how-to:make a hotbox for $30

[Spitfire22V]

Forgive my ignorance, but is the purpose of the hotbox to cure fiberglassed/resined pieces quicker so that they may be brought back inside without giving off fumes while still wet, or is it to actually perform the fiberglassing/resining inside it?

 

[noble 1]

It is to dry pieces quicker but they may still give off fumes until they cure for a complete 24 hours. It can also be use to heat up baked beans, lol. Also if you used hot glue if you don't watch the piece it might melt the glue

 

[active84u]

Forgive my ignorance, but is the purpose of the hotbox to cure fiberglassed/resined pieces quicker so that they may be brought back inside without giving off fumes while still wet, or is it to actually perform the fiberglassing/resining inside it?

No you can apply outside even in the coldest of weather, all it does is slow the curing (alot!). Apply then pop in the hotbox. I would still be waiting for the weather without one.

 

[Spitfire22V]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm aware about the correlation between temperature and curing time, which is why I was wondering if applying resin/fiberglass in the hotbox would cure the resin too quickly to be able to work well.

Until warmer temps arrive here in the Mid-Atlantic region, I've been resining/fiberglassing in the garage, where it's warmer than the outside. When I'm finished, I let the pieces dry a few hours, bring them back inside the house and open the garage door to vent the fumes.

 

[reachforit]

awesome i don't live in the north or anywhere cold(i live in Ms), but in Dec-Feb it's almost always about 40 or lower so now i can do my projects without putting a heatlamp directly on the piece. Thanks for this tut

 

[Kissker]

I really don't like the idea of mixing a high heat bulb with cardboard. I would use more durable 'heat construction elements'

Such as cement boarding or something. Like making a oven from scratch, just leaving out the heating coils and replacing with bulbs.

 

[ventrue]

I really don't like the idea of mixing a high heat bulb with cardboard. I would use more durable 'heat construction elements'

Such as cement boarding or something. Like making a oven from scratch, just leaving out the heating coils and replacing with bulbs.

Polyester resin is flammable. I think the cardboard is the least of your problems when you use such a box.

 

[noble 1]

ok guys, i know that cardboard is not the best type of material to use and that resin is flamable, but this was just a cheap fix for during the winter, the heatlamp is not on for more than 5min, plus the box is lined with aluminum foil so it reflects the heat. both the inside and the outside of the box are cool to the touch. and as a test i left the heatlamp on for 3 hours and the box was still cool to the touch.

james

 

[tylerdurden]

ok guys, i know that cardboard is not the best type of material to use and that resin is flamable, but this was just a cheap fix for during the winter, the heatlamp is not on for more than 5min, plus the box is lined with aluminum foil so it reflects the heat. both the inside and the outside of the box are cool to the touch. and as a test i left the heatlamp on for 3 hours and the box was still cool to the touch.

james

sorry if i resume this thread but I have the same problem of temperature with my pep project. So, my question when the resin catalyzed releases heat, this heat is not sufficient to heat the box so as to harden the resin?
I'm afraid to use a lamp, but the resin as it hardens?
I use a epoxy resin beacuse the polyester resin is too smell...