Maple Cabinet Grade Plywood cabinet Incubator Build

[kayakfish]

Hello my hubby is building me a Hatcher from the Maple Cabinet Grade Plywood, looks very pretty, and I wanted to preserve the wood, so I am finishing the outside with Spar Varnish, I need to know if I can finish the inside with a Spar Varnish so it is protected and also easier to wipe down and sanitize later

 

[HatchCraft]

Maples a great wood to work with.Yes you should finish the inside as well. I use polyurethane on all my incubators and hatchers. I will be interested to see the finished product.

 

[kayakfish]

I was worried about using something as I was worried about the fumes that come off those type of finishes, when heated, and with the humidity killing my chicks right before they hatched.
Is there anything I need to do before putting eggs in there like heat it up for 48 hours or what ever. I know I need to run it to make sure it maintains a constant temp and humidity level. It is actually modeled exactly like my 1502 Digital Incubator, since they will be sitting side by side. Using the extra humidity pan from the 1502, 2 110 incubator fans, coil w/ insulators heating element, mini digital computer, and a separate on off switch w/ fuse.
Will keep pics coming with the process, he is a 100% disabled Veteran of the MArine Corp, and it takes him time as he can only work in spurts.

 

[birdman55]

very nice start cant wait to see the final and I will be with you the whole process...I would recommend running it and timing how long it takes to stabilize also open the door like you would when the temps are right (say when you would rotate the eggs and then also see how long it takes for the temps to restabilize....just some precautions...im starting a fridge bator where the top will be the first stage brooder and the bottom part will be the incubator...I m so excited for you....keep us posted....it looks great so far....how are you planning to turn your eggs...are they going to be placed on egg racks....?

 

[kayakfish]

No turning required as this is just going to be a Hatcher He bought me a 1502 Digital GQF Incubator for Christmas, and that thing is dead on, best hatch rates I've ever had, even when I had the Brinsea 20 Automatic everything incubator.
He made the drawers so we will have 1/4 inch hardware wire in the bottoms and in the tops that keep the chicks from falling out, so air circulation is at the optimum.
The front door will have a single 1/4 inch piece of green tinted old shelving glass cut to fit in it, as we have a bunch of this laying around, just have to take it to get it cut as its too thick to cut with regular glass cutter. Antique with air bubbles, but you can still see thru it so you can see what's going on in the hatcher without opening it.
He has done a wonderful job of this, project, as we are mainly doing this to raise the endangered breeds of chickens, and teaching the local 4-Hers the importance of keeping these breeds available. They will be allowed to pick a breed they want to use for their Poultry Project, and come get a pair, at no cost to them.
We will work for the SOP, in each breed, and selling the rest as just egg layers to help pay for feed and supplies, but not a commercial type business.
We are raising Buckeyes, Delawares, Javas, and Welsummers, so the incubator and hatcher were a must have to keep the project rolling.
This is my husbands way of giving back since he is disabled and cant do a lot at any one time, and he so enjoys building wood projects.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

 

[HatchCraft]

If you can run it several days before using , any harmful fumes should be gone. If you have adjustable vents leave them open during this time. I test my hatchers for 3 to five days before shipping and all the odors have dissipate by then. I haven't used the spar varnish, but I don't imagine it has more VOC's than the urethane. If it's patterned after the 1502 It should work good. I use a different style drawer with vents on the front and back of the drawers and a solid bottom. No lids necessary. You're doing a wonderful job. I enjoy woodworking as well. Looks great! Please post pics when finished and let us know how it works.