metal cooler for incubator

[FrenchHen]

We have one, and K-mart charges $12 for a Styrofoam box.
Has anyone used an old metal Coleman cooler? How did you cut the window in top? A metal drill bit then a saw for the box part?
Is there something icky insulating the thing?

 

[walkswithdog]

Playing with a metal one now. In mine the insulation is an old foam. I didn't put windows in for the first try to see how temps hold and go as the sucker is. Windows are for the next set.

I have in accurite that has a remote so temp I always know and I peek twice a day briefly to see humidity.

I'm just fiddling along with some of our own eggs and not using paid for, precious eggs.

I may yet splurge for a unit that does remote humidity too but not while I'm on the cheap.

I still have a lot of fine tuning to do with this one but so far so interesting.

I Gerry-rigged a tray for the eggs and won't build a turner til after I see how it runs this time.

These are severely cold weather eggs so I figure that it's moot but it's a way to see how the whole thing shakes out.

Fiddling along with it, to see, is part of the fun at this point.

 

[FrenchHen]

Let me know how it works! What day are you on?

 

[walkswithdog]

Just day two on it's first run. I ran it for about a week before I set the eggs just to see what worked. I used a lot of spare stuff just to give this a whirl. Next time it'll all be properly arranged and finish mounted but hell if it won't run then I have to rework it. So this first time it's a pretty sad ugly thing.

I was having a lot of trouble because of the house temp swings when I had it on the floor, now it's up on the desk and that's better.

Not sure metal is a good bet even insulated but I'm willing to play along to find out.

 

[FrenchHen]

Free is free though...you're not hurting anything to try.

 

[walkswithdog]

I used up a lot of spare bits to make it and the eggs are free so yeah, it sure is easier on the worry circuit.

Since I'm using flexwatt heat tape instead of a light bulb, it's a whole new system for me, and I had to get light in there some how, so my fan I did actually buy has four LED lights on it. I know have a disco bator. LOL