Dual bay cabinet style incubator

[pakinjak]

So one day I was griping at a herp buddy of mine about how ugly most incubators are (I'm a finish carpenter in the Boston area), and mentioned how I was thinking of making a dual bay incubator that would actually be decent looking. Of course, he was very interested in the idea, and since we are both just the nicest fellows I said I'd make two while I was at it and just give him one. What ended up happening was me taking months and months to make the poor guy his bator and my not making two but just one. So in the end, I still don't have one and I took forever to make his. To further compound my guilt about the timeframe, he even gave me some animals months ago to show his gratitude. That's just how awesome of a guy he is. I'm self-employed and as such never have time for anything, but another reason it took me so long is that the design evolved several times. The end result is a dual bay incubator that can cook at two different temps simultaneously and also provide a night drop. There is a drawer in the top for controls and misc. junk. LED lights inside with a push button switch on the side of the bator. The inside dimensions are 11.5" wide, 11" deep and 34" tall, room enough for a crap ton of eggs. I still have to put the heat in it, and there will be a false panel in the back so you don't see the heat tape. I am providing four glass shelves, but certainly more can be added.

But enough with the backstory and specs, on to the pics.

Oh, one more thing- I went to my local knows-everything paint store, and told them "I want to paint this thing a street rod color.". They instantly gave me a Ben. Moore paint called "Stunning". It's an alkyd paint that is water soluble. Don't ask me how they did that, even the paint guys didn't know. But what you end up with is a paint that performs like an oil paint, while cleaning up and working like a latex paint.

I find the color terribly sexy, and I hope you do too.

 

[Riverside Reptiles]

And the award for fanciest incubator ever goes to....

Way over the top man. But awesome!

 

[timofail]

i made one like this once, the draw up top made wiring and shit really easy was good.. also very nice incubator man should work well for you!!!

 

[daggekko]

WOW!!!! That thing is beautiful! How much would I have to pay to have you make me one:biggrin:

 

[pakinjak]

I wasn't planning on making any more because it took forever and time is one thing I don't have, being self-employed. I also assume the figure it would take to make it worth doing during business would be fatal to almost anyone's purple kickassobator dreams. That being said, if someone offered me $1200 for everything but the thermostat I'd consider it. I'd also consider custom sizes and designs, for the discriminating herper, but this kind of stuff is probably not allowed here so ill let that be the end of it in this thread. PM's and emails are still possible though.

 

[Ozymandias]

ok this is going to show how much of a geek i am but it looks alot like the TARDIS (it's the colors :biggrin

 

[Gex-co]

Kevin I'm pumped it done and can't wait to use it. But you went way above and beyond for me and I feel that this project is just the beginning.

 

[pakinjak]

Oh you deserve it, for you a nice boy and play well with others. May it hatch you thousands of sinfully expensive herps. The "above and beyond" part is my curse as a carpenter- I give a price to a client based off of initial discussions and then this.k of ways to improve the product along the way and just can't leave them out.

 

[Gex-co]

Nice by the way I'm gonna have so
E stuff for you at white plains. Maybe

 

[pakinjak]

Uh-oh... I'm not even going to ask.

 

[mttycaz85]

wow that looks totally awesome! Looks too nice to go in a reptile room lol:biggrin:

 

[Gex-co]

Your better off not asking.

 

[pakinjak]

Matt, I really hope you do like it. You may be riding to White Plains in it.

 

[Gex-co]

haha at least youll be in a good temp.

 

[daggekko]

Hey, what are your plans for the heating elements? And for circulating the air? I'm curious because I have one of the zoomed repti-temp 500R's and know that if my room gets warmer than expected, so does the inside of the incubator(I used a mini-fridge, and yes it is ugly). Are you going to be using 2 seperate heating systems or have you figured out how to make one do all the work? Thanks in advance. I'm not as good with finishing wood, but I might take a go at doing something similar.

 

[pakinjak]

The thermostat is a two zone unit, that's the controls for both bays. I'm using heat tape, and will be making a 1/2" chase up the back wall with 2" of space at both the top and bottom for air flow. The heat tape will be fastened to a piece of white sheet metal so that you can't see the tape. The air space underneath, behind and on top will hopefully mean that convection will make the bator stay pretty even everywhere.

I think the simplest answer for the room getting hot is to keep the thing in a room that is always cooler than you incubate.

 

[daggekko]

Yeah I am not using it this year(or at least I don't think I will) because last year every egg I put in it hatched out female! Trying a different method this year to get some boys.

What brand/name of thermostat are you going to use?

Hopefully you are right about the convection. I would worry that the top will end up warmer than the bottom.

Anyhow, love the thread. You did/are doing an awesome job!!!

 

[pakinjak]

Thanks, eet ezz what I doo...

if there is an unacceptable temp differential from top to bottom, you can use a small pc fan. I guess you could put it pretty much anywhere in something this small and it would circulate the air very well.

Personally, I'd be fine with a few degrees temp variation. Even though you can cook for both male and female with two bays, you might want to cook at even more diverse temps for different species. The key would be stability and learning the ranges within the bator, then you could place different species on different levels for even greater incubation diversity.

 

[Gex-co]

Ps I gave stuff for you to bring home see ya Sunday.

 

[Gex-co]

it works.