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Heating alternative

 
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peterb



Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 4
Location: South Africa

PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:48 am    Post subject: Heating alternative Reply with quote

Instead of the nicrome wire, has anyone thought about buying some 2nd hand 2 slice bread toasters and using the elements from them ?
The toaster elements even have a backing that could shield the heat away from the cementboard.
You could even angle the outer elements so that they are closer to the plastic.
Any thoughts ?
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Armour Downunder
Novice


Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 27
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 4:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I havent thought of using toasters but did think of using the wire from a water heater element. I have since found a nichrome wire supplier so will buy direct from him. Ceramic stands are prooving a bit more problematic though.
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peterb



Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 4
Location: South Africa

PostPosted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm battleing to find cheap Nicrome wire. I found one supplier, but the price is a rip-off, approx US$1 per foot! so 81' needed would be US$81, and that's not even counting the ceramic posts (which I haven't found yet).

Now if I bought 3 NEW 4 slice toasters, it would set me back in the region of US$35. I could take them apart, and remove 3 elements from each toaster. I probably have to re-wire 2 of the center elements, because to save cost, they don't use 2 pieces of mica, they rather wrap the wire completely around the mica. Whereas on the outer edges, it's in a zig-zag pattern. Anyway, I could use 8 elements each approx 4.5" x 9" giving me a total area of around 20" x 20" (including small gaps between elements)

I was thinking about using modeler's clay to make ceramic posts. You can get two types of modeler's clay, one that cures just by leaving it out of the packaging, and the other which cures harder, but you need to bake in an oven for a certain period of time. You could make a small mould, and mass-produce your own ceramic posts using the oven-curable form of the clay.
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ANH trooper
Master


Joined: 20 Oct 2005
Posts: 305
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you think the toasters would be up to the job of heating plastic?Would you incorporate a temperature control switch?Sounds like a cheap and easy way to heat the plastic if it works!
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fast_monte
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Joined: 17 Aug 2005
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Go to your local appliance repair shop and buy a used oven element. I paid $5 for the one I am using on my machine. Plan B is to drive around on trash night and pilfer one from an oven sitting on the curb.

For standoffs you could use hardybacker board cut into 1.5" wide strips. Use two layers to build up the height. Sandwich strips of bare wire between the strips to secure your heating element. Drywall screw the assembly to the bottom of you heat box.
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jegner
Site Admin


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

PostPosted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The precoiled nichrome wire I used was about $20 for a 10 foot length. Thats enough materail to wire 4 ovens. www.infraredheaters.com has it.
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peterb



Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 4
Location: South Africa

PostPosted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jegner wrote:
The precoiled nichrome wire I used was about $20 for a 10 foot length. Thats enough materail to wire 4 ovens. www.infraredheaters.com has it.


Yes, that was my first stop in finding nicrome wire. According to the website, it's US$25 for 10 coiled feet, with a minimum order of US$25, but when going to checkout the purchase, I find the only "foreign" country is Canada. I have mailed them asking if they are willing to send it via USPS Air to my country, but I'm still waiting for a response.

Do you think the toaster element thing will work ?
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