where do you put your heat treat oven?

Will52100

Will52100

Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
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Just got my Paragon oven, now I got to figure out where to put it. I've got room and figured on building a wood bench and setting it on fire bricks. How hot does the outside get? Will this be sufficent?

Thanks
 
Have mine mounted with standoff feet that keep the body 5" off of the little table it's set on. THe outside of mine dosen't get hot enough to combust anything but gets a bit hotter than you want to put your hand on.
 
Mine is sitting on an old steel service/welding cart from Harbor Freight... with the top part turned upside down so it's just a flat table top and not a bin.

I certainly have the means to make something different, but this works well, I don't worry about heat, and I can move it around because of the casters. Plus I only paid like $35 for it, lol :)

Heck, they still have it, and it's still the same price 10 years later! :) I have a Paragon KM24 and this cart is damn near the perfect size for it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/16-inch-x-30-inch-steel-service-cart-5107.html
 
My paragon is on two 3" thick road pavers sitting on my bench. It does get pretty hot when I am doing stainless with long soak times around 2000 degrees. I've purposely left paper on top to see if it would burn or even yellow and it won't but like others have said, it gets too hot to touch for any considerable amount of time. I am careful to not allow anything to lean against it, especially things like electrical wires.
 
My paragon (ht14D) has a built-in, sheet metal base that elevates the furnace about 5". Have it on a plywood surface. No issues. Heat rises!
 
I too have mine setting right on a wooden bench. been that way for ten or more years and no trouble yet.
 
What is adequate space overhead for heat to dissipate? I have not fired up the little Paragon PMC kiln that I intend to use for HT yet, for fear of having that much heat under rafters supporting a loft that is just five or six feet above my bench.
 
Thanks, the cart from HF looks interesting, is probably cheaper than me building one. Thanks for the replies, I was concerned about burning my shop down.
 
NickWheeler said:
Mine is sitting on an old steel service/welding cart from Harbor Freight... with the top part turned upside down so it's just a flat table top and not a bin.

I certainly have the means to make something different, but this works well, I don't worry about heat, and I can move it around because of the casters. Plus I only paid like $35 for it, lol :)

Heck, they still have it, and it's still the same price 10 years later! :) I have a Paragon KM24 and this cart is damn near the perfect size for it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/16-inch-x-30-inch-steel-service-cart-5107.html
Click to expand...

Thats the one I have mine on.
 
I love building things... sometimes silly things like some of the shop stuff I just got done building... but when it comes to things like that cart--- I can't buy the materials + time to build something similar for $35... especially when you factor in casters.

I already had the cart as it's what my first forge, a little freon tank forge, rested on. It's light-weight, and certainly not something I'd consider a hard use cart, but it works EXCELLENT for the kiln.

BTW- My Paragon puts out very little heat when used for low alloy carbon steel temps. In fact I can put my hand on it without getting burned at all. It gets pretty toasty at air hardening steel temps, but still nothing that would cause me to worry about burning anything down.
 
Thanks guys, I've read the instructions, but they didn't have anything in them on oven placement.

Now maybe in 6 months I can fire it up and try some stainless out. Just got a batch back from Bos heat treating that I've got to finish up first.
 
what Nick said. My small paragon is sitting about a foot below some wooden kitchen cabnets they have never got hot at all I have also forgotten and left a plastic glad tupperware type container setting on top of the kiln and not melted or distorted it at all.
 
I have it setting on a wooden bench on two ceramic floor tiles I picked up at Lowe's. On the bench beside it, and behind it, I have two foot high by three foot wide hardy back. the Ceiling is probably only 5 ft above it, and it has never gotten more than 40Deg. above ambient room temp. ( I like to check out things with a laser temp gage. Nothing like toys!)

Mike
Maker
The Loveless connection Knives
 
In the kitchen - right beside the coffee pot. :D


kiln-734.jpg
 
Just a side thought, you might want to be out of a drafty area, a cold draft from one direction could cause some unwanted uneven cooling while removing that priceless hand made knife blade.

Bob
 
mine has 4" legs and it's sitting on my wood bench. i'm more concerned about dust messing with the digital controller so i had a friend of mine build a cover for it. problem solved!!
 
Metal work cart from Harbor Freight.

Pull it out to use, roll it away to the corner when not in use. The many HT accessories store under the oven....and the tempering oven is on the bottom shelf. This makes for a great HT setup on wheels.

I have thought of making a wire mesh frame to go up and around the Paragon, as the surface will get hot enough to give you a severe burn when doing stainless HT. When the new shop is done, I will probably do this because there will be more visitors.

I can't emphasize how useful it is to put as much equipment as possible on rolling carts. If it needs to be rigid, then bolt it to the bench. If it only needs to be handy, put it on a rolling cart. Quench tanks don't need to take up valuable floor space by the forge; neither do Ht ovens;casting equipment;tong and hammer racks;steel supplies;sanding belt racks;grinder arms and wheels;sharpening supplies;etc.

The HF carts come in several types and sizes. They go on sale regularly. The smaller MIG/TIG welding carts are great for smaller equipment and tanks. The larger shop work carts come in PVC and metal, and in two sizes. They even come with tool drawers. Check them out the next time you get a HF flier.
 
Mine is currently sitting on a chair, in about the same state it's been since I bought it off Frank. In pieces and non functional, I still haven't acquired the electrical knowledge, nor had a chance to hook up with Aldo to try and put our heads together. *sigh* one day :(
 
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