Can I bake particle board at 350 F?

Norm Dresner wrote: : I'm planning to create a clay scale mock-up of a project and the most : convenient base I have for it is a scrap chunk of particle board. The clay : needs to be baked for about a half-hour at 350F to harden. Will this : significantly degrade the particle board in any way? If so, can I use : plywood or should I stick to solid pine? : TIA : Norm

I would also worry about what type of fumes that would outgas from the particle board too.

Thu, Nov 29, 2007, 2:47pm (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@att.net (Norm=A0Dresner) doth query: Will this significantly degrade the particle board in any way?

Yep, it'll taste like crap. I've never tried it, but I suspect it could even catch on fire, same with plywood, or pine.

They do have clay that will harden without baking it. You can even make playdough, and it'll harden by itself in a day or so. Sawdust clay will do the same. Remember - K.I.S.S.

JOAT You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you "know"?.

- Granny Weatherwax

Thu, Nov 29, 2007, 3:39pm (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@hiwaay.net doth advise: I would also worry about what type of fumes that would outgas from the particle board too.

Yeah, there's that too. Along with the wife bitching about using the oven.

JOAT You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you "know"?.

- Granny Weatherwax

even catch on fire, same with plywood, or pine.

I dunno... maybe with some cheese dip...

I agree with the possibility of fire. Not to mention the smoke aspect. When I finish a barbecue, I take oak chunks and stack them in the cooker to preseason them. It will ride for several hours at 225 -

At 350, I'd bet it wouldn't take much for it to catch fire. Then add the fact that particle board has a great deal of resin (read: plastic) in it, you could have a real mess in short order.

Robert

I've been convinced that it's a really bad idea.

I also think that my idea about using a pine board is also risky because the kindling temperature is (nominally) 451F but it will undoubtedly start to char long before that. My best bet is probably to use the flat bottom of an inverted baking sheet.

Norm

Ceramic tile?

Pizza stone?

Check with the guys on the bbq newsgroup. Edwin will know about this.

-Zz

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (J T) wrote in news:29854-474EE1DB-243 @storefull-3334.bay.webtv.net:

Some wives are really good about that... until your model melts all over the oven and you don't clean it up...

Remember, "Honey, it's not a mess. It's a scientific result."

Puckdropper

How big is the mock up? You can buy a pizza stone.

According to the MSDS the auto ignition point on particle board is 475 degrees, a little to close for my comfort. Plus it's illegal to burn particle board because of the toxic fumes, I'd have to believe that heating it to that point would easily start that process.