Would building a hot box help with curing resin?

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noble 1

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it is starting to get cold where i live and i dont have a garage, so i was thinking of building a hotbox to help with the resin curining phase, the box would probably be 4'x4'x4'. the question is, would this work for curing resin faster and if it is, is the size of the box to big.

any other ideas for drying resin faster are welcome. also does anyone know where to find a hotbox tutorial.
 
I have the same problem here, its starting to get freezin cold, and ive got resin'd MK VB pieces outside on a wooden board drying. If it gets any colder my project will be brought to a screeching halt. As an addon can it help paint dry?
 
A hot box would work if it was built right, you'd have to insulate it and use a couple of heat lamps like they use a fast food joints. And make sure the seems are tight so no clod air can get in.

As for building it if you do the 4'x4'x4' box you can use the insulation with the silver backing to reflect the heat back into the box, a power bar with a good built in circuit breaker and I'd say at least 2 heat lamps and you'd be set. Now if it gets really cold where you are like well below freezing I'd add a couple of heat lamps to offset the colder temps.
 
i just realized how big this would be,it will be 4x2.5x2. what can i use for insullation that is cheap, because i dont have too much spare cash cause its the holidays.

@roadkiller
thats a good idea but its rarely sunny during the winter down here
 
I've had luck with just using a Rubbermaid tub and a space heater. Just prop the tub on its side, put the resined pep in the tub and place the space heater about a foot away from the opening. Just rotate the pep every few minutes to get an even coverage and you should be good.
 
@carpathiavh
i might try that seeing as i already have that stuff on hand, thanks. when i do build one it just needs to be big enough to fit the reach sniper rifle in
 
I've had luck with just using a Rubbermaid tub and a space heater. Just prop the tub on its side, put the resined pep in the tub and place the space heater about a foot away from the opening. Just rotate the pep every few minutes to get an even coverage and you should be good.

I wonder if you could coat the inside of the tub with tin foil to reflect some of the heat back onto the piece.
 
A friend of mine made a heat box (3X3X3) but instead of using a heat lamp/space heater he attached a 4 inch hose to the dryer exhaust outside his house and had it going into the box. He used only 4 feet of hose and just timed his resinning (sp) with when he put a load into the dryer )D
 
Hhmmmm this sounds interesting. Might have to do this too! Got any plans? I have a bunch of scrap wood left over from other projects. Might have to make one too :D
 
I resin and bondo in my garage and have a heat lamp along with a heater. Resin instead of taking 2 hours to harden it takes 45 minutes.
 
I actually have my stuff in the garage, it hasnt dried for 2 days, but my parents wont let me use a space heater,
"because it costs too much to heat the garage" or, "the house will magically burn down even if your watching it"
or "resin will explode if you put the worklight near it". My whole house will smell like resin if it dosent dry soon.
They dont know anything about resin.
 
i bought the supplies today, the box isnt as big as i said it would be but this is just for the winter or when its raining. i will make a new thread showing how i am doing it and will post a link here when its up.

@toacrabman
my parents dont know a thing about resin either, and they give me the money to get it even though they have no idea what it is,anyway thats why i am building this, plus my dad has asthma and can't handle the fumes.
 
I had an idea-gasm. I cant let it dry in my nice dry house because of the fumes, but it wont dry outside now.
I cant build a hotbox because of the fire and what not, and no extra cash, because I got broke stocking up armor supplies.
Why not just seal it in an airtight box in my nice warm house? now you guys feel dumb right?
 
I had an idea-gasm. I cant let it dry in my nice dry house because of the fumes, but it wont dry outside now.
I cant build a hotbox because of the fire and what not, and no extra cash, because I got broke stocking up armor supplies.
Why not just seal it in an airtight box in my nice warm house? now you guys feel dumb right?

Because you can't coat the piece while it's in said airtight box. Your house would still get saturated by the fumes when you resin the piece.

Trust me, you're not the only one who had this thought.
 
now you guys feel dumb right?
Wow, a hint of ego here, people? Please try to be less condescending... you don't know it all. Nobody does.

Anyway, it works, but the problem is you'll have to resin outside regardless. And if it's cold, no dice.

I actually have my stuff in the garage, it hasnt dried for 2 days, but my parents wont let me use a space heater,
"because it costs too much to heat the garage" or, "the house will magically burn down even if your watching it"
or "resin will explode if you put the worklight near it". My whole house will smell like resin if it dosent dry soon.
They dont know anything about resin.

Uh, Resin IS flammable, it has a flash-point, and it generates heat as it cures. Combine that with a hot work light, an open flame or heating element, yo have issues. It's not the resin that combusts, it's the vapors and fumes. I've taken chemistry, and I've seen what a bang vapor can make. In fact, some liquids are barely flammable in liquid form, burning slowly and gently. But when you spread it out, and vapor forms, it combusts in a massive and violent way. Have something hot around? Asking for trouble... And who's the "they" that doesn't understand anything about resin? Do your research beforehand... Read.
http://apps.risd.edu/envirohealth_msds/ID/BondoFiberglassResin.pdf
Understand something about resin now?
 
Heat DOES help resin cure faster. Just remember to be safe. Here's a pretty simple hotbox design using a heater: http://www.smooth-on.com/Moldmaking-Related-Topics/c11/p66/How-to-Build-a-Hot-Box/pages.html

Also, if you're storing your materials out in the cold garage, make SURE to let them warm up to room temperature BEFORE you mix them. Their chemical properties are based around the control of "room temperature" ambient surroundings. Depending on the size container you bought, this may take a few days. If your rubbers and resins aren't at room temperature, they won't mix properly, and even in your nice hotbox, they won't cure correctly.
 
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