gun pumping hot air in... You have many options how to control the temperature and if you want to make it more complicated, you can play with temperature sensors and relays to turn the gun on/off... Though, honestly speaking, I still don't see any purpose in this project at all and I refuse to believe that you don't have anything more usefull to do... :D

LOL. Yeah, I had thought about dong it that way (I have a Snap-on gun I could test the theory with). My concern was being able to get even heat distribution across the entire board and the firehazard that the gun would be (it gets really hot). I figured that the total cost would probably be close to the same with either solution, but I won't know for sure until I'm able to get all the parts priced out. Clearly cheaper is better.

If I was in WA riding this week, I probably wouldn't even be thinking about this. Unfortunately I'm stuck in Virginia until the end of next week, so I'm hurting for a snow fix. :(

[Guest Randy S.]

One advantage of the Snap-on heat gun is that it would do double duty as a Vaporizer. :D :rolleyes:

[Robie]

Here is the light bulb hot box construction directions. It is about one third of the way into the article.

http://www.tognar.com/waxing_tips_ski_snowboard.html

[D-Sub]

when I was a kid we made a solar "oven" out of cardboard and tin foil. actually cooked hot dogs in it.

bet you could do something like that, too...hmmmmm

[Guest tdinardo]

One advantage of the Snap-on heat gun is that it would do double duty as a Vaporizer. :D :rolleyes:

LMAO!

[Guest tdinardo]

Here is the light bulb hot box construction directions. It is about one third of the way into the article.

http://www.tognar.com/waxing_tips_ski_snowboard.html

Awsome. That helps a lot. :lol:

If the cost of the radiant heating coil method is too pricey, that is definitely the fall back option. I suspect that using some radiant bulbs (and more of them) would probably be more effective, though clearly more expensive too.

[Guest tdinardo]

when I was a kid we made a solar "oven" out of cardboard and tin foil. actually cooked hot dogs in it.

bet you could do something like that, too...hmmmmm

Probably not too good an option in Seattle during the winter. ;)

If I make the hotbox portable enough, I could always have the electric version do double duty as a Falafel stand in the race room. A little botchulism and wax contamination never killed anyone....

[RJ-PS]

Except that Guy in South Dakota, but nobody talks about him anymore.

[RJ-PS]

Hot Box.

teehee

[garyj]

In a past chapter of my life, I owned and operated a bakery specializing in premium whole wheat products. The oven was the size of a small garage with revolving shelves that would have held over 50 boards at one time! The gas pilots kept the oven at a consistant and even temp of 90 degrees when not in use.

Hmmmm, a nice side business,hot boxing snow boards/skis after baking hours. Come to think of it, I could have easily modified the stone flour mill to double as base grinder. Hind sight is 20/20. :D I'll see if I can dig up some old pics.

[felix]

I just put my boards on my veranda in the sun. That is a very good hotbox from March to beginning of November.

[bjvircks]

1. Head out to the junkyard and aquire 4 busted stoves (make certain at least 1 of the oven heating elements work). Gas, electric, propane, wood, coal, some of each? Maybe something that could burn your neighbor's tacky yard decorations? It is your choice based on what fuel is available where you are going to set up shop

2. remove the doors of 3 ovens, cut out the backs of the 2 middle ovens and the front oven.

3. fasten all 4 units together using the handyman's secret weapon, duct tape.

You are now the proud owner of several new home businesses..... boardshop/breadsuperloaf/megapizza

Remember... if the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy.:D

[Guest tdinardo]

1. Head out to the junkyard and aquire 4 busted stoves (make certain at least 1 of the oven heating elements work). Gas, electric, propane, wood, coal, some of each? Maybe something that could burn your neighbor's tacky yard decorations? It is your choice based on what fuel is available where you are going to set up shop

2. remove the doors of 3 ovens, cut out the backs of the 2 middle ovens and the front oven.

3. fasten all 4 units together using the handyman's secret weapon, duct tape.

You are now the proud owner of several new home businesses..... boardshop/breadsuperloaf/megapizza

Remember... if the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy.:D

Dude! I'm all over that! I know just where I can find them, I've got the SawZall, and I'm ready to rock! Probably have to replace the duct tape with safety wire due to heat concerns though...

An added benefit to this method is the box might get hot enough to run a crematorium in the off season.

[Guest tdinardo]

Hmmmm, a nice side business,hot boxing snow boards/skis after baking hours. Come to think of it, I could have easily modified the stone flour mill to double as base grinder. Hind sight is 20/20. :D I'll see if I can dig up some old pics.

Now that would have been a cool side buisiness.

[Guest tdinardo]

I just put my boards on my veranda in the sun. That is a very good hotbox from March to beginning of November.

LOL. You could do it year round if you built a small greenhouse on your porch. You could call it a Solar Board Baker and get rich selling plans to build it on Ebay.:D

[felix]

Well selling that would be unfair. I got the tip from Gittie Köck, a worldcup snowboarder.

It works great. I just wax my board, don't scrape and put it out in the sun. When I put it back in I can see that a lot of the wax has been soaked in already. Sometimes it even resolves the need for scraping:biggthump

Must admit that my veranda lies very neatly in the sun. It heats up to 60°Celsius in Summer when the air has 30°Celsius. The black base of the board might even become hotter.

[Guest tdinardo]

Too Cool!

[D-Sub]

or too hot? I wonder if direct sunlight might not be good for a board in those conditions?

[Steve Dold]

Once, a friend of mine left her Burton Ultra Prime in the sun for about an hour on a pretty warm day. The base was facing the sun. When she came out, the base had a big bubble about 5 inches in diameter. It's the only time I've ever seen this, and the board might have been defective before this, but it made me not want to leave boards in the sun on hot days with the bases up.

How hot does a hot box normally get, and how long is the board left in there?