Recommendation? Effective and room saving HT oven and quench set-up?

FredyCro

FredyCro

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Jan 11, 2019
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I am moving forward with the shop (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/fredys-new-shop.1988346/page-3#post-22731130) and need to make another bench/working area in the "clean room".

I would like this to incorporate the HT oven in the bench and the quench plates set up in one of those quick release wood workings vices. Do you have some pics how you solved this in your shop? I would like to put the oven under the table and mount the vice on some kind of sliding mechanism so it can be folded/slided under the table when not in use.

The bench I would like to use for precise work and glueing. I have some large (60x60 cm) very flat tiles that I would like to use for hand flattening and/or gluing area.

I also have some leftover 2x4 steel pipes and wooden planks for the base construction.
 
I just have my vice next to my oven. It doesn’t get tucked away. I keep it all on the bench. My want my oven at a comfortable height and I want to conserve my motion when moving 2100 degree steel around.
 
Consider putting the HT oven on a rolling table or bench and moving it as needed. It can sit at the end of the regular bench or be rolled over to the quench tanks and plates.
You could even put the quench plates on the side of the HT cart.
 
I’m with Stacy. Every large piece of equipment in my shop is on wheels (mostly leveling, lockable castors) so that I can move them around, tuck them away, bring them closer to something else, or bring them outside. This includes blasting cabinet, grinder and HT oven. Very helpful when space is at a premium, and it’s also beneficial when I want to grind a big old handle and I can do so outside with the dust blowing away outdoors. I know that’s not what you asked, but you got me on a rant now haha. Mobile benches are worth it! Good luck!
 
Thanks for your replies!

But why do a special cart or put it on top of the bench if you are only HTing couple of times a year? I am hobbyist and space is a premium. No tool that doesn't get used regularly should get a top of the bench or cart space unless used regularly/often through the process.
 
My space is also a prem. I am lucky to have a large shop, but knife making shares the space. A lot of tools which can be portable are. This includes heat treat ovens (2), forge (2),
press(big), 20" band saw, tool arm rack and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. I just move them around like chess pieces. I'm not counting tools that are for wood working (router table, flatbed planer, shaper, thickness planer etc) or that can be moved but have no wheels.
 

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Your biggest issue with putting the HT oven under the bench will be heat. The bench top may become very hot. The tiles you plan on putting on top of the bench may become loose as the adhesive breaks down. If the bench is wood, it may even be a fire risk.

A vise that slides and removes is going to be less rigid. It is doable, but may not really save much space.

Trust me ... and many others ... rolling carts for these types of tools are the most efficient way to save benchtop space.
 
My oven stand is on rollers and I like how I can wheel it into a corner when not used and even more I wheel it to the door when doing low alloy steels so I can oil quench outside the shop to keep the shop free of the hot Parks 50 smell.
 
FredyCro said:
Thanks for your replies!

But why do a special cart or put it on top of the bench if you are only HTing couple of times a year? I am hobbyist and space is a premium. No tool that doesn't get used regularly should get a top of the bench or cart space unless used regularly/often through the process.
Click to expand...

If it's Only a couple times a year, why not save more space, by farming it out?

*I know I still want to Do It, but.......
 
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