electric furnace questions

S

Snixon

Joined
Feb 8, 2003
Messages
15
Hi
One of my knifemaking buddies suggested hassling dentists as a source of used cheapish furnaces.
One of the customers who comes into work is a dentist. I have put the word out that I am looking for a cheapish furnace
I suggested to him in between customers maybe 12 inches deep by about the same wide and temperatures of about 1000C or 1800 farenheight
he then mentioned timers, inert atmospheres (with nitrogen maybe??) and prices up to $12 000($AUD) for new ones
What should I be looking for in a furnace for general heat treating??
I am at the moment using 1084, D2 and 440C and ATS 34
What temperatures does a furnace to do steel need to go up too??? (I have heard of a couple of the newer stainless steels need furnaces that go higher then your average furnace - if I use these steels I will be happy enough to send them out to get done)
Is there any things that I should look out for that might show damage or wear??? Like broken fire bricks or rusted elements????
I also have a supply of stainless foil for heat treatment and some turco as well so I really dont need a inert atmosphere...
Thanks
Stephen
http://members.iinet.net.au/~snixon/index.html
 
You need to be able to go up to about 1975 F. for steels such as ATS-34, S30V and some other stainless.

I have an Even Heat with computer control. Probably, can't remember exactly, $800 neigbhorhood. It specs to about 2200 F. and is 18 inches deep by about 10 inches wide and plenty high enough. Check their web site out but email me if you decide on one because I can give you a contact that saved me a few good bucks on a new one.

I use foil and am happy with it.

EDIT: I remembered you asking; yes, I have a brick or two that shows a hair line crack from use but the Even Heat is solidly wrapped in stainless sheet steel and holds the interior together without defect. And yes, you do want to be careful what you put in the oven. For instance, do not use salt to insulate your steel from oxygen because the salt will corrode the heating elements and the thermocouple. Stick with foil. Salt baths are for vertical feed ovens and require an expensive pot to hold it from damaging the oven interior. How well - I'm rambling again.

Roger
 
I have the Even Heat also and love it. It was about $1000 Get the 18" for bigger blades and bar stock. I really like it for annealing and tempering. I Dont do much stainless anymore but it works great with the foil wrap.

Paragon is another fine furnace
 
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