BUILDING AN INCUBATOR - PLYWOOD - ANY HELP?

[Davaroo]

Cabinets hold steady temp due to buffering. Simply put, there is more air mass, so they are less affected by changes. It is harder to control a small air mass as opposed to a larger one.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

I LOVE it, and the pink walls make it special....I want it now!!!!!!!!!
What are all the wires on the top....I would think you would only need 2 for the heater element....how much did your turner cost? and You must have had many of the needed parts before the project began. Great Job however.....a master piece!

 

[littlepeddler]

Hey Kroth the wires are a forced fan and a turner and heating coil. at the top. The there is a small florescent light as well. On the bottom is just a heating coil with thermostat. We have a surge protector mounted to the side of the cabinet where all plugs in go so we only have to use one main cord. Right now it is heating very well and we have to get it adjusted then we will just unplug the hatching unit unit and not have it on all the time. The pink is pink insulation. From a home building site for free. Turner came out of an old used LG. so did the one heating coil which also had a fan and all of that was 50.00, then we bought a second incubator with heater coil and thermostat. 39.95. Couple pieces of plex-glass. It is not air tight but we may have to let some air in from somewhere. Oh the cabinet come from an auction for 6.00 which was a home made writing desk out of plywood. We gutted it and use the wood eslewehere in the incubator. I can answer any more questions. Oh and thank you. Brenda

 

[william9792]

looks nice, let us know how it works and what could be done beter if you were to do over. william

 

[HappyHatch'en]

OK folks here is what's happening up to this point....
small refrigerator with glass door for cabinet - free
Use fan that comes with refridge - free
Purchased - Thermostat - Helix DBS 1000
Purchased - GQF Heat Element 250 Watt
NOW I NEED A TRAY TURNER - HOW CAN I TURN THE TRAYS WITHOUT BUYING THE COMPLETE UNIT FROM GQF - PRICEY
Any body out there who has solved this problem? I don't want to turn them by hand....an automatic motor system is the ideal. I can make and weld the trays....just need the mechanism timer, motor and swing arm....and wire diagram.
Thanks for everyone's help....it's been Chicky fun!

 

[jvls1942]

I am thinking of building one out of an upright freezer.

for the turner I have it thought out to bring the turner rod straight up through the top.

the turner motor would be mounted on top of the unit..easy to get to for maintenance etc.

I have not got the rest figured out.

I have thought of using a motor and drive out of a couple of different things.. they are: electric can opener,,,,,,,,,garage door opener, ,,,rotissarie motor from an outdoor grille or out of a kitchen range.

I have to get some help with the timer and switches..

 

[HappyHatch'en]

The rotisserie motor is probably the best bet, turning three trays with eggs might be heavy....it's the timer motor, cam and switch thing that I don't understand....plus the measurements so all thing swing without binding. I'm thinking of building the trays first out of wood and transfer the measurements to metal or just use the wood. The Dickey Incubator turns the trays every 2 hours, that's 12 x's per day!....You will ahve some rock'n birds. I can buy his complete unit for $116.00 + s/h, but that would bring my cost to $275.00 and I'm trying to be cheap but build a unit anyone would want. Those styro box's are OVER-PRICED for what you get and they are to small for me, In my opinion they shouldn't run more than $40.00 w/auto turner....you have nothing there that say's $100.00+.
Thanks for writing....tell me folks, what should we do about turning trays/eggs automatically???????

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Automotive power antenna! Power it every other hour by a timer an inverter.

 

[geareduplyn]

This topic has been much discussed in the past month. There are posts in previous threads with the W W Grainger numbers for turning motors, microswitches , etc. I'm not in SC at present and don't know how to bring up pictures of my old Plywood incubator. Plywood cutting is simple. Keep your dimensions so the unit can be cut from one peice of plywood.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

I appreciate all who respond....I have personally gone to Grainger with little success and or knowledgeable help, we even called their Chicago Tech Line....they have a motor that will work but no timer...and I'm not the brightest light bulb when it comes to electricity or electronic stuff....so if there are "old threads" out there send them my way.....remember the idea here is to build something that WORKS RIGHT and I don't have to buy it from GQF or Dickey's Incubator.....that would be to easy and no fun....it's the idea of finding something, gathering parts and making them all come together to make the incubator. For me it is finding the timer, hooking it up so the rotation doesn't go continuously and at a slow RPM, turning off and turning itself back on thru out a 24 hr. period. Please folks, send me what you have, I'm new to all this hobby and just doing my research......57 years old and hope to hit 70.