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If you have ever powder coated anything, you would quickly realized how easy it is to do.
For me, I
am currently using an oven I picked up at a used appliance store for
under $100.00. The problem is, although it works great, I have a few
parts that won't fit.
So with a few hours surfing the net and reading through some user group discussions, I figured a "Pregnant Oven" would be the way to go. This way I would not have to invest in buying or building a bigger oven or pay for someone else to do it. Although I would like to someday build a bigger oven, today is not that day.
Question: "What is a Pregnant Oven?"
- A Pregnant Oven is when you expand your existing oven with an inexpensive insulated box that sits on the door of your oven when it is open... temporarily doubling the size of your existing oven.
With most "Pregnant Ovens" I have seen, to me they look to be a bit cheap or would not stand up to years of use.
For me, I wanted one that could be used for years - along with the ability to store it when not in use. And if you are like me, space is limited.
So with a
few trips to the hardware store and Home Depot, I came up with the initial
idea of framing in 3/4 inch rigid fiberglass board with aluminum channel
el
used to frame in 3/4 inch plywood. From that would rivet to both sides
of the frame, aluminum flashing.
The 3/4 inch aluminum framing would give the panel its rigidity, the fiberglass it's insulation and the flashing, it's heat shield along with protecting the insulation.
The aluminum flashing I could inexpensively pick up for less that $15.00 for a 20 inch roll that is 10 foot long. It was this or pay over five times as much for sheet metal from the big box store or up to four times as much at a sheet metal shop.
Note: As for the fiberglass board, the information I gathered from the manufacture, the max temperature rating is 250 degrees. Which I can only assume the reason for such a low rating is because of the glue used to adhere the labels and backing to each side.
Question: "Will it work in this situation reaching temperatures up to 500 degrees?
We will have to wait and see. Worst case, I have to replace the fiberglass board with mineral wool insulation from an HVAC supplier. Best case, it works out great with the exception of letting off a nasty burning smell the first few times it is used.
Once all the panels have be assembled, they would be screwed together. Six screws on top and three more on each side.
The screws could then be easily removed allowing the box to be stacked and stored out of the way when not in use.
Other than three strait forward sides, the top would be in two parts and connected with a hinges allowing for a door to be opened. This way you could view the items being powder coated along with checking the temperature of the parts.
This is the initial idea:
Pregnant Stove Parts List
Qty Material Cost Line Total
(5) Aluminum Trim Channel for 3/4” Plywood, 8’ $10.56 $52.80
(1) 4’x8’ 3/4” Fiberglass Insulation, Rigid $10.00* $10.00
(2) 18”x10’ Aluminum Flashing, Roll $14.65 $29.30
(4) 1/8”, 1/4" Grip, Aluminum Rivets $4.97 $19.88
(2) #10 x 1-1/2”, Sheet Metal Screws, Stainless, 10 pack $2.64 $5.28
(1) Hinges, 2 pack $3.00* $3.00
Total w/ Tax: $130.18
* Estimated Cost
As of November 6, 2008; my "Pregnant Oven" is finished.
After preheating for 30 minutes, the test part I had in the oven finally reached curing temperature.
It might of heated up a bit quicker if I had not been opening the lid so many times tracking the results of how well it heated along with being so happy with my new contraption.
With the temperature inside the oven climbing up close to 400, the outside of the new box remained around 90.
Although the temp around the joints were someone higher, I was very pleased with how well the panels insulated the oven.
Side note, with the outside of the panels reaching around 90, they were about 15 degrees cooler than the sides of the oven.
The reason for the lid is so that the parts being coated can be inspected... Note of caution: Watch out for the rush of heat when opening the lid.
Here it is, after letting cool off, disassembled.
