New (Old) Oven for Curing
#11
As i mentioned in the Tie Dyed thread, I've had trouble keeping an even temperature in my toaster oven.  Seemed that no matter where i set the toaster, the temp would eventually creep to 220-250 forcing push-out of Cactus Juice (CJ).  Picked up a controller, and found that if i set on at 162 and off at 165, i could stay really close to 200 which helped.  (watching the digital display, the controller turned off at 165, but the air temp climbed to 225 after the oven turned off!!)  Thought about an electric smoker with a digital control, but reviews were horrible on the controllers and elements.

Anyway, started watching for a used lab oven, one came up on the auction site a week or so ago, less than 25 miles from me, and the guy cut the price on Thursday.  So...i took a chance.  Picked it up Friday, spent a few hours that night and on Saturday to figure out where 185 was on the analog dial.  Since it is a vacuum oven (the door seals under vacuum--works awesome), in order to use without my pump i sealed with a pair of bar clamps.

The insulation and mass are awesome, takes 20 minutes or so to come up to temp, but then holds absolutely steady.  Tried my first batch of curing last night, shut off the oven at 1:45 am, and it was still 95 degrees at 6:15 am.  Had almost no force-out for the first time ever.  The outside of the box stays at ambient room temperature.  Most importantly, the seal is so complete that there is NO ODOR of the CJ curing!!  

Interior is about 7.5" wide, 11.5" high and deep.  I'll figure out a clamping system for the door, have some thoughts already.  Also need to find a low profile grate to hold the curing packs off the bottom, though some scrap oak in an aluminum pan worked great last night.  

The vacuum would not be my first choice, but i wasn't seeing any gravity ovens within driving distance (shipping quotes are salty!!), and i can adapt for the difference.  The 500 watt/4 amp element is a whole lot more efficient than the toaster oven at 1500 watts too.  

Now...i need a lab coat!!
earl


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#12
(01-06-2019, 09:29 PM)greenacres2 Wrote: As i mentioned in the Tie Dyed thread, I've had trouble keeping an even temperature in my toaster oven.  Seemed that no matter where i set the toaster, the temp would eventually creep to 220-250 forcing push-out of Cactus Juice (CJ).  Picked up a controller, and found that if i set on at 162 and off at 165, i could stay really close to 200 which helped.  (watching the digital display, the controller turned off at 165, but the air temp climbed to 225 after the oven turned off!!)  Thought about an electric smoker with a digital control, but reviews were horrible on the controllers and elements.

Anyway, started watching for a used lab oven, one came up on the auction site a week or so ago, less than 25 miles from me, and the guy cut the price on Thursday.  So...i took a chance.  Picked it up Friday, spent a few hours that night and on Saturday to figure out where 185 was on the analog dial.  Since it is a vacuum oven (the door seals under vacuum--works awesome), in order to use without my pump i sealed with a pair of bar clamps.

The insulation and mass are awesome, takes 20 minutes or so to come up to temp, but then holds absolutely steady.  Tried my first batch of curing last night, shut off the oven at 1:45 am, and it was still 95 degrees at 6:15 am.  Had almost no force-out for the first time ever.  The outside of the box stays at ambient room temperature.  Most importantly, the seal is so complete that there is NO ODOR of the CJ curing!!  

Interior is about 7.5" wide, 11.5" high and deep.  I'll figure out a clamping system for the door, have some thoughts already.  Also need to find a low profile grate to hold the curing packs off the bottom, though some scrap oak in an aluminum pan worked great last night.  

The vacuum would not be my first choice, but i wasn't seeing any gravity ovens within driving distance (shipping quotes are salty!!), and i can adapt for the difference.  The 500 watt/4 amp element is a whole lot more efficient than the toaster oven at 1500 watts too.  

Now...i need a lab coat!!
earl

Very cool. I need to keep any eye out for one of those
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#13
It looks nice but I do not know what in the world I would do with one.  Is it mostly used for dying and drying woods?
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification.  Thank You Everyone.

It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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#14
Yep Arlin, for stabilizing with Cactus Juice which can be dyed. Drying the wood in preparation is easy--just get it over 212 F (boiling point of water) to remove the moisture--i usually go about 48 hours on the drying. Then infuse the resin under vacuum. The resin cures at 180 in about 10 minutes, so it takes a few hours to make sure the resin is completely cured. The curing heat can be above 180, but the more you go above that level then the resin can boil out of the end grain. That is where the stability in temperature is important.

earl
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#15
Earl

What do you need a clamping system for the door for?  
Confused
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#16
No latch--it closes under vacuum. Most of the vacuum ovens i saw on the auction site had the valves and gauge removed, they were intact on this one and the vac seal works great. I'll end up building a manifold for my pump which may enable me to have a second vac chamber--haven't checked the vac in the oven chamber yet, but got 28" on the gauge holding a 3/16 tube to the 5/16 barb. Didn't have enough hands or a spare gauge to check the chamber yet.

Also i want to reach out to Curtis to get his thoughts on holding a vacuum while curing--seems that might be counter-productive (could draw out uncured juice??)

earl
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#17
(01-08-2019, 07:10 AM)greenacres2 Wrote: No latch--it closes under vacuum.  Most of the vacuum ovens i saw on the auction site had the valves and gauge removed, they were intact on this one and the vac seal works great.  I'll end up building a manifold for my pump which may enable me to have a second vac chamber--haven't checked the vac in the oven chamber yet, but got 28" on the gauge holding a 3/16 tube to the 5/16 barb.  Didn't have enough hands or a spare gauge to check the chamber yet.  

Also i want to reach out to Curtis to get his thoughts on holding a vacuum while curing--seems that might be counter-productive (could draw out uncured juice??)  

earl

Thanks Earl
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#18
It looks like a good setup.  It seems you might be able to rig something neater than bar clamps if you can't cure under vacuum.
Congrats!
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#19
Well I am glad you have it and it works for you. 
Yes
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification.  Thank You Everyone.

It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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#20
(01-07-2019, 10:24 PM)greenacres2 Wrote: Yep Arlin, for stabilizing with Cactus Juice which can be dyed.  Drying the wood in preparation is easy--just get it over 212 F (boiling point of water) to remove the moisture--i usually go about 48 hours on the drying.  Then infuse the resin under vacuum.  The resin cures at 180 in about 10 minutes, so it takes a few hours to make sure the resin is completely cured.  The curing heat can be above 180, but the more you go above that level then the resin can boil out of the end grain.  That is where the stability in temperature is important.  

earl

If you pull a vacuum while heating, water will boil off at a much lower temperature.   Probably quicker also. If you have a sensitive vacuum gauge you can see where  the vacuum drops off when the water has been boiled off.  Roly
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