Oven stabilization techniques

[Drew P]

I'm intending to PID my small apartment-sized oven range, but i also thought about ways to stabilize the temp in the oven. Sometimes I feel the IR radiation off the coils could be messing up some experiments, so I thought what if you placed a plate of steel on the coil at the bottom just above it like we do with the mold warming plates? If it were a 1/4" or thicker it might retain a little heat too and help stabilize while also blocking IR that way as well?

[RP]

Not sure how big you oven is but some are adding fire bricks as a way to keep the temp even when opening and closing the door.

[KenH]

The PID control will go a LONG way to stabilizing temp. I've added a single firebrick to my toaster oven. I'd suspect a regular brick might do providing you gave it plenty of time to dry. A larger oven like a stove oven might need a couple of brick? Of course a steel/aluminum plate would work also. My toaster oven holds 400ºF ±1 degree.

Ken H>

[popper]

IR radiation will not make any difference. Gets absorbed by the oven, boolits and probe equally.

[Walter Laich]

I bought a toaster oven from wally world for $20 so that gives you an idea of the quality

put my PID probe in from the side about 1/2" above bullets (don't want to knock them over

using 1/8x8x8"aluminum as trays (have silicone mats cut to fit them

BTW this is not a convection oven. bulbs at top and bottom come on, no other fancy fans or whatever

once it reaches temp will hold it within 1° for the duration--figure that's good enough for me

[rsrocket1]

My $3 Goodwill oven has metal shields in front of the heating elements so the "food" or boolits are never in direct line-of-sight of the red hot heating elements. Maybe you can experiment with thin sheets of aluminum or foil to shield the heating elements from above or below.

[Dragonheart]

I just completed retrofitting a 30" wall oven with and PID & timer to use for larger PC projects and it now heats quickly and maintains the temp quite nicely. The only reason I did this was the "Free" oven's control board was bad and would have cost a couple of hundred dollars to replace, otherwise I would have just used the oven as is.

I have two Hamilton Beach Countertop Convection Ovens for bullets and both keep a very constant temperature. If your oven will get up to temp and hold it within a reasonable range I think you are worrying about details that don't make any difference. According to Prismatic Powder there is some leeway, but as long as you get 10 minutes at 400 degrees the powder will properly cure; little hotter and longer time does not hurt. If your oven won't get to or hold a temp then I would toss the oven.

[Kraschenbirn]

Sounds kinda like 'gilding the lily' to me. The only mod to my B&D toaster oven ($4 at the Habitat for Humanity thrift shop) has been to drill a port for the probe of my digital barbeque thermometer. Once temp has stablized, oven's internal thermostat maintains +/- 5 deg. No adhesion issues with my first 6000 or so boolits so don't see any cause to tinker further.

Bill

[Grmps]

I lined the bottom of my Hamilton Beach convection oven with ceramic barbecue briquets. Very quick heat recovery. I bake PC and Hitek 400* for 10 min.

[Walter Laich]

I lined the bottom of my Hamilton Beach convection oven with ceramic barbecue briquets. Very quick heat recovery. I bake PC and Hitek 400* for 10 min.

I like this idea. think I'll give it a try

[KenH]

..........Once temp has stablized, oven's internal thermostat maintains +/- 5 deg........ Bill

With ±5ºF control I'd be happy with that also. My toaster oven will vary 50ºF with just the internal t'stat. Anyone using an oven should monitor temperature with decent temperature probe to be sure what temperature they're getting rather than rely on oven t'stat knob.

Ken H>