arc

Arthur C Clark hosted; Fractals - The Colors of Infinity. It forever changed my perception of the universe and mans perception of it through maths. There seems to be a simple underlying form to reality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8m85p7GsU It poses in my mind the question; Is math ours or the universes.

Maybe it's bragamatist.

This guessing game is killing me. To help you we need to know what the heat source is. How far above the apparatus it is? You remove it after 10 minutes, how long is it allowed to cool down? Is the metal it sits on (lets call it the base) allowed to cool also during the same time? So this is what I am guessing this thing needs. You can reduce the conduction of heat from the metal (base) by reducing the contact area. Small protrusions on the bottom of the apparatus can cut down conductive heat immensely. Your next source is radiant heat from the surface of the metal (base), you can reduce its effect by painting the apparatus white or better yet silver or chrome. Lengthening the protrusions will reduce radiant heat proportionately. A sleeve of reflective material would insulate and reflect radiant heat. Covering the metal base in white will lower the absorption of heat, mirror will almost eliminate it, reducing the metal base's heat content would go a long way in reducing the heat content in the apparatus. arc

So this regards heat conducting down through the material from the top of the device to the bottom? You want to prevent heat transfer in the material? This sounds like a radiant heat source. Are you by chance a indoor gardener. There are paints that resists heat but a thermal insulating paint sounds like NASA stuff with a low bang for big buck$ Thin coatings make lousy insulation.

Point well taken, I use one all the time. Its my most used heat source. I have an electric heat gun that will put out 1500 f. But I can control the temp better with the torch. The shut off valve does little but adjustment for depleting fuel pressure. The temp control is all in the distance from the flame tip and rapid movement side to side. I use mine to soften old electrical tape on wires and to activate electrical insulating shrink tube. The sign industry I work in use them on plastic panels and car doors to soften the adhesive of vinyl lettering with no damage to plastic or paint. As they say Its all in the wrist. I figured the thermometer would help someone unfamiliar with the technique. I have reservations about this kind of stuff. I believe in over engineering in these things. If someone says they need it to withstand 190 degrees whatever, does that account for mistakes. What if the heat source is capable of going as high as 500-600 degrees or higher. For safety it should have that capability. As a worst case scenario imagine that the stated temp has to do with some process like cooking. And so this apparatus is on a gas or electric burner set at the 190 something and worst yet it involves cooking oil. You see where I'm going, just a turn of the wrong dial and some distraction you have a big problem. I'm for a slow destruction testing of this kind of stuff, its cheap in materials and could provide some unexpected insight into the long range durability of this thing. Personally I would avoid all plastics and stick to metal and the insulating material.

I think some of those infomercial cooking products may be to blame. That heat resistant glove might also be the solution. I'm taking a guess that the material the gloves are made of is available in bulk for industrial apps. Maybe as a insulating sleeve tubing for high temperature locations. Probably for protecting wiring and plastics in automotive and aviation for example. Or just buy a glove to pick up a metal ring or get some of the material and attach it onto, under or sleeve over a metal ring or possibly even a plastic one, then use the glove to pick it up. Copper pipe comes in a soft variety known as L it will be the easiest pipe to shape into tight curves. It does not take any preheating like steel or even thermoplastics that you would be considering. What is a 1/2 inch dia. is actually 5/8 on the outside. Size denotes inside measurements. If you want something near 1/2 outside dia. get 3/8 inch. Depending on your design you can use larger or smaller dia. Whether you use metal or a plastic with the sleeve just do proper testing. Slowly expose it to higher temperatures (a handheld butane torch like plumbers use work best NEVER GASOLINE you could die!) while using a proper thermometer and a clock to monitor the progress. Do it outdoors on dirt, brick or concrete away from buildings and combustibles with a water source like a hose and also a fire extinguisher. Just because nothing happened to it for 20 minutes of exposure doesn't mean it won't in an hour burn whatever your doing up. And plastics out-gas some pretty nasty vapors, use a proper respirator. Plan for the worst, it could happen! AND ONLY WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS PERMISSION. Parents and landlords hate this kind of crap and YOU and maybe them are legally libel.