Re: Annealing Oven for Acrylic / PMMA / Perspex / Plexiglas - Searching for Parts

[Hobby group trimmed out]

This is about as good advice as you will need to do the job...

Brian W

G'day Mate, >Depending on the total size of your oven, a hairdryer may be enough to >provide the heat required. If it's slightly larger, a fan heater can be >adapted to suit. The fan heater may already have the required thermostat in >the air inlet (or between the fan and the element) and on many models can be >readily adjusted to suit the temperature range you desire by turning the >fitted temperature knob. > >You would may want a metal duct to feed the warmed air to the oven, and >recirculate the same air to the fan's inlet. A couple of baffles once the >air enters your oven box could be easily designed in, or if the box is made >a little larger, the fan heater may be simply placed on a shelf inside. > >If you want to scale up the unit, it can be easily achieved by simply adding >a couple more fan heaters. Even if their thermostats are not at exactly the >same air temperature, they will still settle to a stable oven temperature >after a suitable warmup time. If you drill a couple of holes in the top or >the side, you can insert a thermometer into a range of different points to >check the temperature at a number of locations. It may take a half an hour >of playing with the knobs, but you will be able to achieve a very even >temperature. The fan forced oven will also have a more even temperature >gradient from one end of the box to the other compared to an old oven >element. > >I think I would add a smoke detector and not use it unattended! Firbeboard >sheet is also cheaply available from your local hardware, and if you used a >product like you would line the wall behind a fireplace with, it would allow >for higher operating temperatures if later required for another project. > >You can pick up the heaters brand new for less than a carton of beer in most >larger villages! > >: >Hope this helps, >Peter > >> I'm looking to build an annealing oven for Acrylic / Perspex / >> Plexiglas / PMMA. Nothing fancy just functional, I'm intending to use >> MDF to create a box structure to which I will add a hinged door and >> some heating elements. The annealing process is only to about 80C/175F >> so I'm happy that the wood will do the job. >> >> I initially considered buying an old oven and ripping out the >> elements/thermostat, however for safety reasons I'm not too keen to do >> this (The parts are sure to be over powerful), hence I'm trying to >> find a supplier for the heating elements/thermostat and controller. I >> would happily receive any information anyone could give... even where >> to search. >> >> I am based in Europe; a supplier in the UK or France would be most >> suitable. >> >> Many Thanks >> Grant >
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Brian Whatcott
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