Heat Box

[Tyler Langston]

I made a heat box in shop class with 3/4" plywood. and put three 200 wat bulbs into it and its only getting about 100 degress. I need it to get about 180 or 190 how can i get higher heat temperatures out of it.

[Roy from Pa]

Something is wrong there. My heat box get's to 143 degrees with 3, 200 watt bulbs. 180 to 190 is pretty hot. Why you need it that hot?

[Hootsbow]

I run 4 200 watt heat lamps in mine and it gets up to 177 deg. It will take a couple hours to get to temp. If your using smooth on try not to go over 180 and above 150 I like to cure mine between 170 and 180  makes them more durable in the hot summer.

[Hootsbow]

throw you a couple blankets over it, I use blankets to hold the heat in the winter

[Stagmitis]

Hootsbow,

Why not over 180?

[huntersteve]

In my box I have 4-200 watt bulbs....I lined the interior with aluminum foil to help reflect and hold the heat in.....I also added a dimmer switch to raise and lower the temp as needed....I have no trouble maintaining temps between 170 and 180 degrees.....Steve

[Apex Predator]

The ambient temp outstide matters a whole bunch.  I normally shoot for 140-160.  During the summer I can get that with four 75W bulbs, and four 100W during the winter.  It still takes 1-1 1/2 hours to get up to temp.

[T Folts]

I lined mine with aluminum foil and use 4 200 watts and it hits 180

[mike hall]

How big is the box? Does the lid fit pretty tight?

[Furtaker]

Insulate it.

[Tyler Langston]

No the lid doesent fit tight all the way so. I got most of it down but there is still some gaps.
I lined it with aluminum foil.

[Pat B]

Aluminum foil has great reflective quality but offers no insulation. I added 1/2" foil backed insulation board to the sides and top inside of my box. I can max out the 186deg thermostat with 3 100w bulbs.

[Tyler Langston]

I added another light fixture.So now I have 4 light fixtures with 200watt bulbs

[Innocente]

hey tyler thanks for startin this thread! just walked in from the garage thinking, "guess i'll post on Tradgang and see if i HAVE to get to 180 degrees like it says on the can!".  

my box is pretty crappy, lotsa gaps.  lined it (mostly) with bubble foil insulation.  hit 140 degrees with 3 150 watt, and hitting 150 with 3 200 watt bulbs.  

ambient outside temperature is 60 degrees (condolences to you guys in the snow packed northeast), and i gave it exactly 15 min to warm up, good to know i need to be more patient.

thanks for the advice guys! timely too!

and i'm lookin forward to seeing what you cook in your new supersized easy bake oven tyler.  your wood bows are great.

[Roy Steele]

I only put 25 watt in mine.But I only use mine when building white wood bows.Not dry staves.I always let them dry slowly with time.