A couple of my new incubators

[Stockwell]

Thought I’d show a couple of new incubators I’ve been building.
I’ve been designing electronic incubators for about 20 years now.
Every few years I design a new circuit, or add something new to improve an older design.
This year I have designed a circuit to flash an LED and sound a buzzer if the fan seizes, which happens after years of continuous running.
My incubators run 24/7/365, and some have been in service since 1986, so I'm also refurbishing several older ones(not pictured)
Along with using them for the obvious hatching of eggs, I use mine to raise babies, as well. Having a constant day and night temp, can be a real advantage in having babies feed well, and digest quickly.
Traditionally I have used power resistors for heaters, as they are cheap and never burn out however, I’ve recently started using Flexwatt heat tape, as it distributes the heat more evenly, so with the addition of a circulating fan, the entire enclosure is heated evenly.
My approach is always to build the incubator enclosure around the egg boxes that it is intended to hold.This has an advantage over using some pre made enclosure or bar fridge and hoping that your egg box will fit.
These units will each take 6 of the new taller Rubbermaid shoeboxes.
I always use sliding plexiglass doors, instead of glass, to prevent breakage which could be a disaster .
I use fluorescent light egg crate diffuser, as the sub floor, and all the electrics, wiring and the electronic controller are underneath and out of the way. You can see the heat tape installed in the second pic.
Note these boxes are not insulated. It simply isn't necessary with tight control.
These units will control within a quarter of a degree F, and consume less than 50watts.
The wood is stained and varathaned 1/2 inch birch ply. It is fastened together entirely with carpenters glue, thus no screws or nails will be seen.

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/504/18011590IncubatorsNov03-med.jpg
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/504/18011590Incubators03inprogress-med.jpg

[BoidKeeper]

Holly cow Roy! You should be selling those. I wouldn't want to see the final price tage though! Lots of great info I just wish I had the resources and brains to build one. I guess I'll be sticking with styros for a while. I was thinking of converting a bar frige this year but I have no idea how to go about it.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Simon]

that's a great looking incubator. A lot beter looking than mine....
maybe you should sell some of these...they are really nice looking~
does it cost you a lot ot build it and does it take long to build something like that?

really nice looking!

[Wuntu Menny]

Now that's trick! Nice work. Who says you can't build a better mouse trap if you set your mind to the task?

WM

[Invictus]

That's incredible... and yes, it does have some serious commercial potential. I was going to start manufacturing incubators myself next year, but I don't think I could top that. :D

[Stockwell]

Thanks guys! Several prominent breeders are in fact running my systems(both incubators and night set back room controls) here in Ontario, but I don't really have time to manufacture many. One of those units is actually to supply a local breeder that's been patiently waiting over a year for it.
Once these units and my rebuilds are finished, it will be back to rack building. I try to do most of my construction work when most of the collection is in brumation.
If you're the kind of person that tends to like to make your own stuff, Herpetoculture presents a seemingly endless number of design and construction projects.
Building stuff for the hobby, can be a hobby in it's own right.
Ever build your own hot rocks by using quick set fence post cement in a rubbermaid for a mold? LOL
You need to remember I was herping in the 70's. There were NO commercially available herp supplies back then. You know what they say
Necessity is the mother of invention!
I imagine if there was Neodesha and Vision and Boaphile etc back then, I never would have learned to use a saw!:)

[Stockwell]

Trevor, the best inexpensive incubators can be built simply by using a wafer thermostat and heat tape for your heat source. You can put it all in a big cooler. Karl Bergmann out west has an incubator built this way, and it works well.
Wafer thermostats are the best deal around and are what is used in the Hovabators.
wafer T's use a large bi-metal disc(wafer) and it expands and contracts to push the pin in a micro switch, which directly switches line to a heater.
They provide excellent control with tight differentials.
Sure they wear out eventually, but they last for years.
I'll hook you up with a wafer T-stat if you email me, or I could include it in your 04 order if there is no rush. I have some new ones I bought as "props" for an incubator talk I did a couple years ago.. They're kicking around here somewhere

[BoidKeeper]

I could include it in your 04 order if there is no rush.
No rush! I want my 2004 order now!
Thanks,
Trevor

[vanderkm]

Gorgeous incubators and love the idea of using them for a nursery for youngsters as well. Being able to keep conditions stable for newly hatched babies would be a real advantage in getting them started. I envy your talent - have never seen incubators that look like furniture before!

mary v.

[Big Mike]

Very impressive.

[puta]

What kind of eggs do you incubate in those?They are amazing!

[Stockwell]

Geckos,skinks,colubrids,Pythons...crickets
You name it... they are rarely empty. When I don't have eggs in them, I use them to raise babies of all types as well...especially over winter when most of the collection is in brumation or being cycled low in the evenings. If I want to keep babies feeding and growing I pack them into the incubators over the winter months.

I have several all stacked up in a closet. I use them for quarantine, and for treating minor respiratory ailments as well...
It's quite usefull having a number of controlled heat spaces...all kinds of uses
With the circulating heated air,they also defrost mice quite nicely :)

[Piers]

so Roy, whats new brunswick got that I don't? you ship to there but your old buddy out in B.C. got to suffer??
I'm sure Trevor is a nice guy, but hay Iv'e got seniority!!hehe
Piers

[Dragons & Balls]

The way I do it is to use a cooler with wateradd a submersible heater and u get a 100% humidity incubator....How does your incubator keep it's humidity?

[Stockwell]

Pix, I didn't ship to Trevor. I passed the goods to a buddy of his who shipped them.

D&B Incubator enclosures don't need to have high humidity. All that does is make a mess , pose a shock hazard and rust out fans, electronics and other electrics.
Humidity is controlled automatically within the egg container.

They are not present in the pictures, but the incubators pictured are designed to hold 6 shoebox rubbermaids, which hold the eggs.( a row of 3 , stacked 2 high)
The Rubbermaids are filled with a 3 inch mixture of moist vermiculite which is mixed to proper consistency using the squeeze technique (for parchment shell eggs only)
This then automatically creates a saturated atmosphere within the container which is sealed , other than one or two tiny vent holes.
Since there is no escape for water vapor within the rubbermaid egg containers,the air inside will saturate and the RH will be close to 100%... automatically, you don't even need to measure it.
Keep the humidity where you need it, in a separate egg container, where the eggs are and where there is nothing to rust, rot , mildew or short out.

The incubator enclosures are controlled heat sources only.

[Scales Zoo]

Roy, with python eggs - do you used sealed containers as egg containers, or use ones with small holes.

With colubrids, we use the incubator you taught me how to build a few years back (still works great, thos wafer T's are as great as you said).

I will take pictures of our incubators and post them in the next few days.

The incubators are built into styro boxes and have a little computer fan for air circulation that comes on when the heating element does (same kind of heating elements as are in hovabators, but the elements are on the bottom).

Anyways, we have holes in the egg containers (few small ones) - and it works just great for colubrids, we have had a 100% success rate with most colubrid eggs.

So, as I plan on incubating some python eggs in the future - do you put little air holes in the egg containers, or leave them sealed?

Ryan

[Stockwell]

Hi Ryan! Merry xmas to you, Sheila, Katt and Vanan
I treat python eggs the same as colubrid eggs.

I put a couple small holes(with a fine tip soldering iron) in all containers,usually in the corners of the lid..It's force of habit, but probably not really necessary. Most containers aren't air tight and if you open them occasionally for inspection there is probably more than adequate gas exchange, without extra holes.
If you are using vermiculite as an egg medium, make sure to use a good deep layer of 3 inches or so. The more you use the longer it will last without drying out. Try to use a container that is plenty roomy. I've come to learn that hatch rates are better in roomy containers where there is more room for egg medium and air.
If you have a high pyramid egg mass you can use some moist long strand sphagnum to cap it off and help protect the top eggs from dehydrating.

I should mention that there is currently 3 ways of incubating parchment shell eggs.

1. using moist media like sphagnum, vermiculite and perilite and putting the eggs on top of the substrate
2. Using the media above but placing eggs on a grid to elevate them just above the media
3.The new No substrate method- eggs are placed as is in a container with top holes that is inturn placed in a secondary sealed container holding water.
Karel Bergmann in Calgary has been having good success with this technique.

I have used both 1 and 2 with all media and will try 3, (the No media approach) this season

Some Python breeders seem to prefer to not put eggs directly on the substrate. I always have, but it's crucial not to have the substrate too wet
if this is done.
When using the elevating grid technique, you must not have many, if any holes, as there is no chance of moisture absorbtion from direct contact with the substrate. You rely on the saturated near 100%RH atmosphere only achieved by holding all the water vapor in. The same applies to the no media approach where the egg container is place in a sealed container of water.

I'm glad to hear the e-mails proved useful, and that your incubators are performing well.
Wafer T's really are a good deal.

[Linds]

Wow those are some fantastic incubators! LOL... I agree with Mary, I have definitely never seen "showcase" quality incubators!

[Lisa]

Amazing stuff there Roy. I'm planning on using the converting a dead fridge method myself (waste not want not).

[crazyboy]

do you have a wiring diagram for the fan/led/buzzer thanks.