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Depends on what you're using for supplies. I got my mini-fridge free. I bought the lights I wanted to work with this time for heating - xenon under cabinet puck lights - 15$ on sale for three. (only used two) I had to buy a second water heater thermostat - $8 since I kept the old Uglybator together. I had to buy shelving it was missing so I bought plexiglass because I LOVE see through. 6$.
The fridge had a 120mm fan and an 80mm fan, I wired both instead of one. Jar of water for heat sink - nothing. Shelf liner - nothing I had it. Transformer for the fans - 25 cents at the goodwill.
Now in time I plan on modifying the barebones thing with a tiled hatching shelf - because I love dinking.
I used a few layers of spare glass from old frames for a heat sink in the middle when the air exchange cooled things too quickly - but I had that. I bought silicone for sealing the large condenser hole in the back- that's like $4.
I would have had the silicone but Laura left my old tube open, sigh. She didn't know how to seal it right.
As to speed? My first took dinking around for a few days - partly because I insisted on checking placement of things and moving it around. Then after two weeks of playing with it (checking temps stability humidity), I set everything where I wanted it and off I went.
Because of the prior practice I put this one together in a day. Played with placement for two days. Ran it for stability and put eggs in it the same week. It keeps a nice 99.4-100.6 - right now it's a hatcher.
When they come out I'll probably dink around with the tile and stuff. It's at minimally useful level right now but a few more adjustments and I'll be happy.
If I had the money - I'd be buying flex watt heat tape -11" for under two of the shelves, instead of lights and I'd buy the reptitherm 500 thermostat (26$) but that can happen later. Nice thing about knowing how to do it, you can figure out what you like and modify as money comes available, from things like... chick sales.
I bought an LG and it and I did not get along. So I made my own. And I've learned a LOT more about incubating from figuring out how and why one is set up the way it is.
Now I'm tinkering and saving for a Dickey.
