Slide right into my hot box, baby

July 31, 2005 5:28 PM

Owing to bad/absent ventilation design on the part of hold everything, I now have a drawer with an interior temperature pretty constantly in the 90 degree F (32 C) range. How should I best take advantage of this?

Terrarium? Anthrax incubator? Pigmy jerboa habitat? Shoe polish storage? I want to see if I can make this into a bonus before I do the sensible thing and knock holes in the back wall of the cpu unit.

The computer kicks up its fan when the CPU gets too hot, and it's not been doing that at all, so there's no worry on that score.

posted by ikkyu2 to Home & Garden (17 answers total)

Best answer: Sounds like a nice place to keep your buns warm. For dinner.
posted by iconomy at 5:45 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: All that I can think of.
posted by boo_radley at 6:00 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: I'm afraid the only benefits of that drawer are either yeast or iguana related.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 6:04 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: Become a mycologist. Fill in the blanks.
posted by Rothko at 6:12 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: Hot towel anyone?
posted by nathan_teske at 6:40 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: I can only think it would be useful for say drying seeds of some sort (but then, there's no ventilation huh?) or ganja; or for storing wax .. and the shoepolish was a nifty thought. If there was some ventilation I imagine young chicks might enjoy it in there.
posted by peacay at 7:07 PM on July 31, 2005

You could cut a couple of ventilation holes into the back panel behind the computer, one at the bottom near where the fan exhausts and one at the top to allow hot air out, or you could just take the whole back panel off behind the computer. This may not be as much fun as having an incubation chamber, but it probably is more useful and better for the computer.
posted by caddis at 7:16 PM on July 31, 2005

Hmm, are you *sure* that the fan's temperature sensor is (still) working correctly? Outside-of-case temp of 32^oC means the case interior is a a few degrees high, and the CPU core temp is even higher than that.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 7:26 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: I would keep homemade chocolate chip cookies in there, so the chips would be all melty and gooey when I ate them with a glass of cold milk.

*suddenly remembers her cholesterol level and sighs*
posted by Soliloquy at 7:34 PM on July 31, 2005

Response by poster: Yes, I'm sure the fan is working right.

Carry on.
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:31 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: Install a small aquarium for a tropical fish and its friend. Use residual heat to assist in the heating of the fish, and save on electricity bills. Next, enjoy the company of your new comrades.
posted by hototogisu at 9:35 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: Warm the dinner plates before serving the hot dish on your next date.
posted by Alylex at 9:36 PM on July 31, 2005

spermatozoa like to be kept at that temperature...
posted by wilful at 11:09 PM on July 31, 2005

Best answer: Actually (and I haven't checked out necessary temp. & conditions) perhaps growing bugs could be advantageous if you like tempeh - soya bean & Rhizopolous oligosporus (?spell). That might be a fun project.
posted by peacay at 3:16 AM on August 1, 2005

Best answer: Keep gummy bears in there. That way you can re-create the credits scene from Ferris Bueller without having to keep them in your pocket.
posted by o2b at 9:13 AM on August 1, 2005

Best answer: Grow mushrooms.
posted by delmoi at 9:21 AM on August 1, 2005

Best answer: Do you have any interest in making your own wine vinegar? It wouldn't take long at that temperature.

Failing that, I third the mycology suggestion.
posted by Vervain at 10:35 AM on August 1, 2005