I'm about ready to try my first glass bow, but don't have a hot box. I was thinking about wrapping the works in a couple of large, heavy duty, black garbage bags and sitting it in my drive way for the day while I'm at work. I'm sure it will reach 140-150 degrees in this south Ga sunshine. Does the heat have to be at max temp right away, or will a gradual approach work for curing epoxy? I have some Bow Grip 100 epoxy on hand that I plan to use.
the hot box is actually the easiest thing to build but the hardest thing to store when not in use. the heat does not have to be there all at once but muxt be maintaines for some hours then cooled down.
It's just really hard to justify spending any more money right now. I can probably build one for $40-45. I guess I'll just e-bay something.
Check out the post by Aeronut on this thread:
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=059937
I think you could put this together fairly cheap.
Apex. doing the same and placing it in your car while on the driveway in GA would do it for sure.
Cook it while you work.
ChuckC
I've got a brain storm for a new design. I'll keep ya'll posted.
You dont have to hot box it, it will just take longer to cure but will be fine.
thanks
If storage is a problem you could build a variation on a design someone did on here earlier, can't remember who. They built their box with no bottom so they put it on top of the bow while it was on the table and then put the lid on. You could make the four corners with hinges and then when not in use the box could collapse flat and be stored out of the way with the lid. Just a thought.
Marty,Steve cookes his in an old car in his yard that he did`nt drive. Rolled the windows up and put her in the sun.RC
I think I've got it licked! I will post photos of the final product. Thanks to all for the advice.
Celetex put together with metal tape work great and is cheap to build.
Dick
Hi, I came up with this out of necessity, not much room and not much money :)
Easy to do and cheap and temp would reach 180.
Here my link http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/141489795erMVYb
Hope this helps.
Dan
Apex,
Is it done yet?
Yeah! I'll post some photos tonight.
Apex, I missed this post, but as RC said, I cooked mine in my daughter's old car. On a late spring day in the sun...not even hot by summer standards, one limb cooked at 124 and the other at 132. Hit a hundred degree day in the sun, bet you hit 150 easy. I just left em for 24 hours, cooled em and pulled them out. The limbs have survived a dry fire that the first riser didn't....and killed four deer since....
Here's my new hot box. Works like a champ at 168 degrees.
(http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o203/Apex-Predator/First%20Glass%20Bow/Hotbox-1.jpg)
(http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o203/Apex-Predator/First%20Glass%20Bow/Hotbox-2.jpg)
(http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o203/Apex-Predator/First%20Glass%20Bow/Hotbox-3.jpg)