Food Dehydrator

[my80malibu]

Harbor Freight has a five tier food dehydrator for $19.99 on sale. just thought you might like to know.

[MikeMc]

Harbor Freight has a five tier food dehydrator for $19.99 on sale. just thought you might like to know.

Fan or convection??

[ericfreeman]

OK, now I have to ask, what is the best type of dehydrator for our purposes, convection or fan? Will the other type do the job? And/or what are the benefits/drawbacks to each?

[cruz]

I will be honest guys and by the way, thanks for the info but Harbor Freight doesn't sell high end quality tools, are you gonna trust your plastic in one of these things? Spend a little more and be safe..... Just my "dos centavos"

[simonr]

I guess this is not completly right, 'cause, I have the cut-off saw they sell, this one its the best bang for the buck for modelers and works exceptionally well!

Simón P. Rivera Torres

I will be honest guys and by the way, thanks for the info but Harbor Freight doesn't sell high end quality tools, are you gonna trust your plastic in one of these things? Spend a little more and be safe..... Just my "dos centavos"

Edited August 18, 2010 by simonr

[MikeMc]

OK, now I have to ask, what is the best type of dehydrator for our purposes, convection or fan? Will the other type do the job? And/or what are the benefits/drawbacks to each?

Either will work......The goal is 105 degrees F If it has a fan it has to be temp adjustable. If it is convection a dimmer switch wired in will allow you to dial the correct temp in. The fan types do not work well with the dimmer setup as the fan now runs slower.....The key is to adj the temp between 100 and 110 F

[Guest Johnny]

Will I be able to make my jerky at the same time?

[Chuck Most]

Will I be able to make my jerky at the same time?

If you don't mind that rich, 'baked enamel' flavor!

[Guest Johnny]

YUMMMM, YUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The question is, do the different paint colors create different flavors!?!

Not really wanting to find out! I figure I already burned up a couple million brain cells painting car without a respirator years ago! Probably ate mt share of paint dust too!

[TurboKitty]

I love Harbor Freight, all of the tools I have are ones that I've bought there. None have broken and they've worked just as well if not better than higher priced or name brand tools. Just my 2 cents...

[Doughnut]

I use a Ronco Junior, which looks just like the one Harbor Freight is offering. I originally purchased a higher-end model, but it turned out that it was baking at 135 degrees! That would not have been pretty. It does make great jerky in about two hours, though. The Ronco Junior is slightly smaller than the normal Ronco, and tests right at 105 degrees. I would hesitate on getting one with a fun because it has a tendancy to blow dust particles onto your paint and then bake them in.

[Chuck Most]

YUMMMM, YUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The question is, do the different paint colors create different flavors!?!

Lessee...

Red? Tastes like burned paint.

Black? Tastes like burned paint.

Yellow? Tastes like bannanas! No, no, wait... burned paint.

Purple? Burned Paint?

Burnt Amber? Burnt Amber...

[MikeMc]

It is listed as convection...looks like a good buy!

Burnt Metal.............

[edward smith]

I don't want to burst anybodys bubble here but I bought one of those and after a week it didn't work anymore. Decided to buy another one and after 2 weeks, I returned it, temperature just kept jumping up and down when using a thermometer. I personally wouldn't trust it, cheap stuff usually cost more in the long run. Harbor Freight tools are good to have if you do light work around the house, they are not meant for long term use. I am a carpenter by trade and believe me, I learned my lesson with these cheapo tools.

[meaneyme]

Brother, you couldn't ask this question at a better time! I just threw mine against the wall this past monday, the piece of ###### burnt a $40.00 dollar Tamiya Modena Ferrari body after I washed it to get it ready to prime. I was just sitting at the bench when all of a sudden the unit stops working after hearing a high pitch sound and seeing some smoke. I unplugged it immediately and found the Modena body partially melted specially around the pillars. I guess I can fix it but I am so mad I don't even want to look at it. I have also purchased some other tools from them but I agree with Edward, these are the kind of tools you buy for your wife to do little things around the house. I had it set at the lowest temperature, don't really know what the heck happened and the funny thing is that it was the first time using it. What really burns me is that I've had other bad experiences with their tools and like a dummy, I decide to purchase another one.

[Jon Cole]

I bought one... no, two dehydrators over the years at yard sales. I pestered the guys at the hardware store for the right ingredients to make a regulator from a dimmer switch to control the heat output. I used the same photos above to show them what I wanted. I drilled around fifteen holes or so in the lid, and cut away the grid in the top shelf for more model body clearance. Then I used a meat thermometer through a lid hole to figure out where to set the knob for 105 degrees. Works great. Had to do all this because unless it's the Christmas shopping season, some stores don't carry a lot of stuff like this. So the yard sale find cost less, and was available.

PS: Sublime jerky! Can't top it!

Edited August 19, 2010 by Jon Cole

[slapshot]

I bought one @ Wal mart, put a regulator on it, set the temp & marked it @ 105 degrees & it has worked flawless for six months. I also bought a plastic cake plate top (looks like Hos Cartwright's hat)so I would not have to cut the plastic trays. I paid approx.$40.00 bucks for it.I shoot a lot of enamels & the dehydrator cuts the gassing out process to eight hours or over night.

[Darren B]

I love Harbor Freight, all of the tools I have are ones that I've bought there. None have broken and they've worked just as well if not better than higher priced or name brand tools. Just my 2 cents...

I agree, I was of the mindset if it was a cheap tool you could be pretty sure it would be in the garbage soon, but I bought there hydrator and its convection, No fan or temp controller and it does pretty good. I also bought a mini lathe when it was on sale and so far I have made a bunch of parts and it still running strong.

[ra7c7er]

I don't mind buying tools from Harbor Freight but I don't buy anything with electronics, Hydraulic, or anything that needs more than my own force to use.

I have bought and had to return weight scales, an air compressor, and even had to return 6 floor jacks in a row because they all leaked and didn't hold pressure. I quit shopping there after that.

[Darren B]

I don't mind buying tools from Harbor Freight but I don't buy anything with electronics, Hydraulic, or anything that needs more than my own force to use.

I have bought and had to return weight scales, an air compressor, and even had to return 6 floor jacks in a row because they all leaked and didn't hold pressure. I quit shopping there after that.

Wow, now that makes me nervous about the lathe and hydrator. The hydrator if that quits can be used just to hold the parts to be dust free till they dry, but the lathe is another story. Ill have to see how long it lasts as now that Its warming up in the garage I will be cutting more parts now just to gauge how long the tool will hold up. Hearing a lot of horror stories on this forum bought the harbor frieght stuff.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Darren B

[Macmaniac]

I bought one... no, two dehydrators over the years at yard sales. I pestered the guys at the hardware store for the right ingredients to make a regulator from a dimmer switch to control the heat output. I used the same photos above to show them what I wanted. I drilled around fifteen holes or so in the lid, and cut away the grid in the top shelf for more model body clearance. Then I used a meat thermometer through a lid hole to figure out where to set the knob for 105 degrees. Works great. Had to do all this because unless it's the Christmas shopping season, some stores don't carry a lot of stuff like this. So the yard sale find cost less, and was available.

PS: Sublime jerky! Can't top it!

Thank you for your post- very helpful. How did you cut out the grid in the center? What tool did you use?

[mr cheap]

your dimmer sw is also called a reostate sw ////adjusable voltage ....... as long as we as a people buy the most absolote cheapest thing there is we will have cheapest tool there is..thats a fact.....the dollar store doing good so go buy stock..ha ha ha .. (you have to have a heat controll im not so sure about fan) ....jr

[mr cheap]

look or a ameracan harvestor fd60 temp control and fan ...jr

[Danno]

X2

Dittoes!!

[cruz]

I said it once and I'll say it again, cheap stuff will be more expensive in the long run....