Beauties in the hotbox

[Sidewinder]

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/IMG_4448.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/IMG_4449.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/IMG_4451-1.jpg


I finally got around to making my hotbox. Once I got started it came together pretty quick. Had to rewire it three times. Tried to install a dimmer with it to regulate the light output but not having prior electrical experience it proved to test my patience but calmness prevailed and we have ourselves a little dehydrator with 4-100watt bulbs for heat source inside a foil wrapped 1" insulfoam board box. Dimensions 2 x 1.5 x 6.5 ft. I also put a little fan in there on low to give us the benefit of the heat and the moving air to aspirate the moisture as it rises to the surface of the staves. I also realized that I may be able to do plant starts and dry herbs in it so that will be a bonus for sure.
The staves are all from "the matriarch" I harvested with Jeremey(woodbow) last Sept. ( see "Hunting the Osage tree"). I figure being 6mths old they probably still have 6mths to go before I should work them. Lets see if I can coax them along a little quicker without getting any check. I re sealed the ends and the back with shellac. I intend to let em cook for about 3wks at 100F with air movement. I weighed them all before I put them in. They range from 5.6lbs to 7.9lbs. It should be interesting to watch the weight drop to a stable moisture content. I intend to check them daily for the first few days and then maybe once every 3 after that. Then once we get them to where they are safe to work we shall embark on our first Osage endeavor. Next on the list will be building the caul per Ken's tutorial.The only exception there is I will do mine hinged as he suggested for easier transport and storage.

Whatcha all think?       Danny

[ricktrojanowski]

Looks nice.   I just modified my laminating oven to a hotbox.  Pretty much the same as you have fan and all.  Only difference is it has 4 60W bulbs on a dimmer.  I also drilled 3-1" holes at each end to help any excess moisture escape.   

[Pappy]

Nice box,can't hardly get along without mine.
    Pappy

[DanaM]

Looks like a box full of Gold, and yer wife lets ya have it in the living room

[tom sawyer]

Nice box, you mmight want to put a few holes in one end to allow moisture to escape.  The boxes I've seen had bulbs on the bottom so the heat would rise, and holes on top for the moist air to escape.  But with your fan you'll be just fine.  What kind of fan is that?  Does it run constantly?

If you put herbs or plants in there you'll be raising the humidity considerably.

[cowboy]

Nice box - and all those sexy little golden things inside. Looks like a bunch of guys aught to be sitting around it with a beer in thier hands, hahahaha . I gotta get one of those built, had to leave my stave in the stovepipe for the nine days I'm at work - I know it's getting hotter on one end .

[JackCrafty]

That's my next project.  The insulation board is a great idea....clean and simple. 

It also looks like moisture can escape through gaps around the cover (I can see light shining through).....maybe no need for holes?   Hmmm....Is there a thermometer somewhere?

[Sidewinder]

http://www.geocities.com/salampsio/hotbox.htm

Jackrafty   Theres the link to the site with the plans. I am very pleased with the ease and economy of its design and function. Yeah it has some space in the lid so I think  moisture aspiration should be fine. I noticed this mornig that only two of the bulbs were working and its still plenty warm in there. I will probabely install a digital thermometer at about stave high so I can tell how hot its really getting. The dimmer isn't working either but I guess it does'nt matter as the fan and lights are doing their thing..

Cowboy  You know you might be a redneck when your 17yr old daughter wants to use your stave hotbox as a tanning bed. Won't be posting that beauty in the hotbox pics thats for sure ...and don't you ole pervs get to visualizen neither...lol

Tom Sawyer The fan is a little cheapy from walmart my 13uyr old daughter donated from here room. Don't know how loing it'll last but it'll do for now. Yes it runs all the time.

DannM  Gold shannon you say? Eye laddy so it does.
  My wife is very cool about these things. Thats in the computer room too by the way She doesn't mind my staves being anywhere in the house temporarily but if they become intrusive well then thats just not very considerate on my part and I always I try to be considerate. Lest I wanta box...lol

Thanks Pappy and Rick for the kind words.    Danny

[DanaM]

Sorry fer the confusion danny when I typed that I only had one eye open barely

[Sidewinder]

lol Dana

[cowboy]

Hahahaha .

[DanaM]

Hey it was early and the coffee was still brewing Whatever still looks like a box of gold

[ricktrojanowski]

A cheap easy thermometer to use is an "remote" cooking thermometer.  You put the sensor in the box and a wire runs out to a display that you can affix to the box.  I think mine was about 20 bucks from a cooking store. 

[DanaM]

I've got a all-in-one thermometer and humidity gauge in mine, stole it from the wife

[Sidewinder]

See thats what I was thinking about. Might have to make a run to Bed Bath and Beyond ( eeeekkkk). They don't know me over there like they do at Lowes...I walk into Lowes and the cashiers all holler "Norm". Bet they'll have a good one though. They got all kinds of cooking gadgets in that place.   

DanaM   I liked the "Gold Shannon" comment. It does have the same shimmer as what I envision a pot o gold to have and for those of us struck with the disease of bowitus ,well, it is gold.        Danny