hot box

[Bootlegger]

  I am looking to build a box of wood and styrofoam to use for drying l/e molding and other projects.
  My intenton is to use light bulbs as heaters.
  Does any one have some better ideas?
 Thanks,

[Paul Taylor]

Yea. Move to the sunshine state. 

Just having some fun.

Sounds like it should work. Might want to find a thermostat off a old BBQ grill to get it to the right temp.

[Lynn Weedman]

You could use a old upright freezer (22cub ft) line it with sheet metal and light fictures and a thermo coupling (temp guage) and you are in business, you could even add a reostat to regulate the temp and a exhaust fan if you want to do it all the way.
I guess a chest freezer would work also......

Lynn Weedman

[Howard Rush]

  Does any one have some better ideas?

No.  That's what I do, but with cardboard instead of wood and 2" of foam on the walls.  (I guess you could skip the cardboard, too.)  It works dandy.  A dimmer works as a throttle.  A 40W bulb is adequate for mine.  I use a digital thermometer to keep track of temperature in the box without having to open it. 

[don Burke]

No.  That's what I do, but with cardboard instead of wood and 2" of foam on the walls.  (I guess you could skip the cardboard, too.)  It works dandy.  A dimmer works as a throttle.  A 40W bulb is adequate for mine.  I use a digital thermometer to keep track of temperature in the box without having to open it. 

Footlocker with a 40W bulb worked great for one of my kids for marijuana cultivation at the foot his bed.  That is until Mom touched it one day!

[Bill Heher]

a crock pot base would have a temp controlled heating unit, that in a 2$ sheet of foam to build your "Igloo" out of to put over it and Presto- Hot Box.

[steven yampolsky]

  I am looking to build a box of wood and styrofoam to use for drying l/e molding and other projects.
  My intenton is to use light bulbs as heaters.
  Does any one have some better ideas?
 Thanks,

Does it take a long time to dry? I live near the coast and humidity is definitely an issue but molded balsa typically dries on its own in 6-8 hours. I'm sure that if I lived in Arizona, it would probably dry in one hour and be completely petrified in two.

Is this not adequate for you needs?

[David_Stack]

Working with composites is common-place in the R/C sailplane community.  Resins of choice are frequently those which require a post-cure to achieve maximum rated strength, so hot boxes are a known commodity.

Take a look here to see one constructed by a flier/builder.  May be overkill for your needs, but could likely be 'scaled down'

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1138304&highlight=hot+box

r/
Dave