Well, I've been starting work on building a new incubator out of an old freezer Dennis Horvath tracked down for me. I removed all of the shelving, and cut away the areas where the plastic was molded to hold them. Tonight, though, it was easier to take a pic and start a thread to show the progress than it was to do any actual work....maybe tomorrow.:lmao:

Anyway, here's the start...hopefully it won't be too long before the finish!

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af49/curtinherps/IMG_1487-1.jpg

Well so far so good. Looks to be good sized.

not done yet????

Yeah, Claude....it's a full size stand up freezer.

Shut up, Shad.....I'm getting there. OK, not really...I'm just typing about getting there.

Well its a start Mike! I have yet to even FIND a freezer! :lol:

Looks like a good start :cheers:

step or 2 further along than us lol

Good progress, and once you start working it isn't so bad...

Looks like it will be a nice incubator once it gets done. Keep us updated with your progress.

Well its a start Mike! I have yet to even FIND a freezer! :lol:
Craig's list in the free section! Check there once a week or so.

step or 2 further along than us lol
Well, get going!

Looks like it will be a nice incubator once it gets done. Keep us updated with your progress.
Sure wil. :cheers:

How are you going to heat the incubator? We use flexwatt and elevate it off the floor with 3/4 inch blocks in the corners of the flexwatt.

BTW, can't wait to get my boy from you tomorrow.

I plan on running heat tape on the sides and back, but don't want to go overkill, and need to run some fans to keep the air circulating.

Make sure you post pics of that boy!

c'mon Mike. Post some pics already of this thing wired up with heat tape and fans.........and then filled with eggs! :cheers:

Good job so far Mike. you should feel that bad boy up with all of them carpets you're going to produce this year lol.

c'mon Mike. Post some pics already of this thing wired up with heat tape and fans.........and then filled with eggs! :cheers:

yeah Mike! What he said! :rockon:

Hey Mike
Sara told me to get on here and relay a few things. First off I am no expert on making incubators but I have made 5 or 6 different one's so far. First off I don't know where the compressor motor is or if you intend to remove it, but if you do be careful. There is usually a PRESSURIZED copper oil line attached for internal oiling. When you cut/break or otherwise remove it, it sends a fine mist of oil all over everything. What I end up doing is I have a towel rag ready. I cut the line open to release the pressure but immediately wrap the towel around the cut to absorb the oil until the pressure is released. Also that drain hole in the bottom at the back is a good place to run your fan/ thermostat/etc wires through. Keeps things clean & neat. Or place a small computer fan down there to bring in some fresh air and circulate the air/heat in the incubator. Unless the room is real cold you should be fine with a strip of 12" heat tape on both sides of the freezer.
My converted freezers have glass doors. (it's suppose to help keep sara from opening it all the time, but that doesn't work).:nono: If you have a solid door you may want to frame a piece of plexiglass for the inside. This way you can check your eggs with out losing the generated heat in the incubator. Hope this info helps

My converted freezers have glass doors. (it's suppose to help keep sara from opening it all the time, but that doesn't work).:nono: If you have a solid door you may want to frame a piece of plexiglass for the inside. This way you can check your eggs with out losing the generated heat in the incubator. Hope this info helps

Hey now! I say to be a nice guy and let him know about the spraying oil, and you rat me out about not being able to stay out of the incubator??? See how you are, lol!:eek::lmao::lmao:

Hey Mike
Sara told me to get on here and relay a few things. First off I am no expert on making incubators but I have made 5 or 6 different one's so far. First off I don't know where the compressor motor is or if you intend to remove it, but if you do be careful. There is usually a PRESSURIZED copper oil line attached for internal oiling. When you cut/break or otherwise remove it, it sends a fine mist of oil all over everything. What I end up doing is I have a towel rag ready. I cut the line open to release the pressure but immediately wrap the towel around the cut to absorb the oil until the pressure is released. Also that drain hole in the bottom at the back is a good place to run your fan/ thermostat/etc wires through. Keeps things clean & neat. Or place a small computer fan down there to bring in some fresh air and circulate the air/heat in the incubator. Unless the room is real cold you should be fine with a strip of 12" heat tape on both sides of the freezer.
My converted freezers have glass doors. (it's suppose to help keep sara from opening it all the time, but that doesn't work).:nono: If you have a solid door you may want to frame a piece of plexiglass for the inside. This way you can check your eggs with out losing the generated heat in the incubator. Hope this info helps

Yup....found out about the oil outside. Boy, wasn't that fun!!! Thanks for the advice, and I've contemplated doing the plexi thing....maybe next year.

Oh, yeah....with all this pressure, I'm bound to have this finished in no time!!! Thanks everyone!:yessir:

Yup....found out about the oil outside. Boy, wasn't that fun!!! Thanks for the advice, and I've contemplated doing the plexi thing....maybe next year.

Oh, yeah....with all this pressure, I'm bound to have this finished in no time!!! Thanks everyone!:yessir:

Tried to warn ya man!:lmao::lmao:

Looking forward to progress pics!

Looks good so far Mike. It will be full soon :wamma:

Mmmmmhmmmm!

Hey Mike, here are some more pics of our incubator.

Like we discussed the other night, the flexwatt is elevated off the floor with 3/4 inch blocks.
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/artinscales/Incubator004.jpg

The fan
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/artinscales/Incubator005.jpg

An overall shot with the eggcrate in.
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/artinscales/Incubator008.jpg

and here is a shot of the boy you sent me. I like the head pattern, looks like a dude wearing sunglasses and a big mustache. Thanks again.
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/artinscales/JungleJag011.jpg

Cool....hey, here's a question for you. What have you found to be the best method of wiring the fans?

I'm in the phone business, so my fans run on 48 volts DC. I use a transformer that will run several fans and use telephone wire between the transformer and the fan.

done yet Mike ? :lol:

I'm in the phone business, so my fans run on 48 volts DC. I use a transformer that will run several fans and use telephone wire between the transformer and the fan.
That's kinda what I was planning....just trying to find a transformer.

done yet Mike ? :lol:
No, Frank.....not yet. Ya big jerk!

Here's an update shot of the incubator....I lined the sides and door with textured plastic (the kind that Helix uses on their heat panels...not sure what it's called). My only concern is that the plastic is emitting some odor. That's most likely from cutting and drilling, and I'm airing it out at the moment, but has anyone dealt with that before?

http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af49/curtinherps/IMG_1518.jpg

Wire shelves will be going in next....fans and digital thermometers are on their way.

DONE!!!!

Now I'm letting the temperature stabilize....I used 4 fans. 2 are pushing air up, and 2 are pushing it down. Hopefully this will keep the temps even. My main concern is that the heat source is on the bottom, which could cause the bottom tubs to get warmer. At the same time, heat rises, which could cause the upper tubs to be too warm. I've got 8 digital thermometers on the way, so i'll be able to monitor temps in each egg box from outside th incubator. Once i know what's going on, it shouldn't be too hard to tweak.

Looks really good Mike!! Now ya just have to fill it up with carpet eggs!:rockon:

Thanks, Sara. That shouldn't be a problem....although, do plan on allowing some of my girls to maternally incubate this year.

Great job Mike, looks really good....:yessir:

That's a great looking incubator man!! Slick work:cheers:

DONE!!!!

Now I'm letting the temperature stabilize....I used 4 fans. 2 are pushing air up, and 2 are pushing it down. Hopefully this will keep the temps even. My main concern is that the heat source is on the bottom, which could cause the bottom tubs to get warmer. At the same time, heat rises, which could cause the upper tubs to be too warm. I've got 8 digital thermometers on the way, so i'll be able to monitor temps in each egg box from outside th incubator. Once i know what's going on, it shouldn't be too hard to tweak.

Does laying all of your water bottles on your heat not some how take away alot of the heat you're producing from the flexwatt? i've never made or had an incubator so i figured i'd ask lol. just seems to me with the heat on the bottom and the bottles on it... it would take away alot of the heat you need. BTW, it's looking really good Mike.

That is one clean looking incubator. Nice job Mike.

very cool man!!!!

Nice clean job, looks good!

Rich

Thanks, Sara. That shouldn't be a problem....although, do plan on allowing some of my girls to maternally incubate this year.

That should be a good project to fill us in on! I'm really interested to hear how that goes for you!

Thanks for the compliments, everyone.

Does laying all of your water bottles on your heat not some how take away alot of the heat you're producing from the flexwatt? i've never made or had an incubator so i figured i'd ask lol. just seems to me with the heat on the bottom and the bottles on it... it would take away alot of the heat you need. BTW, it's looking really good Mike.
Bo, the flexwatt heats the water, which keeps the temps more stable. I takes much longer for the water bottles to lose heat than the air around heat tape. I've used this method with the cooler style incubators I've made, and had great success. I just seems I'm having a slight airflow problem here, though, as there's still a 3 degree temp difference from top to bottom (bottom being warmer).

That should be a good project to fill us in on! I'm really interested to hear how that goes for you!
I had pretty good success last year, so I'm confident. In fact, my most exciting clutch should be here within a matter of days, and I'm letting her do the work. Not going to trust this incubator just yet.

Bo, the flexwatt heats the water, which keeps the temps more stable. I takes much longer for the water bottles to lose heat than the air around heat tape. I've used this method with the cooler style incubators I've made, and had great success. I just seems I'm having a slight airflow problem here, though, as there's still a 3 degree temp difference from top to bottom (bottom being warmer).




I wondered about this when you showed the fan placement in the photos. I think your fans are working against each other. I would keep two of the fans where they are at and move two of them down to the bottom shelf. I would also have them all blowing up towards the top. This should create a "airflow" going up the back of the fridge and naturally pull it back down the front. :yessir:

I wondered about this when you showed the fan placement in the photos. I think your fans are working against each other. I would keep two of the fans where they are at and move two of them down to the bottom shelf. I would also have them all blowing up towards the top. This should create a "airflow" going up the back of the fridge and naturally pull it back down the front. :yessir:

I think you may be right. I plan on adding 2 fans to the bottom to push the air up from the water bottles. That way, there will be 4 fans in the center drawing warm air up, and one on each side to push it back down. I'm just not sure how effective it will be in the confined area.

I'm also considering a false bottom to act as a shield so the bottom boxes are not getting the full radiant heat from the water bottles. This will be if I can't stabilize it with fans alone. On the plus side, there was only a 2 degree difference this morning, so it may be stabilizing some already.

Lookin good Mike....:cheers:

You'll work out the problems....

mike,
all fridge units have a natural air flow designed from where ever the evaporator is to the return like a big circle. if the heat source is near the either the evap or the return duct; you should be able to replicate that air movement. that should keep the temps even....the stuff stayed frozen pretty evenly so you should be able to make it heat evenly.


im doing an experiment with a dorm refer at work. turning the compressor to a heat pump and seeing if it can be regulated to a good temp. ill keep you posted as to how i make out.......

All the fans are now directed upwards. Temps are now within 1 degree difference.

All the fans are now directed upwards. Temps are now within 1 degree difference.

:rockon::rockon: 1 degrees shouldn't make a whole lot of difference should it or is it the tenths that doesn't make alot of difference?

Hey Mike, the incubator really looks good.

How much air space do you have in the front or back? it looks like your boxes are blocking the air in the center.

Thanks. There is very little airflow in the center, with about 3" in both the front and back. Both top boxes are now reading 86.9, while the bottom 2 are reading 87.1 and 87.3, which is perfect considering the probe is in one of the center boxes, and the t-stat is set at 87.

Can't beat those temps. Ours is within .3 degrees anywhere in the incubator, but ours is only about 3 feet high.

Looks nice, Mike!

Good information on this thread - I may need to start thinking about a larger incubator.....