While normally more comfortable with a soldering iron, [LucidScience] recently took a dive into woodworking and hardware store electronics to build a DIY proofing box. It’s a clever design that doubles as furniture, with some cool problem-solving along the way. While it might not be your typical hack, repurposing seedling heat mats and working with insulation makes it a neat project for anyone who likes to tinker. Plus, the whole thing cranks out two loaves of sourdough bread each week!
The setup includes an 8 watt heat mat, typically used for aquariums or seedlings, and a temperature control box, so no complicated wiring is needed. The entire box is insulated with rigid foam, which makes it energy efficient—once the foam was installed, the heat mat only needed to turn on about a quarter of the time. To give it a more polished look, [LucidScience] hid the raw plywood edges with oak trim, and even added an adjustable vent for moisture control. Pretty slick for something built from basic materials and a few tools!
While this proofing box isn’t a groundbreaking electronics project, it shows how even simple hardware can be repurposed for entirely new applications. The combination of woodworking and basic electronics makes it an approachable project for DIYers looking to stretch their skills. Whether you’re into hacking, woodworking, or just love good bread, this build has something for everyone. [LucidScience]’s clear instructions and simple materials make this a great weekend project that can upgrade your baking game.
Bakery idea: loaves with patterns lifted from interesting bicycle or car tire tread patterns
If you start out with a firetruck** shaped piece of dough, you can get a Tesla to knead and pattern it for you automatically.
**Motorcycle, Babies pram, red lights etc
Here in the UK bakery/lunch chain Greggs makes a range of filled pastries, and each type has a unique tread pattern in the pastry top so knowlegable staff can tell what it is without an attached label. (More cynically if one falls out of a tray onto the floor it can be put back in the right tray!)
UK doesn’t know what real bread looks like.
Greggs’ certainly does not. But we do have many fine artisan bakers.
I’m not interested in bread making but the same enclosure and heating could work well as a kennel for a stray cat that normally spends the night in my home but sometimes misses last entry.
Proof isn’t a verb. This is a proving box.
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/proofing
Proving is an alternative, yes, but Proof is absolutely a verb in multiple senses
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/proof#Verb
US/ UK variance?
Pretty sure it’s only proving in the UK for bread.
Proofing is for walls.
“Plus, the whole thing cranks out two loaves of sourdough bread each week!”
That would be useful at our house.
Upgrade idea – use a peltier setup so it can be both a retarder and a proofer, in order to make your sourdough be actually sour.
” [LucidScience]’s clear instructions ”
Is there a link to the fabled clear instructions? There’s nothing but a godforsaken video.
No plans, specs, or even a description.
The only URL present points to plans-for-money of wheeled things.
Comments are also disabled on the video so no way to ask.
This article is a fail. Do better, HaD/Heidi.
Ridiculous to call this box bread-proof, clearly bread can get in there
What is the best non flammable insulation to use for something like this?
Wool is pretty flame-retardant and is good insulation.
as a hobbyist baker with zero woodworking skills, i appreciate this post very much.
Tempeh. Should be good for culturing it. Veggie-meat that you can make at home. Traditional Java treat.
I thought you need more accurate temperature control for Tempeh, or you risk nasty bacteria?
In any case, if you’re in the UK, you can get it in Sainsbury’s :)
I bought one of those home Brod proofing boxes (company gave me a gift card to amazon).
It has Zero insulation. It does have a bang, bang temperature controller.
-It is a lifesaver in the winter for baking, I keep my place far, far too cold for live yeast.
I’ve been baking bread weekly for several decades — enough to have worn out one KitchenAid stand mixer (I’m on my second), and have never desired a proofing oven.
In the summer, the kitchen counter is fine.
In winter, the incandescent oven light keeps it warm enough.
The proofing drawer under my oven is where I keep pans :-)
I make pizza and bread, and I dont proof.
After 30min autolyse then 10/20 min kneading at low speed , I store it in my wine cabinet at 14°C for 24/48h.
It raises just fine, flavour and bulles, and very repeatable.
What Paul said except I don’t even use a mixer, just a bowl and a wooden spoon. My elbows have yet to wear out.
I use my oven set to 90degF to proof, or I just use the counter at ~70F and a bit more time.
did this the lazy way: gifted cooler + 15 watt bulb + low cost temp controller. Set 28 deg C. does well for my sourdough rye bread
I put a 20w seed starting mat at the bottom of one of my cupboards with a controller set to 80 deg. I can use the whole cupboard for proofing my sourdough bread. I do this is because my house temperature swings wildly, but below 80 deg and that messes up my proof time.