Help me set up a PID temp controller w/ heating element

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To heat styrene to 325°F, a PID temperature controller is a suitable choice, especially since the user's heating gun is too powerful for safe home use. The user is considering alternatives for heating elements, such as radiant heaters or nichrome wire in insulated pans. A type K thermocouple included with the controller may not be appropriate for this application, prompting questions about necessary components like solid-state relays (SSR). The discussion suggests that a home oven could also serve as an effective solution for achieving the desired temperature. Overall, the user seeks guidance on setting up a safe and effective heating system for their project.
red913
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I need to heat styrene to its forming temp of around 325 degrees F. I have a heating gun that operates at too many amps to use safely at home. So I found these temp controllers that don't use a lot of energy, but can get hotter then my blow dryer can, yet not as hot as the 700 degree heat gun I have. So its a good compromise. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330211540965&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:US:1123"
Now this comes with a type K thermocouple which won't work for my application. What do I need to get this all going? Do I need a radiant heating element or will some bent bare nichrome wire inside some old cooking pans with insulation work? Also this will only need to heat 2ft x 2ft. Do I need an SSR or one of these guys too? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270211770451&ssPageName=ADME:B:DBS:US:1123"
This is all really new to me. I'm a total newb. lol Maybe I'm going about this all wrong. ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

THANKS!
 
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325°F. Sounds like a perfect application for your home oven.

But if you want to learn a little about temperature control, you might want to take a look at http://www.omega.com/temperature/Z/zsection.asp" .
 
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