Forge or Heat Treat Oven?

S

Salolan

Joined
Feb 27, 2013
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I really need to upgrade my heat treat set up and I'm pondering my options. I had originally planned on trying to build a PID controlled blown burner forge using 10-12" pipe, kaowool, satanite and ITC and possibly getting a burner from HTT. Recently, I had a conversation with an individual who is vastly more experienced and renowned than myself:D and he recommended a HT Oven instead. On an oven build though I haven't researched nearly as much.

At the moment, I don't do any forging, only stock removal. I would eventually like to try my hand at forging, but not anytime in the near future. I am currently using the simpler steels to HT (1080, 15n20 etc...). Using these, would I be just as well with a forge? Or should I go with an oven? For the time being, I plan on outsourcing HT if I have any SS aspirations if that is a factor.

I've done some research and will continue to do so, I just wanted to get some more opinions from community. I want to do this right, but price is a somewhat limiting factor. If it weren't, I would have already ordered an Evenheat or Paragon.

As always, thank you in advance,
Chris
 
I used a forge for a year and a bit, and it did the job quite well. Going to the kiln was like going from a craftsman to a kmg. My only regret was waiting this long to get the kiln. If funds are tight, a well designed forge will still work well with carbon steels. I have done a handful of stainless blades lately, and I like being able to do them in house.
 
Kiln first for sure. You'll want a forge too, eventually.
 
Anyone with experience building their own kiln/oven have a WIP or plans they would recommend?
Could the elements/controllers out of a pottery kiln be repurposed into a homemade knife kiln?

Thanks,
Chris
 
http://www.budgetcastingsupply.com/papers/HT-FURNACE.pdf

Is a pretty good starting point. It is quite old now and was put together by a British chap. There are significant differences in electricity supplies and codes between Britain and the USA. You'll need to do some research and see how others have done things, but it's all out there on the web.

The writeup used a pair of 120V elements wired in series to run on 240V UK mains. BCS added 240V elements to their range afterwards. This has been the source of some confusion and there have been some builders who have used 2 of the 240V elements wired in series, getting nowhere near temperature.

If I was buying them from BCS, I'd use #7102 (2 of the #7101, 120V, elements, wired in series for 240V). No affiliation: I actually source my elements locally.

Most places that supply elements for pottery kilns should be able to supply something suitable. Using old ones is probably not a good idea; the Kanthal gets very brittle once it has seen some heat cycles and the chances of recovering intact elements seem slim.

Pottery kiln controllers seem to have rather long output cycle times (most that I've seen are 30 seconds). For HT, shorter times are needed. I use 2 seconds. I use an Omega CN7823 controller because it's available here, but Auber Instruments seem to be used a lot by the guys in the States.
 
Salolan said:
Anyone with experience building their own kiln/oven have a WIP or plans they would recommend?
Could the elements/controllers out of a pottery kiln be repurposed into a homemade knife kiln?

Thanks,
Chris
Click to expand...

Save yourself a huge headache and make sure your wiring to the shop,garage or where ever is heavy enough to take the load of running a kiln. I didn't and cause a lot of frustration. And you will need to get that upgraded if its not up to the task.
 
Learning to use a forge takes a certain eye that will take time to learn... but once you learn it, there are things you can do that an oven really cant. The best heat treat setup ive ever used was a long tube type gas fired unit, made a very even controllable heat that you could keep your eye on, and had very little variation from one end to the other in temperature.

I had a paragon, sold it, much rather use my eye and experience then simply dialing in a #... but that's just my view.
 
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