First Time Build - Rod Oven as a forge body?

[cartierusm]

So I started gathering supplies to make knives in 2009, but never got around to it. Now I am; hopefully.

I'm starting to build my forge and thought I get some opinions from those here.

I can go one of two ways.

I eventually want to make some swords, but not for a long while. So my first idea is to build a forge out of 10" pipe with 2" of insulation around it and ITC-100 HT. With a removable back plate so I can butt it up to and secure it to another section to do long pieces if I want.

But, I came across this at my friend's shop and it was $free.99. Its an old Stick welding rod oven. It's already insulated and can generate heat to 550F. It's about right size for a forge once I put my own 2" of insulation and ITC in it and burners.

What do you think? Should I convert the rod oven or use it to do my final tempering at 400F? I think I'm leaning towards converting it as I can do 400 in a toaster oven if necessary or something like that?

Opinions welcome.

Ok not sure how to link photos. This is my first post. Will do later, but something like this.

https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc....ty-120v-k450?gclid=CNm9tt61x9ICFUKUfgodZXwJCg

 

[KnuckleDownKnives]

Welcome to the forum.

Me personally if I had that oven, I'd use it for a tempering oven and make a forge. Toaster ovens aren't very accurate unless you modify them like I did mine with a PID and thermal couple. When tempering you really want an accurate temperature and a toaster oven can be very far off in temp and most have no insulation, and adding some plate steel inside to act as thermal mass to help with fast temp changes.

In the short term you may find it easier to use a toaster oven, but in the long run you'll probably end up either modifying it to make it more accurate, or have to have to monitor it while tempering with some sort of thermometer.

I have a PID, timer and alarm on mine. I preheat it for 10 - 15 mins at temp put my blade(s) in and walk away to do something else. When the alarm sounds (It's loud enough I can even go in the house and watch TV and hear it) I pull it out. It's very nice knowing when I set it at 400* for an hour, it maintains +- 3/4 of a degree and I can do something else for an hour other than watch the "paint dry" while I'm tempering.

That's just MHO..

 

[cartierusm]

Thanks. I was giving an example for the tempering. I'll probably then just turn it into a furnace for heat treating and such.