best way to heat a flat glass tool surface

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#1

We have several 1.2 metre square toughened glass panels we use for creating flat carbon sheets. During this time of year (veeeery cold) the resin if using epoxy takes forever and a day to set so we want to somehow heat it from underneath whilst infusing and afterwards to speed up curing. Thus not having to rely on the ambient temperature in the workshop.

Ideally something that will get it to 50-70 degC would be good.

Also something that isnt necessarily attached to the glass permanently so we can just do another panel right away.

If anyone has any ideas about efficiently heating something this size that would be great??

Tried electric blankets, they dont get hot enough. Pondered about building a box with loads of light bulbs sticking up but not sure + might be a tad expensive to leave on!! :slight_smile:

#2

probally just a good heat lamp with insulation to hold the heat in will work very well without to much hastle

#3

:smiley: i wanted to try those red lamps they use to keep french fries warm

#4

just use any old cheap electric heater placed undernieth the tool. Support it using a couple saw horses so the underside isn’t blocked off and you’re good to go

#5

Quartz shop lights throw lots of heat too…

#6

did you try a heating blanket and insulation? Might be loosing too much heat off the back of the blanket.

Yeah, few work/heat lamps. Grab some blue insulation foam and insulate the opposite surface as well maybe.

#7

This may be overkill, but if you use the glass plate on a regular basis it may be worth the money to invest in. You want a controller so it doesn’t heat the glass above 150F ( or whatever temp glass breaks at).

Google - Rope Heater

http://www.omega.com/toc_asp/subsectionSC.asp?subsection=M02&book=Heaters

#8

thanks for the link fastr, looks interesting wonder if you could incorporate those into a grp mould?. We have made the decision and invested in a bigger oven to fit several sheet layups in one hit. It is 1.4m x 1m deep. We are going to infuse in the oven (gotta drill for some vac/resin lines in the side of it when it comes)

#9

Never thought about it before, but…
HomeBrewers use large panel heaters wrapped around the carboys. MIGHT not get hot enough, but I’m sure there is something (look up kapton and silicone flexible heaters) out there that will get warm.

http://webtrolley.org/mivastore/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BaderBrewandWine&Product_Code=FermWrap&Category_Code=1088
http://www.hiheat.com/Products.htm

but worklamps might be easier :slight_smile:

#10

I’ll be turning my small storage shed into a heated room soon just for post curing at 115-120F. I need a heater, preferably electric, that is safe to use unatended for a few hours at a time.

Any suggestions? 1500watt space heater of some sort? Preferably something not priced over $50. In addition to that i can insulate the inside of the storage with fiberglass insulation.

#11

Plexi-glass type plastics shops have flexible heat strip for bending sheet plastics which is cheap and 120V plug in for plugging into a controller and you could glass them right in. I have one or 2x around here somewhere (I have got to get rid of this stuff)…but are available also at Delvies in Utah (listed in the suppliers section…).

I have 2x HD 220V heaters (about 1 cubic square) that I bought from a school dist. auction. I never got around to cutting off the ends and wiring it to my electrical boxes to test them but…?

#12

I have a sheet of glass that I use to do my layups on. If I wanted to heat it, I’d use a mirror heater like they use to keep bathrooms mirrors clear when your shower is in use. Just a thought.

#13

Why have I never seen those?! I HATE foggy mirrors!!!