Modding Can I make a plastic heater with a dishwasher?

Haha I was just going to post a link to my vac table page. lol

Anyway, Cheapskate if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I built mine using two oven heating elements, which I believe are the same thing as a dish washer's. My problem was getting them to heat the plexi sheet evenly. I had to add extra heat sources in the corners AND my heat gun to get a convection action going. Only then did it melt the plexi evenly enough for me to form it.
As far as power, I wired it myself to a 220v source (which has its own breaker in the sub panel). I added a junction box on the side with two switches so I could control both heating elements separately.

 

Thanks, Boddaker! I just want a strip heater, but the concept's the same. I -will- bug you wen the time comes!
I guess all I need now is a dead dishwasher. I'm not exactly anxious to get one, It means buying and installing a replacement somewhere...
It's just a matter of time.

 

The only real problem i see you running into is reshaping the coil. Its been a while since i took welding and metallurgy but i recall metal becoming increasingly brittle after being repeatedly heated and quenched. If thats the case you could try and temper it, that is, heat it, and let it cool vveerrry slowly. That might help, unless its coated ceramic, as mentioned earlier. In that case, you got me

Edit: Now that i think about it, you should be able to shape it even if it is brittle once you get it red-hot, if you go that route.

 

I'm thinking they are really high carbon steel, so yeah, friggen brittle. I have only one way to get the element red hot... plug it in.

 

OK... I got a dead dishwasher, so I have some answers I should probably share here.
The coil is easy to bend. I hammered it out in only a few minutes. It feels like some kind of aluminum alloy, but it had rust on it. The contacts look like they are welded on, so I have no way of splicing it. After straightening I have a element about 5 feet long.
Now I need to cut some hardy plank and make a box for it. Expect results in 2009.

 

it should work



maybe :|

 

so did you ever try this?