Time To Buy A HT Oven

ddavelarsen

ddavelarsen

Joined
Dec 7, 2000
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Well I think I've saved enough pennies to buy a decent HT oven; I have about $1000. What I'm hoping to find is something I can do up to 18" blades in, with a programmable controller. That is to say, I'd like to be able to program ramp and soak times for whatever steels may take my fancy, without relying on my own "memory" or attention to get things timed right.

What are your recommendations and why? Thanks for any ideas.
 
can someone talk about the controls on these? I am hoping to be in teh same boat before too long :D Want to make some kitchen stuff in stainless!
 
Brian, check this out, I think this is exactly what I was hoping for. This controller will do everything! Thanks Bill, that's perfect and the price is way better than I'd hoped.

Anyone have experience with Even Heat ovens versus others?

They don't say its brand but the oven TKS uses and sells looks like the one Tim is selling, except he's got it about $150 cheaper...
 
Dave, I just checked out the Even Heat one that Cigarman sent the link to. To me it looks like a much better deal than the Paragone. I bought the middle size Paragone 10 or more years ago and it was $1400. then. Another thing to consider is how quick the oven will cool off after you do a hardening cycle. My Paragone takes a good couple hours to cool off enough to run temper cycles. The box size of the Even Heat looks like it would cool off much faster and I like the swinging door much better to.
 
Dave, can't compare but I like my evenheat. Programming the thing wrong the first time charbroiled a couple blades. It did exactly what I told it to do. For the record (I have the 14" one) it will get to 2150F degrees.
 
Ray that door is one of the things I was wondering about. Is side opening better than one that drops down? It's good to hear that ovens can last that long, have you ever had to replace the elements in your Paragon? They're not expensive and probably easy enough to replace even years down the road but it's something else to think about - which ovens are easier to get parts for.
 
Tracy do you have a controller similar to the one Tim's using? Maybe that's standard with Evenheat? It looks ideal but I am positive that if I can screw something up, I will. At least twice...

Anyway, I've written to see how to land one of these bad boys.
 
Dave, I haven't had to replace the element yet. I very seldom use it to do hardening cycles and I think that is alot tuffer on them than the temper cycles. I have no idea what the price is for the elements. I think the bigger box of the Even Heat is a big plus. The Paragon with the narrow box is a pain to me. The ideal would be to have two ovens.
 
Dave,

The Even Heat is what I have and I got mine (18 inch model) from Tim. You will want the larger than 18 inch model for doing 18 inch blades. The heating elements wrap from side, back, to side. Because of that there will be a hot area at the back of Even Heat oven. The absolute minimum size for you would be the 24 inch version. Dan Gray has the 24 inch model and you might wish to check his advise on doing 18 inch blades in it. Other than that Tim Zowada is the definitive source for Even Heat.

EDIT: Dave, if Tim has one with the Rampmaster II controller I think you would like it better than the Set Pro but Tim would know better than I about that.

RL
 
Dave I have an 18" Even Heat and like it very much. I use it for everything now. There are 6 memories for the most used jobs and they can be changed easily or a custom procedure can be punched in for a special task. It was designed for ceramics that is why the box is so wide but someday I may just throw a bowl or doll head in there. The side opening door is nice because the heat held in the door doesnt burn the hands when grabbing hot steel out. I use it daily and it hasnt given me a speck of trouble. Someday I want to marry it to another 18" unit and be able to put a 36" sword inside.
 
Dave, I have the 18" model with the Set Pro like Tim's website shows. I got mine from K&G I believe. The Set Pro will do all that you need but it is a bit quirky. It's not hard to program or use, it's just not how I would have programmed the key panel strokes and modes. I still have to turn it on and off a couple times to get it in the 'mode' I want in order to review a recipie before I use it. This controller can store 4 different recipies.

While you are getting ready to buy your furnace, stop by the local junk yards and find some scrap aluminum plates for quench plates. Get something at least 3/4" thick (1" thick or more is better) by 4" wide (6" might be better) and as long as your longest blade is going to be. I just go to the junkyard and wander around all the time to find cool stuff. They will always have an aluminum pile seperate since it's worth a lot more than salvage or surplus (junkyards preferred names, I've been corrected twice by workers there - it's not scrap). Usually just describe what you want to one of the guys and he'll know where to find some. You won't probably be heating more than 1950F so the lower temp heat treat foil will work. The higher temp foil is a lot more expensive.

Don't forget the cryo! Look for used Dewars on eBay. I pay $75 for 30liters of liquid Nitrogen at the welding supply place, sometimes I can talk them into 1/2 a dewar for $40. 15 liters will last me at least 4 to 5 weeks, even in the summer. I got 30 liters in the winter and it last 2 months or more.

You aren't going to save any money doing this yourself. You get control of the heat treat and a fast turnaround. You also get a more complete authorship of the knife.

Holler when you get it and are ready, I'll shoot you some recipies I've picked up here and there.
Did I mention you'll want to get a hardness tester? :rolleyes:
 
Hey guys
I have a different perspective for you. I'm a potter by trade.
I have both an evenheat and a paragon for clay work. 7 cu. ft EH, and 3.5 cu.ft paragon.
The wiring on the evenheat is much more straight forward, i.e. easier to change elements.
As far as longevity goes, both companies have been around forever. both of my kilns are old.
Most controllers offer a pre programmed fire, and whats callled a ramp and hold cycle, meaning you can control the rate of increase in temp then holdit at the ideal for as long as needed. you can also control rate of decrease.
The pre- sets are set up for what the company considers optimal cycles for the given medium. I learned to discard these pretty quickly. but then im working in a different medium.
Also theres a place called Euclids elements out of Canada. You can usually get his elements at around 60% of the brand name.
I would consider looking into manual kilns with a separate comp. controller.
The reason is, on a computer only kiln, if the unit goes down youre out production time, while you send the damn thing away to be fixed. If you have a manual kiln you can keep on firing without the computer.
Hope this is helpful
Pat
 
rlinger said:
Dave,

The Even Heat is what I have and I got mine (18 inch model) from Tim. You will want the larger than 18 inch model for doing 18 inch blades. The heating elements wrap from side, back, to side. Because of that there will be a hot area at the back of Even Heat oven. The absolute minimum size for you would be the 24 inch version. Dan Gray has the 24 inch model and you might wish to check his advise on doing 18 inch blades in it. Other than that Tim Zowada is the definitive source for Even Heat.

EDIT: Dave, if Tim has one with the Rampmaster II controller I think you would like it better than the Set Pro but Tim would know better than I about that.
RL
Click to expand...
Roger if I told you 24" I did wrong
mine is 27" inside I had Even Heat custom make it for me just about the time the ramp master II was put on I think. you can set many ramping programs to repete later on..

I like it, I do have one problem,, sometimes once I get to temp it will shut down with an error? but if I reset it's good to go.
I'm told it's a chip problem ,, but I just reset it and it's good to go.
anyone know about that?
it's big and roomy . I think you can get it so the door will open left or right?

just make sure you get the highest wattage you can..you'll want recovery time as fast as you can get it up there. and it will save money on ele too.
 
This is all good stuff gents, thanks. I wrote Tim, we'll see what happens. I've never made anything anywhere near 18" long, but sure as taxes soon as I get that small an oven I'll want to make a machette or something... :rolleyes: ;) I do have a project planned that could use the extra space so maybe I'll go for 22.5" or whatever the next stock size is. I'll probably just keep tempering in the kitchen oven. ;)

Tracy, you made me laugh! :D Leave it to you to put my feet on the ground when it's time. :) I don't really expect to save money, but the reason I went to O1 was so I could end the turnaround time; that's my goal with this too, plus having so much more control. I'm starting to get the O1 nailed down but it's still more a whim and a prayer than science... And I do want to keep as much at home as I can.

I know I'll be able to rely on you folks for great recipes when the time comes to start doing some of this neat new steel. I got a big slab of S7 from a guy who wants a dagger; I get to keep the rest. You gotta love customers like that! And I've always wanted to use the old standby 154CM (call it nostalgia). Anyway, thanks for the help, I'll keep you posted.
 
Don't throw that coffee can away just yet; as stated before, you now need to save for a dewar. I love mine and I think the same model is still offered on Ebay.

RL
 
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