Heat Strip Help??

[Steve H.]

I busted a wire or burned out one of my heatstrips.  I know Binghams has them for, drum-roll, $245 for a pair of 1 1/2" x 78".  OUCH!

Does anyone else here know where else to find heat strips?  I suspect they are used in some "other" industrial application and can perhaps be had a bit more reasonably.

[shaft slinger]

try a google on hi-heat .com or something like that, i have email them before about one and it was a lot cheaper than bimghams    good luck

[Steve H.]

Thanks, I located them last night after I posted this thread.  In Lewistown, MT of all places.  Going by stock items I suspect their quote may be a couple hundred $$ less than Binghams!

[shaft slinger]

steve, how do like the heat strips?? i build a lot of bows, is it worth the $$$$ have been kicking it around for a couple of years, so for havn't done it .

[Steve H.]

Absolutely.

[AkDan]

Steve,

There IS another site.  I had it in my favorites however got rid of it as I'm not building bows and have the airhose equipment should I get into it.

Look on here or the other site I'm sure I've posted it a few times.

[AkDan]

did a quick search, copying and pasting the old thread with link.

Mike,

I pulled this link directly from a old thread and saved to favorites. Give them a call/email. Here's the post (by shaft sligner)

i just talked ( by email) with Quincy at  www.hi-heat.com  , about a heat strips one 2"x72" with thermostat, is $118.20 with a one time eng. charge of $30.00, he also said that this is the one most bow makers are ordering, hope it works as i just ordered one,, take care

[Steve H.]

Yeah, Quincy is who I spoke with.  It was kinda funny, he said "any chance you found out about us on Tradgang"!  A small world!

[TradBowyer]

I have a question. Can someone explain how these work so much quicker than a hot box? I use smooth-on the curing time is 4+hrs @ 180. I'm just confused as to how these heat strips can cure in an hour (from what I've heard) also, how do you use them? Do you put them on the lams under your pressure hose in the form and do you only use one strip on top and none on the bottom? I just can't visualize how these work

Thanks

[Steve H.]

The heat is directly transfered to the glue-up is how they work.  Kinda the like the difference between being in a hot room and having a heating pad.

There is one strip above and one below.  My configuration is lower form, 1/8" rubber, heat strip, metal strip, laminations, metal strip, heat strip, hose, upper form.

With geat strips you'll reduce your cure time to 50-60 mintes.

[Adam Mooney]

I thought that the heat strips will reduce the time by 3 hrs. I know in the heat box it is a 4 hr bake time and I heard with the strips it is an hour of cure time also. How much different are these strips then the ones from Bigham? The Bigham strip kit is one right? I would like to cut down production time by 3 hrs but for 1 hour difference are these stripes worth the $118. Please dont think this is a rude question. Just trying to weigh the pros and cons thats all

[Steve H.]

Cons?  There are none if you make more than a couple bows a year.

[Adam Mooney]

What I ment to say is Pros and Cond between the Bigham strips and the Hi-Heat.com strips. Sorry

[Steve H.]

I suspect lots of $$$$ but I haven't gotten my quote from Hi-heat as I am currently stuck at a remote mine construction camp......