Author Topic: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?  (Read 4592 times)

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« on: June 07, 2016, 09:00:06 AM »
I saw a reference on a forum to someone using an induction hob to melt Crocell - the waxy oily plastic used to cover end mills, reamers etc. He'd made a 'pot' from a length of steel tube with a plate welded on the end to allow him to dip long items without wasting material.

Sounded a good idea - I have a genuine Crocell pot so don't need to do this, but it got me thinking of all sorts of other workshop applications. Fitting bearings, shrink fits etc etc.

Now with a 2kW stand alone induction hob costing under £25 delivered is anyone else using one ?
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

RobWilson

  • Guest
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2016, 12:28:01 PM »
Hi Andrew

I use this type of single hob for shop use , used it  to warm up all sorts of things , shrink fits ,pre heat some parts for welding , chemistry and warming pies    .



BUT , do you thing an induction hob would be better suited shop work ?    I wonder if they are more controllable .  :scratch:


Rob   

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2016, 12:33:52 PM »
Yes Rob, I have one of what looks to be the exact same model (Argos??) as yours.

I can see the induction hob perhaps being more controllable, but not quite so universal in that it needs a suitable vessel - no use expecting water in a Pyrex beaker ever to to to the boil  :med:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

RobWilson

  • Guest
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2016, 12:50:37 PM »
Yes Rob, I have one of what looks to be the exact same model (Argos??) as yours.

I can see the induction hob perhaps being more controllable, but not quite so universal in that it needs a suitable vessel - no use expecting water in a Pyrex beaker ever to to to the boil  :med:

Yes mine is an Argos special Andrew ,  :thumbup:

Interesting , why will an induction hob not work with Pyrex ?    :scratch:

Rob

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2016, 01:02:33 PM »
It works by inducing circulating currents though the pan. If the pan doesn't conduct it doesn't get hot !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

RobWilson

  • Guest
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2016, 01:12:27 PM »
Aaarh I see  :thumbup:


Rob

Offline appletree

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2016, 02:20:19 PM »
The vessel has to be ferrous but it is very turn on and offable almost as good as gas. On my hob you can set the temperature in 5 deg steps very repeatable and I suspect quite accurate

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2016, 03:26:44 PM »
I was careful not to stress the ferrous thing as I wasn't sure with these domestic induction devices or what frequency they work at.

My commercial induction furnace will melt non-ferrous metals - it works at about 3,000 Hz
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline appletree

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 202
Re: Induction Hobs in the Home Workshop?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2016, 03:39:54 PM »
I was a bit surprised as you would have though circulating eddy currents were just that regardless of the vessel material.
I wonder if it is something in the "protection circuit" of the hob as it can determine the pan material as soon as you power up and display an error code before you try todo anything.