Where did you guys find your varible thermostats for youe heat boxes? Most that I've found only go up to 90 degrees, or so.
I've not heard of variable thermostats but people use dimmer switches and a thermometer.
I was at the local heating and cooling supply store about a year and a half ago to inquire about a variable temp thermostat. At first I was looking at those little thermocouplers that controlled the temp in a 20 degree range: say from 130 to 150 or 150 to 170 degrees. That is a big variance and I was hoping for something with finer settings. The gentleman then suggested the Johnson Controls line of industrial control boxes.
Those little beauties ran to well over $100.00. My budget for a heat box was no where near that range. Then he pulled a box off the shelf that was covered in dust. It was priced at $75.00 but he said if I would call back in a day or two he would see if he could mark it down as it had been there for many years. I figured possibly picking it up for $50.00. Still more than I wanted to put in to it but thought it would be worth it. To my suprise and delight he said, "How about $25.00?"
Now I can set my hot box from 80 up to 200 degrees with a variance of 1 degree up to 10 degrees, depending on how much I want my elements (light bulbs) to stay on.
It has been great to dry wood, make deer jerky and to cook my first fg laminate bow just this past Saturday.
Sometimes it pays to ask what they may have in inventory that they want to unload.
Here's a picture of the control mentioned above incase you may be interested.
(http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt167/WoodenBows/FB%20Laminated%20Bows%20and%20Tools/HotBoxThermostaticControl.jpg)
Binghams catalog has their 150-180 degree range thermostat control for $8.75 plus shipping. (disclaimer- may be an older catalog)
Mine has been working for a few years now.
Mike
I have never thought of using my hotbox to make deer jerky. Cool!