Carl Ijames wrote:

Go to www.mcmaster.com and put 511 (to go to that page) or part number
4550T141 in the search box. This is an 8' long heating tape, 78 watts/foot,
624 watts total, for $69. Two in parallel would give you 1248 watts, about
your target power. Oh, if you run a 220V heater on 110V you get 1/4th the
power, not 1/2. Browse around for heaters; they have a great selection.
Page 508 has bendable rod heating elements like in a stove, they sell them
straight and you bend to shape.


If you run the 240 heater with a diode in series you'll get half
power, so two strips with two diodes and a couple center off switches
you could have four different temperatures. Shorting out one diode with
the temperature controller will minimize the current it has to handle,
and reduce temperature cycling in the heaters.


--
It's easy to think outside the box, when you have a cutting torch.