Dehydrator

Hey guys,

Well looking for another project to kick around some time. I have been looking at the idea of building a DIY Dehydrator. As many on here i am sick of waiting a week for bodies and days to be able to work on painted or filler parts.

Let me get this straight, Ideally we are looking for a in a dehydrator a small fan for circulation, heating element that is controllable and timmer to control how long its one for.

What my thoughts where was to build a aluminum box around the same size as a bankers box, Split this into 3 portions as the image shows below.

I would have the main drying area where i would have shelves for my models, i would have the top portion for air flow where i would also have a furance filter just to collect any dust that might be in the box and then the third side on the side of the model i would have the heating element so i would be sucking warm air from the element blowing it into the storage area, which the fan in return would suck up and then back in recirculating the air ofcourse drying the models much faster than letting them sit.

My thoughts where to use an old toster oven i have kicking around i was going to remove the heating elements and build a metal box for it i have tested the oven an i can get the little toaster over to hit 85-90 degrees and maintain it pretty consistant. I would also set it up so that the element plugs into a Digital timmer i have which i can set start and stop times, also alows me to punch in a running time so i could punch in 6 hours and hit start and after 6 hours it would just shut down.

the other option i have for possible heating is a spare Aquarium heater - 150 watt keeps my tanks a nice balmy 80 degrees so i do not see why i could not mount it into the box and set the temp i want and then use it plugged into the timmer.. it would be safer i think being a copper heating coil incased in glass as long as i dont smack it with anything it would not cause harm.

My thoughts are to encase the whole inside with insulation foam ( Fire retardant ) with heavy aluminim foil to help retain heat.

Anyone else got ideas? or thoughts on this.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/Michael_Lambert/Dehydrator.jpg

Anyone else got ideas? or thoughts on this.
Just one - simply buy a dehydrator for fruits/jerky on eBay for 20$ or so and use the time you save to practice model building skills.

Just one - simply buy a dehydrator for fruits/jerky on eBay for 20$ or so and use the time you save to practice model building skills.

haha,

Cause i can't find a Canadian seller who is selling one, for me to order it through ebay.. I am going to pay $20 for the item, $15-$20 for shipping and then upwards to $30 for Customs and brokerage!

I can build one for $10.. and spend the other $50-60 on kits to practice on :D

not to mention the cheap $20 dollar units dont really hold that much and when i get into teh 1/12 scale cars.. i gotta build one then anyways.

If you have K-Mart north of the border try looking there - I picked up a Dehydrator cheap at a K-Mart a while back.

Yea no Kmart here anyone they where bought out by Zellers.

I will have to hit a couple of the local stores on the way home and see if i find something.

My only concern was the fact of size.. I figured making it i would have my trays.. i can spray the item on my trays right in my spray booth and then move the tray and all right into the dehydrator.. No more stupid ass finger prints :)

Well boys and Girls..

Never conduct crap on the interent with your spouse looking over your shoulder :D

She has put her foot down and refuses to alow me to build something as such.. lol, BUT i found a local Caynes who has THIS (http://www.salton.com/products/?cmd=detail&category=Specialty%20Products&id=11&product=70) model in stock for $40

So i will jump on it, Her concern was the electrical stuff which i could understand where she was coming from.

Only issue with this dehydrator is the shelves are soild and part of the outter frame so i either have to make a new dome and saves these selves for god knows what, or glue all the shelves together and then cut out the centers in orde to be able to lift it off as one peice and fit car bodies in there :D

Might be a silly question, Could i not just take say a larger box idea like i had and just place this dehydrator base in it??? such as this image below.

I can use like a bankers box lined with Foil to keep the warmth in, and just install a couple of windows to see whats going on inside.. makeing a sealed lide for it.. Can anyone see issues with this?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/Michael_Lambert/Dehydrator2.jpg

I have one with stackable plastic shelves. I cut centers out of the top two shelves and it works fine. Remember not to but a body in your dehydrator with a stand that stresses the body. The heat will warp the body.

+1 with Klutzky,

I haven't had food dehydrator in my 6 years of on-off modelling, mostly on for the last 2 years though.

I guess the key is being patient, and wait for the paint to dry (What kind of paint did you use? I usually waited 3 days before painting after primer and 2 days before polishing)

Pharr,

thanks for the recommendation, i did not think of that!

Now i think i read someplace that this was something like 275watts or something? Ideally how long should i be looking at for a fresh coat of paint on a body to completey dry enough to either apply a clearcoat or decals..ect.

I work with Tamiya paints - I use there TS paints for the bodies. As it stands now i typically wait 5-6 days before i can actually handle the model with out smelling the paint. I do work in my garage witch is usually cooler and very dry to start with.

I'm not sure about how the wattage translates into heat. From my research you shouldn't use more than 95 to 105 degrees. Also, others have said that the dehydrator decreases the drying time by a factor of 8. I have not tried a painted body in mine yet. I've used it to dry primer coats on a couple of projects and they were ready to wet after 3 hours. I would experiment with the drying times.

Well,

Got the new dehydrator and got it hooked up and running vents open full and i have a thermometer on the top rack and its reading 170 degrees F! That is RIGHT 170....

Everything i have read says 105 is best and its suggested not to go above 110 :(

What does one do in my case :(

I use a Nesco brand American Harvest dehydrator. It has an adjustable temperature control right on the top. It goes from 95° F to at least 150° F, in 10° increments. I usually run mine at the low end, but occasionally I'll bump it up to 110° if I feel like it may take more heat to cure the paint.

This is a picture of the type I have (this isnt my dehydrator, cant find the pics I have of the one I own), pulled this pic from ebay.

http://i21.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/d6/ce/f876_1.JPG

http://i5.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/d6/cf/02d7_1.JPG

http://cgi.ebay.com/NESCO-American-Harvest-Food-Dehydrator_W0QQitemZ120217467626QQihZ002QQcategory Z32883QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

As recommended in previous threads on the subject (which one cannot find since the search feature is poked!), you drill holes around the outer circumference of the racks to dissipate heat.

Best is to drill holes around a shelf and measure the heat drop and continue with progressive shelves until you dissipate enough heat to get the temp down to where you need it.

Yea this one has not adjustments, just a vent on top to controll the heat i assume.. Its strickly a turn on and go operation.

I presume i will be returnig this tomorrow.. Unless i can make a new lid for it so that i can make larger slots to let more of the heat out faster to regulate the heat better.

As recommended in previous threads on the subject (which one cannot find since the search feature is poked!), you drill holes around the outer circumference of the racks to dissipate heat.

Best is to drill holes around a shelf and measure the heat drop and continue with progressive shelves until you dissipate enough heat to get the temp down to where you need it.

Okay so its not uncommon for these things to get that hot, I was shocked i thought i was buying a drying device.. not a mini oven :D

I've got a buddy who lives in France and I've suggested to him to buy a dehydrator. He says it wont work cause he's on 220V. Do they make any that will fit for him! I checked around, but I thought some of our european neighbors might give him so places to look!

Thanks alot

your the best man! thanks alot! my buddy is gonna dig this! He's been frustrated waiting forever for his paints to dry! Thanks Micheal!

Well this bloody thing is really really powerfull!

The only way i can get it with in 110 degrees is to have a 1 inch gap towards the bottom and u cut out a sheild blocking out most of the hot air from raising up.. and this keeps it between 100-110.

http://www.michaellambertphotography.com/dehydrator2.jpg

The dehydrator suggested by Adam Baker is the one I use and I can't recommend it enough. I have used it quite a bit over the last 7 years and it's never let me down. Cut out one of the tray's from its ring and it is deep enough for 1/24-scale cars, but it's just small enough to not accomodate 1/12-scale bodies. My only complaint is that it doesn't have an on/off switch so you have to keep unplugging it to turn it off.

My suggestion is to bite the bullet and buy the thing on Ebay. In the end you'll be glad you did.

Yea i think i am going to have to do something here, This thing is just too strong..

As you can see i have paint caps lifting with a stryrene layer to defelect alot of the heat, and i still have to prop the top lid alittle to let enough heat out to bring the temp down to just under 110..

I am wasting soo much electricity doing this..

http://www.michaellambertphotography.com/dehydrator3.jpg

its hard to tell, Is this the same one.. It says adjustable from 95-155

I think i am going to return this one and get this one.. i did not see it in the store today, however she went and got it for me i just asked for the cheapest one!

Dehydrator (http://www.cayneshousewares.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?which=350792)

I use my oven as the dehydrator. With just the oven lights on (there are two 65 watt bulbs) it warms up nicely in about 30 mins. Just make sure you put a note on the door so your wife doesn't melt your rarest of models like mine did. :eek:

Michael, that one you linked to, is the type that I have. It works great.

Yeah, go for the one you just linked to...
Dehydrator (http://www.cayneshousewares.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?which=350792)

I have the Nesco one from Adam Barker's post up above, and it looks like it's the same thing.

The adjustable temp is a great feature.

The racks need to be cut out so that you can fit a body in there, but there is generally plenty of room. I even fit a 1/48 scale Mig 21 into mine... it was pretty close, but it fit.

On/Off switch - this was my only frustration with the Nesco unit. However, take a look at http://www.rd.com/19543/article.html I did something similar to my unit, but the switch I used was a little more beefy (I just went to HomeDepot and told them what I was doing and they gave me the switch I needed. ) So, now I have an on/off switch and don't have to unplug every time.

Also, I've been thinking about making a bigger 'box' as well. The great thing about this dehydrator (Nesco) is that everything is in the lid. So, my idea was to just make a box, and then cut a hole in the top that the lid would just fit into. It would need vents at the bottom for airflow, but I think it would work??

I love my dehydrator. It made the hobby fun for me again...

Murray

One suggestion I saw, was to take the top & bottom ring for hte dehydrator, and then get something such as metal flashing from Lowes, Home Depot, or any other home repair type place.

Then you take the flashing, and rivet it to the rings, one at the top & one at the bottom, and rivet the flashing at the overlap.

And all you have to do is decide how wide you want the flashing, to make it taller.

Has anyone tried to put a rheostat or voltage controller on the cheap dehydrators? I have a couple of $2 garage sale dehydrators that I would rather modify than buy a new one.