Have you priced electric stove heating elements lately? I think they were $35 for my stove.
That reminds me… I need a new stove.
Really made some progress last night! Bryan has a digital temperature controller, an RTD and a solid state relay that will do PWM. We recovered a control box from a scrapped machine here at the space that has relays and switches and pilot lights, into which we can install all the controls.
I am tracking down insulation and some sheet metal for the inside of the cabinet. We need a power cable to plug into an existing single-phase 208 volt outlet.
Saturday about noon we can cut sheet metal to close the un-needed openings in the cabinet. Workday again on Tuesday about 7PM. If we have insulation we can get started on that then.
Bryan might have a source for the heating element, and a door gasket, so wait to hear back on that for those items. If he can find some spring-loaded latches we can use two. If not, we can get them from Lowe’s. Right now we are not expecting to need any more scavenged hardware, but thank you all for the offers.
If anyone can come help with any of this, bring it on.
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What kind of parts would you process once this is complete? It’s too small for a car hood, for example. Would this have shelves in it?
Normally powder coating is reserved for “hard parts”; e.g. suspension arms, springs, road wheels, torsion bars, etc. Things that are usually subjected to harsh environments and/or which, by nature, flex. Powder coating is resilient both physically and chemically, and flexible more than other color coatings, making it ideal for anything which would normally see abrasive action (road debris under the car, for example) or which flexes (springs).
Having said, of COURSE you could powder coat the whole car, but usually cost and/or space is prohibitive. The most extravagant part, automotively speaking, which is “normally” powder coated, and then only when someone is spending a wad, is the frame. Ya gotta have a big oven and heavy duty rack for that…
Other uses might include parts for pinball machines, bicycle frames, guards or other parts of machines for just about anything…
You name it, if it’s metal and small enough to fit in your oven and can handle 400F (no mercury), you can powder coat it for a finish which is so durable, even sand blasting can be hard pressed to remove it.
and finally the shelf question…
I am no expert on powder coating ovens, but this would likely be set up with hanging rods, if anything, as the part has to be electrically charged while coating and curing; the gun charges the coating (+), the rack charges the part (-), and thus they remain until baking is finished.
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An oven this size would be ideal for coating an axle, and an axle is an ideal candidate for powder coating.
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With the racks set up properly, the cabinet looks big enough to do wheels. Probably couldn’t do a set of 22" or bigger but my 16"ers would probably fit.
Wheels, bicycle and motorcycle frames, axles, etc.; anything made of metal can be coated. Very durable and colourful.
We have plans for hanging hooks, and a roll-in rack that you can take into the paint room, then roll into the oven.
There will be at least one shelf. This could be used to heat acrylic for molding wind shields and similar things.
Ok; picking up the insulation tomorrow. Does anyone have some sheet metal, between 28 gauge and 18 gauge? We need about 75-100 square feet of it.
We also need someone to 3D print a bezel for the controller.
I have been working on cutting out the pieces of metal for closing up the cabinet. Could use some help with that tonight.
We still need a heating element (208/240 volt single phase, 2300 to 3500 watts), a door gasket (220 inches long), two spring-loaded latches, and a power cord for 208/240 single phase 17 amps). Does anyone have any of these items to donate to the cause?.
We still need a heating element (208/240 volt single phase, 2300 to 3500 watts), a door gasket (220 inches long), two spring-loaded latches, and a power cord for 208/240 single phase 17 amps). Does anyone have any of these items to donate to the cause?.
Yes.
Give me specifications for what you want of the bezel and I’ll try and model something to print when I’m at the space tomorrow.
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I have an old built in oven in my garage that I plan to dump if I can ever get it out of my garage. However, if you just need
the elements, I will take them out and contribute them. I can do that tomorrow morning, and I plan to be at the space around three tomorrow.
The attachment is the instructions for the controller.
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We have a TA4 type. Unfortunatly, the dimension diagram is very poor, so I am not sure whether the outside dimension is A x B or F x E. Maybe Bryan can measure it?
What would work best is a square bezel about 8mm wide that the controller fits into.
Thanks.
I think the dimensions are ExF,but the modeling software I’m using is parametric, so if it happens to be AxB, it’s a simple matter to adjust it. Best to get measurements before committing to a print.
But I’m suddenly a tad confused. Do we need a bezel to go around the face of the thing and get bolted to the cabinet, or something that snugs up behind the face, sandwiching the cabinet between face and bezel? Either one is doable, I just don’t want to model the wrong piece.
Unit is in the amazon box in the cabinet. Should be inside it’s own brown cardboard box.
We want a bezel around the unit to hide any uneven lines when we install it in the control box.
Okay, that makes sense. I’ll make it pretty then. I don’t have enough gas money to make it up to the space, so if somebody can grab some for-sure measurements for me (preferably in mm), that’d be great.
The outer bezel on the controller is 48mm x 48mm, and 8 mm deep. The body of the controller is 45mm x 45mm. So we need something about 61mm x 61mm, with a recess in it 6mm deep, 48mm x 48mm, and a hole in it 45mm square. Rounded corners are good, but square will work. Black is Ok, but anything except fuchsia is acceptable.
First pass at wiring diagram:
I have a wall wart for the 12VDC control power. We have all the other parts, except the switch and outlet.
Anyone want to build this?
A solid state relay would be preferable over an electromechanical for this.
I’d also suggest a contactor instead of a simple switch for the kinds of currents I expect here.
The relay that we have on hand is solid state type. The switch serves as a disconnect: contactors can weld, so they are not used as disconnects.
In that case the schematic is a bit misleading. Neither disconnects nor SSRs are double pole double throw.
Sorry for the confusion.