Heat treat oven parts list please!!

melsdad

melsdad

Joined
Apr 3, 2008
Messages
522
Would anyone be so kind as to offer a parts list of what is required to build and electric 220V, PID ramp/soak controlled oven?

I have been doing alot of reading in the stickies, and searching thru old posts. The information I have found is amazing, and mind boggleing at the same time. Some links are outdated, and some pictures are no longer available. But none the less I have read enough to know that I would like to build my own as opposed to buying a oven.

I would like to build an oven around 22" deep with whatever chamber size is most convenient by useing commercially available 2300° soft firebrick. I don't plan to run more than 3 maybe 4 knives at a time. More than likely I will be doing knives one at a time.

Thanks
Brian Jordan
 
Another question for you guys. When you build your oven, are the bricks stacked dry or are they mortared together with a high temperature mortar? Also is it beneficial to coat the inside with ITC 100, or is this only necessary with a Kaowool lined oven or forge?
 
melsdad...

man I'm glad you brought this up... this just saved me a grand with numbers link.......:D

I believe the bricks are dry and I guess it wouldn't hurt to coat it but don't think its necessary... itc is very expensive and I would pass on that route unless you just had some laying around...
 
Ya' battle creek the build does not look that difficult if you have the means to assemble what you need. My brother is an electrician, and my Dad works in a fab shop, and I'm a machinist. So between the 3 of us it is a simple project. I just found a place about 3 miles from my house that has the fire brick for $2.60 a piece. That was going to be the biggest expense of the whole project. Now it looks like I will be into this oven build for less than $400.00! That is about $600.00 saved that I can put toward other equiptment.
 
The "freeweb" plans that the count posted is what I went off of when I built mine. I got my bricks locally at Harbison-Walker (they also gave me a large bag of inswool and a busted bag of satanite). I did the bricks dry but did do 1 layer of inswool between the frame and the bricks, with 2 layers on top. The bricks are quite abrasive and there is absolutely no shift between any of mine. Every time I need to use mine I have to move it across the "shop" (read: garage) to use the dryer outlet and I check the bricks and coil every time and they haven't budged in the slightest.

I used angle iron for legs underneath and mounted a box on the side to house the PID, SSR, main throw and a second switch for power to the elements.

I have been amazed at how well it works, I can get it up to 1500F in about 7.5 minutes and its cool to the touch for about 30 minutes holding 1500F. She might not be the prettiest girl on the block but she works quite well.
 
I built my own also. I think a layer of KOA wool around the outside of the bricks is a good idea because not only does it help insulate, it gives the bricks some expansion room when they heat up. I pinned my bricks to each other with some 1/8" 309 SS welding rod with the flux knocked of. Kept on piece chucked up in the cordless drill, drill a hole then stick in a chuck of the rod. About 3 years old now and has been moved across the country in a truck with no problems.
 
Amcardon, and ib2v4u, or anyone else. What did you do to get a good seal on your door to avoid heat loss as much as possible?
 
My door fits well and holds fire brick then a thin layer of Koa wool is held in place by a piece of 410 stainless through bolted to the front of the door. The Koa wool sticks out around the 410 about an 1" all the way around and that is what forms my "gasket" Then my door has heavy stainless piano hinges and the latch has a large turn knob that pulls it tight. Mine is pretty tight and I get very little decarb with carbon. I have a small valve plumped in and some day I am going to try a piece of D2 and flood it with Argon from my tig setup.
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