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lgcbuilder
Newbie


Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:12 pm    Post subject: Hello Reply with quote

I've been lurking around here quite a while. Fun place. Very Happy
I have 5 or 6 items that I believe can be formed saving me a ton of work doing it a different way. So after finding this site, and learning a little, I ponied up a basic setup using a shop vac in my kitchen. It worked far better than I expected, which has led me to start on a full size table. I just picked up a couple of steel tables that will work very well as my starting point.

Here's the questions. For heaters, I think I should use these: http://www.infraredheaters.com/ceramic.htm
it will be a production table that will get a lot of use. I also intend to pull pretty thick plastic, hopefully 1/8 will give the strength I need, but thicker is not out of the question. I have 3 stage vac motors and a vac pump with aux tank ready to go once I get the table done.

So my questions are what kind of heat do I need for that thicker plastic, and are the ceramics the best option for durability/output?
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tubachris85x
Master


Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 351
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello and welcome to the board!

As to your question, Ive never seen those types of heaters in action before. What I can assume by those though, is that it will definatly distribute heat properly, if several are used in a square oven fashion. I honestly would like to get those heaters really, but just the cost.

As for the type of heat, well thats really just infrared heat, its just a matter of how long your plastic is over the oven, and how powerful your oven is. I cant remember exactly, but your going to want your oven to be using about 20 or more amps. But its all relative to how your oven will work.

Good luck!
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lgcbuilder
Newbie


Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! I'm going to build a sliding heater, with a platen that moves up to the plastic, very similar to one I recently saw here. I like that, and it's compact for storage.

Yea, they're kind of pricey, but if this works the way I anticipate 1 or 2 products will pay for them very quickly. I figure what now takes me about 4 hours to build will take less than an hour.
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jegner
Site Admin


Joined: 30 May 2003
Posts: 2144
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the board!

As for the heaters, there are many options, but I have had the best luck with the cheap 22ga nichrome wire from
http://www.infraredheaters.com/nicrcoil.htm
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lgcbuilder
Newbie


Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I considered the nichrome, but durability makes me nervous. I expect to run this pretty hard. I do like the price. Wink
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