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220v Heat treat oven question

panch0

panch0

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
3,415
Who leaves it on when pulling out blades? Who turns it off? I have an oven and I have it powered up and ready to go. I need to pick up some welder gloves and pliers. I am still afraid to use it! I get pictures of me burning my house down, getting electrocuted etc..... I need you guys to let me know its ok to fire it up. This is where my oven is sitting.http://www.bigriverknives.com/shop_pic1.html See any problems? I will have the quenching oil to the lower right hand of the oven, un a burner stand. The table is made of a hard plastic I think with foam inside. It is pretty sturdy. I guess I am like this with every thing I do. I put it off until a light goes off in my head and then I just do it.
 
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I leave the oven on. Just get some tongs and good gloves and you'll be fine.
 
Panch, did you get the door disconnect option? I did on mine, and I'm glad I did. Everytime I open the door, the power is automatically cut to the coils. Just makes it convenient.

Many makers leave the oven on when taking out blades. Many turn the oven off. I'd say use your judgement. As you know, the coils are live, and will send 220V to you if you brush them with a blade. Now, in the years that I have been making knives, I have never brushed a blade or tongs against the coils on my Evenheat or my home-built. And my home-built oven did not have a disconnect switch. I did get in the habit of throwing the master power switch on my homebuilt when taking blades out. The interior was small, and there was a bigger chance of accidents.

I would recommend investing in a real set of tongs, though. I used the really long needle nose pliers from HF for a while, but they were very poor at picking up a blade and holding it steady. I later switched to a set of nipping pliers that I ground down the cutting surfaces on which had a much better purchase. I'd recomment a pair of wolf jaw tongs or something similar from Tom's Tongs or the like. So much more control and security when reaching in to the oven. Also puts your hands farther away. Also, be aware that if you get too close to the oven with unprotected skin while open, it can give you a little sun burn :D.

But, do not let the oven intimidate you. Respect it and you'll be fine. It's not going to spontaneously combust unless you set some cardboard on top of it and put gasoline in it. ;)

--nathan
 
Don't run it where you have it. They get quite hot on the exterior and can be a fire or damage hazard on a bench and up against a wall. Be careful when working around a oven at full temp, as the outside can be hot enough to give you a bad burn. Keep everything that isn't steel/metal at least a foot or more away from an oven. Power cords can melt if placed carelessly.

Go to HF and buy one of those rolling steel ( not plastic) shop carts(24"X30").They are about $30. Put the oven on the cart. When in use, it can be rolled to where you need it, like near the quench tanks. You can set your tongs on the top tray, and the shelf below can hold all sorts of needed tools and supplies. The cord can be wound up on the handle when stored, and when not in use it can be rolled into a corner.

As far as the power on/off subject, if you have the oven set at the right height ( cart is perfect) and you are wearing gloves made for the job ( order a pair of HT gloves), and you are using a proper set of oven tongs ( get them when you order the gloves)...then a shock is unlikely. The oven can be converted to a door open=power off type by adding a microswitch at the door and wiring it in series with the control power wire to the SSR ( this is the low voltage wire from the PID, usually about 28VDC...not the 220VAC power line). You may even be able to get this as a kit from the manufacturer.
 
Thanks for the input.

Nathan are those tongs good for grabbing the foil packetrs as well as bare blades from the oven?
 
Quick question:

Where are you guys buying your tongs? I'm looking for some that are long enough for a 27" oven. Thanks!
 
I've bought a number of tongs from Blacksmithsupply.com. Decent prices, and they carry Tom's Tongs (my favorite) as well as Off-Center tongs. I have a set of Tom's wolf jaws that I typically use for the heat treating oven. The reigns are 12" long, so with gloves on, I have no trouble getting anything out of the center of my 22.5" EH. The site also has some longer wolf jaws in the 19" range, but I'm not sure who made those.

Frank, you'll have no trouble handling packets or blades with a decent set of wolf jaws or other tong type. The long reigns add to the clamping power. I prefer the tongs really to the pliers. I just have so much more grip. With the needle nose pliers, I was having blades slip when trying to pull them out by the tang.

--nathan
 
I use the needlenose on folder size blades,tong on everything else.
Stan
 
I had a large pair of an off brand electricians plyers. I extended the grips with steel conduit, then bent the conduit so my hand is lower than the entrance when I remove blades. Works fine for me.
 
Places like Jantz and TKS sell a HT accessory package with gloves, tongs, and a couple knife racks. It is a pretty good deal.
 
Nathan did you get the small or large wolf tongs. It doesn't say what length on web site.
 
Can't remember, honestly, but I'm pretty sure it was the small jaws. I believe the small jaws have 12" reigns, but I don't know about the large jaws. My guess is that they'd be slightly longer.

--nathan
 
I would personally get some gloves (which are longer than welding gloves) to cover as much of your arm as possible and a nice decent length pair of tongs. I have a 27" Evenheat and at 1800'F when you open the door even with full gloves on rated for 1800'F (for a few seconds) you still feel the heat blaring. Should you end up leaving the kiln on the floor...makes sure to wear long pants as you could get burned wearing shorts on your thigh...ask me how i know :D

I got some okay tongs at Texas Knife Maker's Supply that grip foil packets well.
 
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