Cuz I just finished my first on Monday and today I started building myself a bator.
Mainly because I ordered too many eggs to fit in my LG.
Who hasn't done that, right? I've got to build something before my Cuckoo Marans arrive! I decided to make it out of cardboard boxes, because if there's one thing we have around here, it's cardboard diaper boxes.
First, I took two of them and modified the second so that it would nest inside the first. Then I took extra pieces and slid them between the two so that there's four layers of cardboard insulating the thing on all four sides. I stood the top flaps of the outer box up and taped them upright to give the box more height. Then I cut the bottom off a third box, flipped it over, and used it for a lid. Then I cut a square hole in the middle for a viewing window and taped it inside and out with heavy duty clear packing tape.
Now, for a heat source I'm using one of those work lamps you can clip onto something, like the hood of a car. (but I'm not using the clip) I've got a 40 watt bulb in there right now to see how much heat it puts out. I cut out a circle in the bottom of the inner box and nestled the lamp down in so the reflector rim just barely projects above the bottom. Here's a pic looking down in..
I sealed the inside of the inner box by taping it thoroughly with that clear, heavy packing tape. There's 3 inches of air space between the
floor of the inner box and the floor of the outer box. I packed the corners tightly with newspaper to stabilize it and left space all around the lamp base so it wouldn't overheat. The very bottom of the base projects out of the bottom box so I can flip the switch when I need to. As seen here..
I'm building feet for it, next. It's just sitting on some diaper packages now. LOL
This is a side view..
Now, on the inside I'm going to put spacers around the edges and a couple down the middle so I can put a wire screen floor down a few inches off the floor of the box. A fan is going on the wall next to the lamp, pulling air over the lamp and blowing towards the wall so it flows around the sides. Oh, and I'm putting a diffuser plate over the lamp itself. (an aluminum pie plate)
Since the box is rectangular, there's lots of room on the sides to put a couple of flat bottomed bowls to hold sponges. I'm going to drill air intake holes along the bottom on the ends and run aquarium tubing through a small hole on each side to get water to the sponges. The vent holes are going to be in the ends along the top. I'll drill them with the lid on so the holes line up perfectly. I'm looking at thermostats on eBay to splice into the lamp's power supply, should be fun. I'm an electrician's daughter, I love this stuff.
I'll insert pics of the inside tomorrow when I get it done, though the fan and thermostat part will have to wait till they get here in the mail.
Updates soon!
Mainly because I ordered too many eggs to fit in my LG.
First, I took two of them and modified the second so that it would nest inside the first. Then I took extra pieces and slid them between the two so that there's four layers of cardboard insulating the thing on all four sides. I stood the top flaps of the outer box up and taped them upright to give the box more height. Then I cut the bottom off a third box, flipped it over, and used it for a lid. Then I cut a square hole in the middle for a viewing window and taped it inside and out with heavy duty clear packing tape.
Now, for a heat source I'm using one of those work lamps you can clip onto something, like the hood of a car. (but I'm not using the clip) I've got a 40 watt bulb in there right now to see how much heat it puts out. I cut out a circle in the bottom of the inner box and nestled the lamp down in so the reflector rim just barely projects above the bottom. Here's a pic looking down in..
I sealed the inside of the inner box by taping it thoroughly with that clear, heavy packing tape. There's 3 inches of air space between the
floor of the inner box and the floor of the outer box. I packed the corners tightly with newspaper to stabilize it and left space all around the lamp base so it wouldn't overheat. The very bottom of the base projects out of the bottom box so I can flip the switch when I need to. As seen here..
I'm building feet for it, next. It's just sitting on some diaper packages now. LOL
This is a side view..
Now, on the inside I'm going to put spacers around the edges and a couple down the middle so I can put a wire screen floor down a few inches off the floor of the box. A fan is going on the wall next to the lamp, pulling air over the lamp and blowing towards the wall so it flows around the sides. Oh, and I'm putting a diffuser plate over the lamp itself. (an aluminum pie plate)
Since the box is rectangular, there's lots of room on the sides to put a couple of flat bottomed bowls to hold sponges. I'm going to drill air intake holes along the bottom on the ends and run aquarium tubing through a small hole on each side to get water to the sponges. The vent holes are going to be in the ends along the top. I'll drill them with the lid on so the holes line up perfectly. I'm looking at thermostats on eBay to splice into the lamp's power supply, should be fun. I'm an electrician's daughter, I love this stuff.
I'll insert pics of the inside tomorrow when I get it done, though the fan and thermostat part will have to wait till they get here in the mail.
Updates soon!
