Yet another HT oven potential purchase.

[Fletch Helical]

Looking for a bit of advice from you guys on a possible purchase. I'm looking at getting this oven that is for sale by a member of another forum. I recently spoke to him and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it other than the fact that you have to watch it when trying to hold a temp. For steels like 1084 (which I have a decent amount of for what I do) I don't see that being an immediate problem since there isn't a super long soak time. Chances are I would be sending most of my stainless stuff out for quite a while. It will cost me $100 plus whatever the shipping is (I wouldn't think it's more than maybe $50??) He tested it for me this morning and said in an hours time it got to 1650 degrees (thermometer goes to 2000) it's about 9 x 8.5" inside. Bear in mind I'm more of a hobbyist and not cranking out hundreds of knives a year I realize an Evenheat is the best way to go, but for where I'm at I don't think I need a 2k+ dollar oven. So here are my questions:

1. Think it's worth getting?
2. If so think it's worth trying to set it up with all digital controls and whatever is needed to keep it at a constant temp? (bear in mind I'm far from any electrician)

Any other input is greatly appreciated and more questions may develop as input comes in. I'm thinking it might be worthwhile but a lot of you know more than me so this is the only place I know to turn for experience since I know no one personally who has any interest in this stuff .

 

[Doc Shipley]

I have no idea what that kiln is worth as-is, but I just converted a little Paragon kiln to PID controls. Mine's smaller than that one - a 6" piece is about as long as will safely fit. If I didn't plan to make a lot of folders, I would have just built a new oven.

I'm not an electrician either, and setting up the PID controller was confusing until I gave up and just followed directions. The second schematic in this thread was all I really needed to know:

http://ds5.org/2647

Just knowing I'm treating my 1084 at the right temperature made converting worth the trouble and expense. Being able to temper the blade in the kiln is a big bonus too.


Doc

 

[Patrickknives]

I started with a similar kiln but it was much bigger, I am not sure other than folders what will fit in 9 x 8.5". You can update to digital controller pretty cheap later but the size is the real issue. One hour to 1650 is pretty slow.

I would wait and try to find a larger kiln that will fit more blades.

 

[Fletch Helical]

So I wouldn't be able to fit say an 8 or 9" full tang blade in there then? For the time being I'd likely be doing one knife at a time in there.

 

[Patrickknives]

You can make a knife that will fit but thats kinda limiting. You can do the one brick forge for now and that works fine for carbon steels and is really cheap to set up. I use an acetylene torch in the very beginning on 1084 and got good results in HT. I was never able to get the blade hot enough with a propane torch without some heat brick to hold the temp.