Plans for a bread-proofing box?

[Kizar_Sozay]

Daughter wants one that holds a bakers rack over a pan of water with the proofing bowl above the water in a closed cabinet.  I started penciling out some rough dimensions and its going to be about 18"L x 16" high and deep. I asked her if she wanted something this big living on her countertop in a pretty small kitchen.  She did.   I started pulling out boards of 4/4 tiger maple and as I handled them I realized this box is going to be about 20 lbs in 4/4.  I can resaw and cut the planks down to 1/2" but then the euro hinge for the door can't be used as the cup bore is thicker than the material.  Thinking maybe going to redwood if I can find some that's seasoned and dry.  Resaw a 2x8 and a 2x4 would be sufficient.

Anybody done one or have an idea.  I'll need to elevate the base a touch so opening the door doesn't sweep the kitchen counter clean.  Something like this but danged if I'm going to use ply for something that's on display.  I'll spline join the boards together to make the height.

[jteneyck]

I used a Styrofoam cooler for that when I baked bread.  I didn't use hot water either, although I guess you could.  I used a 15 watt light bulb through the lid connected to a thermostat inside to control the temperature to whatever I wanted (140F ?).  When I was done it went back in a closet.  

John

[Cecil]

I never built one.  The proofing box I used, we walked into.  It held 8 bakers racks.  There was steam introduced into the box to keep the humidity high.  High humidity and wood are not always friends.  There should be a controlled heat source as well. 

I know red cedar is not aromatic cedar, but I would still question whether the high humidity would cause the cedar to emit odors that will affect the food flavor.

[Bob10]

I used a Styrofoam cooler for that when I baked bread.  I didn't use hot water either, although I guess you could.  I used a 15 watt light bulb through the lid connected to a thermostat inside to control the temperature to whatever I wanted (140F ?).  When I was done it went back in a closet.  

John

I would go with this plan using a real cooler as it needs to be warm not necessarily wet depending on what she wants to bake.  If she wants the moisture it would work for that too.  We had proofing cabinets no water in them when I was really into this type thing

[Kizar_Sozay]

I would go with this plan using a real cooler as it needs to be warm not necessarily wet depending on what she wants to bake.  If she wants the moisture it would work for that too.  We had proofing cabinets no water in them when I was really into this type thing

What humidity introduced will just be a pan set under a bakers rack in the box.
I settled on redwood. Bought a 2x8 and a 2x4 at Lowe's after culling through the stack and found two straight ones with almost no sapwood or knots.  I'll cut to double the needed length so its manageable and then resaw and join with splines.  thinking maybe using box joints for top and bottoms.  Maple ply in a Shaker door.  Probably add a little transtint in antique red to the finish to pop the redwood. natural on the maple.  I've got one nice A&C cabinet handle and some rubber feet for the countertop.

[Redman]

I just warm my oven slightly over body temp and put my plastic bowl of dough in with the oven light on and fire off. Same thing with the dough in the bread pans. I just take them out to heat the oven to cooking temp. Dough and pans are warm enough to continue to rise setting on the stove while the oven heats. Works just fine for me.

[Kizar_Sozay]

I just warm my oven slightly over body temp and put my plastic bowl of dough in with the oven light on and fire off. Same thing with the dough in the bread pans. I just take them out to heat the oven to cooking temp. Dough and pans are warm enough to continue to rise setting on the stove while the oven heats. Works just fine for me.

Daughter wants a bread proofing box and that's what she gets.  I discussed having a big cube of wood living on the kitchen counter but that's what she wants.  She gets tired of it, lay it on its back and voila, hope chest.

[Redman]

Daughter wants a bread proofing box and that's what she gets.  I discussed having a big cube of wood living on the kitchen counter but that's what she wants.  She gets tired of it, lay it on its back and voila, hope chest.

Oh, I understand perfectly. I have Norm Abrams' dough box plans and was going to use that to proof dough but I ran out of room.
  In the summer I just put the dough outside in the sun. Radiant heat works quite well. Of course here on the Texas coast we get 100* days so who needs radiant heat.