Food dehydrator speed up curing times?

[Hawk312]

I am sorta in a bind and need to get laquer on a body and get it polished out in a couple weeks. Given my paint process (lots of clear coat), this should be quite a feat. I normally wait atleast 4 weeks drying time before rubbing out and polishing. I know some of yous are using food dehydrators to speed up the drying process. Does this also speed up "curing" times? What I mean is, I know it will be dry to the touch faster using one of these, but will the total curing time, the time it takes for the paint to completely "shrink" or "gas out", be considerably less? I searched and found posts where some of your are polishing the finish out after only a few days, but is it fully cured by that time?
Also, does anyone know of a dehydrator that will fit a 1/12 scale car (about 15" long)?
If anyone has experience with these and duplicolor laquers, that would also be helpful.
Thanks

[Murray Kish]

I think Zoom Zoom is the resident expert on dehydrators, but I expect he'll say 'yes'.

I love mine. I've been thinking how to dehydrate 'bigger' things as well. My theory is that all the work is done by the 'lid', and I was going to just build a larger box, with a cutout on top to fit the lid (or, perhaps just use one of those clear plastic storage containers, and cut a hole in the lid to fit the top of the dehydrator?). Cut some holes in the bottom to allow the air to flow out, and I think it would basically work the same way? I have a couple of airplanes that won't fit in the round chamber, so this is what I was planning to do for those.

Perhaps I'm missing something. Surely someone will tune-me-in if I am...

Murray

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

For each 10 degree increase in ambient, you cut drying/curing time in half. Legions of modelers have been using dehydrators with great results, cutting drying time in each step (putty, primer, base, clear, decals). If your dehydrator is 40 degrees above ambient, 24 hours is equivalent to 16 days of drying.

You should have zero problems w/a dehydrator. I do that kind of lacquer job in hours, not days/weeks.

[cyberkid]

I love my dehydrator, period! Well.. at least for 1/24 scale...
3 reasons that I use it:
1. like zoom-zoom said it speeds up everything by half every 10 degrees.
2. dust free
3. I've in a very humid area. Using a dehydrator helps me keep the orange peel effect to a minimum.
I use a Gunze dehydrator. It will NOT fit a 15" car... clearance width is 14.5"... (And for those who are wondering... it DOES have a fixed on switch & timer)
I too am looking for a easy to get dehydrator that will fit 1/12 cars... and I'm not looking to build one until I move (yet again)

If you don't have too much time to model and require speed, get a dehydrator. I've been able to make 3 day models (including polishing) with it..

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

For each 10 degree increase in ambient, you cut drying/curing time in half. Legions of modelers have been using dehydrators with great results, cutting drying time in each step (putty, primer, base, clear, decals). If your dehydrator is 40 degrees above ambient, 24 hours is equivalent to 16 days of drying.

You should have zero problems w/a dehydrator. I do that kind of lacquer job in hours, not days/weeks.

Would that be degrees farenheit or degrees centigrade?
How high can you go without risk of damge/deformation to the plastic or paint?
TIA

[rsxse240]

do a search. I recall someone having put up some instructions of a BIG food dehydrator made from a 40watt lamp a computer fan and a plastic storage bin. I want to do something like thie, bit I'm poor.

[Hawk312]

Thanks everyone.

Originally Posted by rsxse240

do a search. I recall someone having put up some instructions of a BIG food dehydrator made from a 40watt lamp a computer fan and a plastic storage bin. I want to do something like thie, bit I'm poor.

I found that thread. What I dont understand is how that would work. I mean, how would you keep the inside warm when you are constantly pushing room temperature air through it with the PC fan, which is made to spin fast enough to keep a power supply cool? What am I missing here?
I also saw the "place it in the oven" idea with just the inside light providing heat. Has anyone tried this? I tried leaving the light on in my oven, and I must have the most efficient light in the world as it doesnt feel any warmer than the kitchen itself. I guess I could preheat the over for a minute or so, until it reaches 110º, turn it off, and then place the model inside?

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

Would that be degrees farenheit or degrees centigrade?
How high can you go without risk of damge/deformation to the plastic or paint?
TIA

That would be farenheit; 105 degrees is optimal, no more than 110. Be careful with resin bodies! There's no telling what some of them will warp at; and don't place any body under any pressure in the dehydrator (on a paint stand).

I've had one styrene body warp a bit; it was too close to the heating element in the bottom. I put everything up as high as possible, and leave the vents open for full convection. Being able to wetsand/polish enamels after about 8 hours is what's really cool about it; many lacquers are dry in much less time. Tamiya lacquers typically hold up quite well being wetsanded/polished after about 3 hours. House of Kolor/Cobra Colors base coats were all able to be lightly wetsanded in as little as 10-15 minutes; say to sand out some dust or trash and recoat. I can't fathom waiting days or weeks to work on a paint job; I'd be lost w/o the dehydrator.

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

That would be farenheit; 105 degrees is optimal, no more than 110. Be careful with resin bodies! There's no telling what some of them will warp at; and don't place any body under any pressure in the dehydrator (on a paint stand).

I've had one styrene body warp a bit; it was too close to the heating element in the bottom. I put everything up as high as possible, and leave the vents open for full convection. Being able to wetsand/polish enamels after about 8 hours is what's really cool about it; many lacquers are dry in much less time. Tamiya lacquers typically hold up quite well being wetsanded/polished after about 3 hours. House of Kolor/Cobra Colors base coats were all able to be lightly wetsanded in as little as 10-15 minutes; say to sand out some dust or trash and recoat. I can't fathom waiting days or weeks to work on a paint job; I'd be lost w/o the dehydrator.

Thanks

Now, where do I have that conversion program.....

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by klutz_100

Thanks

Now, where do I have that conversion program.....

Google it

[jmwallac]

Originally Posted by Hawk312

Thanks everyone.



I found that thread. What I dont understand is how that would work. I mean, how would you keep the inside warm when you are constantly pushing room temperature air through it with the PC fan, which is made to spin fast enough to keep a power supply cool? What am I missing here?
I also saw the "place it in the oven" idea with just the inside light providing heat. Has anyone tried this? I tried leaving the light on in my oven, and I must have the most efficient light in the world as it doesnt feel any warmer than the kitchen itself. I guess I could preheat the over for a minute or so, until it reaches 110º, turn it off, and then place the model inside?

I pretty much use Duplicolor exclusively, and polish in as little as 4 days without any problems (with just air and sunshine to dry it out). I use my oven quite frequently to speed up drying as well. I have 2 bulbs in the back and after about 30-45 minutes with the door closed, they heat up nicely. The only time it melted the plastic is when my wife turned it on without checking first! Definitely not recommended!!!

[Some_Kid]

You can use an oven as well? What kind of drying time and temperature?

[Hawk312]

Originally Posted by Some_Kid

You can use an oven as well? What kind of drying time and temperature?

I will let everyone know, as I am heating the oven up to 110 as I type. I about 7 coats of clear to dry.

[mj71]

I have great luck with an Excalibur branded dehydrator. Very large internal volume. It would fit a 15" 1/12 car without any problem. They're pricey, but when you're not using them for modeling, they do a great job at making great snack food!

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/5...gular-prod.htm

[JimboCO]

Originally Posted by Hawk312

I guess I could preheat the over for a minute or so, until it reaches 110º, turn it off, and then place the model inside?

Be careful doing this. Don't walk away from it. I did this once to help dry some water off a car body and parts before priming. I think you can see where I'm going here. I got distracted for a moment then smelled burning plastic. Total melted mess. The oven wasn't even that hot.

I use a dehydrator all the time now and like others have said. It works great.