Rainman's Chip Flattening Oven (1 Viewer)

[RainmanTrail]

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for anyone stupid enough to burn down their house with this obviously silly/dangerous idea. Proceed at your own risk, and please, for the love of god, don't do this unattended and go find your fire extinguisher first

I've been trying to figure out a way to properly heat some of my chips while clamped for flattening purposes, but finding a way to heat my chips to a consistent 130F wasn't an easy problem to solve without spending a lot of money. I looked into convection ovens, but most of them were too small for my clamp, and I didn't really want to buy one just to flatten chips anyhow. I thought about using a sauna, but that's a bit overkill, and keeping it at the right temperature would be pretty challenging.

Long story short, I did some research regarding hairdryers and found that most of them are designed not to go above 140F as temperatures above that will burn your skin. Seemed like a good place to start...

So, I grabbed a cardboard box, lined it with tin foil, cut a hole in the side for my hair dryer to go in, vented the other side of the box, and stuck a cheap meat thermometer I grabbed off of Amazon through the top and bada bing, bada boom, I came out with the perfect chip flattening oven.

Results will vary of course, but for my set up, the chip oven topped out at 140F, which I'm OK with. However, it's super easy to keep it at 130F as the meat thermometer is extremely responsive (I was amazed at how quickly it responded to temperature changes). If it's getting too hot, just turn off the hair dryer. Getting too cold? Yep, you figured it out... turn it back on. I set my hair dryer on low and it works great.

Now I just need to wait for my ceramic blanks to show up (thanks @BGinGA and @12thMan for the offers) and I'll start flattening some chips!

Now, it's time for some pr0n!

 

[Anthony Martino]

Now I'm picturing chips sitting around in a sauna wearing towels, thanks!

 

[Jeff]

If I tried this, I would end up with 64 mm wafers. You seem to be an ingenious type of fellow, so good luck to you!

If anyone ever needs ceramic blanks, I have a ton of them (like 500?) that I'd be happy to give some chip baker a few if they need some.

 

[Mr Tree]

Considering you are using a cardboard box I think the warning about potential combustibility is not a complete joke. I would do this in an area where you can control it if the box ignites and also have a fire extinguisher on hand.

Very clever idea though

 

[RainmanTrail]

Considering you are using a cardboard box I think the warning about potential combustibility is not a complete joke. I would do this in an area where you can control it if the box ignites and also have a fire extinguisher on hand.

Very clever idea though

Yes, definitely not joking about that warning.

Also, overdoing it with the tinfoil would help to protect the box. I suspect all will be fine though if you are careful not to let the tip of the hair dryer touch anything. But I make no promises of course.

 

[ACE'S FULL]

Considering you are using a cardboard box I think the warning about potential combustibility is not a complete joke. I would do this in an area where you can control it if the box ignites and also have a fire extinguisher on hand.

Very clever idea though

130F is far from 451F in which paper burns at. Hardly an issue here.

 

[Poker Zombie]

From a fire science perspective, the box should not ignite, provided you keep an eye on your chips and internal temp.

While the autoignition temp of cardboard varies due to humidity, moisture content of the box, thickness of the box, and density, you are looking at exceeding 400°F before you get into dangerous territory. By that point, I'd be more worried about what you are doing to your chips, and would have to contact child chip protection services on you and have your chips relocated to someplace safe.

The heat put out by your hairdryer will be well below the temp of most vehicles parked in a southern mall parking lot. I have never run a call for a vehicle fire because a box spontaneously combusted in a car.

You should still have a fire extinguisher readily available in your home.

 

[Mr Tree]

130F is far from 451F in which paper burns at. Hardly an issue here.

That's air temp. If the cardboard is in direct contact with the surface of the hair dryer it can exceed the flash point easily. Fire loads and combustibility is a major part of my job. I wouldn't screw with it in your house unless you had it in a safe (ie concrete) area with a fire extinguisher handy.

 

[Mr Tree]

From a fire science perspective, the box should not ignite, provided you keep an eye on your chips and internal temp.

While the autoignition temp of cardboard varies due to humidity, moisture content of the box, thickness of the box, and density, you are looking at exceeding 400°F before you get into dangerous territory. By that point, I'd be more worried about what you are doing to your chips, and would have to contact child chip protection services on you and have your chips relocated to someplace safe.

The heat put out by your hairdryer will be well below the temp of most vehicles parked in a southern mall parking lot. Have never run a call for a vehicle fire because a box spontaneously combusted in a car.

You should still have a fire extinguisher readily available in your home.

It's not the ambient air I'd worry about. It's the nozzle of the hair dryer at the contact point with the box.

 

[Poker Zombie]

The nozzle should be insulated. My biggest concern with the redneck chip oven is the uneven heat. Chips closer to the nozzle will warm quicker than those further back.

 

[ssanel54]

Dude, simple solution is to buy a smaller clamp, and use your oven.

 

[guinness]

@dolomite128 used to bake chips to eliminate warps (Paulson GCR tourney set?) but I can't find his post describing the process on big blue.

 

[ssanel54]

@dolomite128 used to bake chips to eliminate warps (Paulson GCR tourney set?) but I can't find his post describing the process on big blue.

I think Josh started the trend. Ive done it a few times.

Use a C Clamp and ceramic spacers between each chip and bake for 10-15 minutes at 120. Loosely tighten when warm, and let cool.

 

[links_slayer]

combo of very low heat and a relatively short stay in an oven with warped chips w/ a blank ceramic between each one (and on the ends) in a clamp has been proven very successful.

 

[BGinGA]

Ingenious idea, Travis. Might I offer a couple of suggestions:

Add a baffle betwèen your heat source and the chips. You want ambient heated air in contact with the chips, not direct air from the dryer. This will help with maintaining a more uniform temperature.

Add a second input opening, and use it for introducing unheated air into the mix. This can be used to control the box air temperature by adding cooler air when needed. A simple battery-operated hand fan would probably suffice.

Alternately, have the dryer nozzle feeding into a tube (instead of directly into the box), with the other tube end attached to the box. Add a baffle/gate to the tube so that you can partially direct some of the heated air away from entering the box to maintain temperature.

 

[BGinGA]

Now I'm picturing chips sitting around in a sauna wearing towels, thanks!

Need pr0n.

 

[jbutler]

Dude, simple solution is to buy a smaller clamp, and use your oven.

This was my first thought. Any reason not to do this?

 

[Psypher1000]

Any reason not to do this?

Some ovens won't heat that low.

 

[luckbox]

I think Josh started the trend. Ive done it a few times.

Use a C Clamp and ceramic spacers between each chip and bake for 10-15 minutes at 120. Loosely tighten when warm, and let cool.

correct...it aint rocket science

i use a bit higher temp then throw them in the freezer still clamped.....add salt, serve.

why build an easy bake chip oven unless you have waaaaay to much time on your hands......experiments bees fun

 

[Leonard]

Depending on chip brand I've had success with my oven and just setting the chips in the sun on a hot Texas afternoon. I have a post on big blue as well. Set your oven at the lowest temp and start with a very short time in the oven.

 

[12thMan]

Or the reason is the very common one that trail has an oven that doesn't go low enough. My oven doesn't go lower than 175, I assume it's going to be the same problem trail is having, just like tons of people in all the flattening threads wondering what to do when there oven doesn't go low enough.

 

[12thMan]

And by the way, @luckbox , it seems we are talking about a cardboard box with a few holes in it, how long exactly would that take you to set up? Way too much time on his hands? Are you the kind of guy that can't put a hole in a box in under two hours? Do you call AAA when your car needs a fill up? j/k

 

[NicholasAK]

...Long story short, I did some research regarding hairdryers...

My wife would kill me. I got a stern lecture about curing rubber using her flat iron about 8 years ago. She's still upset about it, even though i didnt hurt the iron.

 

[RainmanTrail]

Dude, simple solution is to buy a smaller clamp, and use your oven.

combo of very low heat and a relatively short stay in an oven with warped chips w/ a blank ceramic between each one (and on the ends) in a clamp has been proven very successful.

This was my first thought. Any reason not to do this?

correct...it aint rocket science

i use a bit higher temp then throw them in the freezer still clamped.....add salt, serve.

why build an easy bake chip oven unless you have waaaaay to much time on your hands......experiments bees fun

Depending on chip brand I've had success with my oven and just setting the chips in the sun on a hot Texas afternoon. I have a post on big blue as well. Set your oven at the lowest temp and start with a very short time in the oven.

You guys are all missing the point, which others have pointed out. Most ovens (almost all?) don't go below ~170F. This is too hot for chips as others have pointed out in the chip baking threads. The ideal range is just warm enough to get the clay to relax but not so hot that it becomes mush under too much pressure.

Sure, some have had success with their chips around 170F, but others have ruined theirs. And there is no info at all around either of these sites for flattening TRKs.

I'm flattening a set of Mapes, and temperature matters. I'm not about to throw them in the oven at 170F because "well it ain't rocket science".

This thread is for people who care about temperature control and using low temps.

To the critics who say to buy a smaller clamp and use my oven... Reading comprehension is your friend. Please try again.

 

[courage]

I'm flattening a set of Mapes,

Maybe try it out on some less valuable chips, first. Or not. You seem to have all the answers.

 

[links_slayer]

you can prop the oven door open a bit

 

[RainmanTrail]

Ingenious idea, Travis. Might I offer a couple of suggestions:

Add a baffle betwèen your heat source and the chips. You want ambient heated air in contact with the chips, not direct air from the dryer. This will help with maintaining a more uniform temperature.

Add a second input opening, and use it for introducing unheated air into the mix. This can be used to control the box air temperature by adding cooler air when needed. A simple battery-operated hand fan would probably suffice.

Alternately, have the dryer nozzle feeding into a tube (instead of directly into the box), with the other tube end attached to the box. Add a baffle/gate to the tube so that you can partially direct some of the heated air away from entering the box to maintain temperature.

Thanks @BGinGA I definitely plan to make a more appropriate chip oven before I start the actual project, this was just a test box to see if it would work first. Looks like it will be perfect. I'm thinking I will use one of those boxes for paper reams that have a lid, and elevate the chips inside with the hair dryer going through the bottom.

I might toy around with some ventilation too. But it seems pretty easy to control the temp without it. Should be a fun project. Definitely looking forward to seeing the results.

 

[jbutler]

You guys are all missing the point...

To the critics who say to buy a smaller clamp and use my oven... Reading comprehension is your friend. Please try again.

Catching bees with vinegar, I guess.

 

[ssanel54]

you can prop the oven door open a bit

Ding Ding Ding. Its not a soufflé

 

[RainmanTrail]

Dude, simple solution is to buy a smaller clamp, and use your oven.

My clamp fits just fine in my oven. That's not the problem. The problem is my oven doesn't go low enough. Most ovens don't.