Want to bypass temerature dial on small convection oven

[ghh3rd]

I have an inexpensive toaster oven with a dial that is 'crunchy' and sensitive ... a little movement changes the temp quite a bit. I have been able to use it a few times for Hi-Tek coated boolits, and it's worked out

I'd like to bypass the dial to set the thermostat to just one temperature all of the time. Any of our electrical engineers have a suggestion? I guess I'd have to find out what value of the sweet spot on the temperature dial is first?

[gwpercle]

This is the non-engineer way, low tech , no cost way ....the way I would do it.
Once you find the sweet spot with your "crunchy dial" ...stop , don't touch it. Turn it off by unplugging , turn on by plugging in. Put a piece of tape on dial to hold it on that setting.
If I was to go high tech, I would place an on/off switch in the power cord....
But I'm sure this isn't the way an electrical engineer with a degree from MIT would do it !

[Mike W1]

Not an engineer either but I'd go with a thermocouple and a PID controller and have something that's easily repeatable.

[MT Gianni]

In most cases the dial moves a cam on a liquid filled bulb that expands and makes the temp switch. By bypassing the dial you have constant on or off, not something in between.

[Grmps]

+1 on PID and thermocouple. I would use a plug-in thermocouple on the PID so you can switch between the oven and your casting pot. You would just hard wire the heating element (s) and the pid would control the heat.

[mold maker]

If it is a convection oven the fan needs to run all the time, which means the PID only controls the heating elements. That gives much more even heat to the entire oven, especially if the pans cover much of the interior.