December 3, 2011 - 7:09pm
New Toy
Got to try out my new toy today. I've been working on this for a couple of weeks and it worked great. The proof box is temperature controlled with a Johnson A419 controller set to control a small desk top heater placed in the bottom. The rolls are a soft dinner roll straight dough that can be used for a variety of products. I am catering a dinner for 100 tommorrow and made over 12 dozen rolls today.
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JC1957,
This set up looks great! I read about the controller but can you please tell me what type of desk top heater you used making this?
Also, did you build the 'box' or did you purchase it somewhere? (From your photos it is hard to tell what it is made out of....)
Janet
Thanks Janet for the comments. The box was built from some scrap oak plywood left from a couple of other projects. The shelving brackets are 1x1 steel. I built the box so that steam table pan would fit as well as 1/2 bun pans. The screens are 1/2 steam table pan size and act as shelves for the bun pans and (in the future) 1/4 inch plywood peals for breads that are going to be baked on bricks. The heater is one I found at Walmart and measures rougly 4x4x6. It was with all the other electric heaters. I bought with the hope that it did not have an automatic kill switch when the unit tips over on it's side. It doesn't, so I can lay it on it's side or back. The shelves are about 1.5 inches deeper than a bun pan so I keep all the pans toward the front and face the heater on it's back and all the way to the back. The front is clear 1/4 inch plexiglass. I am trying to figure out a way to latch or hold the door closed. Let me know if you have any ideas?
Thanks for the design....a bit involved but then one never knows......space is a challenge to so maybe I'll stick with my heating pad/lamp set up but I like knowing what you have done in case I ever go into large scale production. Right now I bake for my family and friends and neighbors....but that all can change and your idea is nice due to it's simplicity.
I am amazed that you can fit a regular small room heater in the box and have it run and I am thinking a little pan of water on the bottom would add humidity but maybe too much - don't want soggy bread :-0
The reply below looks like a good way to go with closure for the door. I am sure a knowledgeable person at an Ace Hardware or Lowes will have ideas that would work too. (Lots of the employees at my local Ace are retired carpenters, plumbers etc...and are full of great ideas....They save my life on a regular basis :-)
Take Care and thanks again for the great idea!
Janet
The hearter is just a little desk top heater. I liked it because it had a small fan to circulate the heat. The day before this I made cinnamon rolls and placed a pan with water on the bottom shelf. I didn't do that with the rolls pictured because there is still a slight smell from the paint so I covered the rolls with plastic instead.
I'd get a couple of magnetic latches at the hardware stor and attach them to the inside corners of the cabinet and the plexiglass.
Stephan
I don't know where it might be found way up here, so a starting point at where you got it might help me in a search.
Just a though but have you thought of using a food dryer base for the heater, if you are controling the time its on as well as the heat setting, it would sit flat on the bottom of the box, and the air would flow up, you should be able to disable any fan if you wished.
The magnetic latches are a good idea, but I would have hinged it and put a latch like a bolt onto the box, more secure than the magnetic ones.
Here's the link for the controller: http://www.johnstonesupply.com/storefront/hvacr-parts/controls/air-conditioning-refrigeration-controls/temperature//prodl38-716.html
On the latch, I'm trying to avoid having a nut on the outside of the plexiglass. The plate for a magnetic latch would need a tapered head machine screw run through the door and a nut on the outside. I thought about using a glue or epoxy to attach it but that would look worse from the outside.
If you want to get REALLY fancy, you get get a controller like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-HygroTherm-Temperature-Controller/dp/B0019IHK9Q
I had bought a used commercial proofing cabinet from a restaurant supply store a while back, and since the dial controls were somewhat arbitrary, I use this gadget to accurately monitor the temps and moisture.
In your case, you could plug in your heater and a small humidifier if you wanted to and be able to control both the temps accurately.
Stephan
Great idea! Thanks for sharing it. As far as the latch, I would look at kitchen cabinet door hardware. Various hinge styles, handles and latches.
I wonder if there is some way you can post bigger close up pics, so we can see how you built it.
I assume by 1" steel, you mean 1' steel or aluminum angle iron?
Did you paint the plywood to seal it?
Excellent idea! I've been toying with doing some large batches of rolls, this would be a cheap way to come up with a proof cabinet.
The shelf brackets are 1x1 angle iron painted black. The whole cabinet was painted white to seal. If I were to buy the sheeting for the sides of the cabinet, I would probably use white melamine.
I'll try to take some close up pictures to post.