Heat treating oven

[Clockmaker]

WTB. A small heat treating oven for treating HSS cutters.

 

[Chips4Lips]

There's a company by the name of "Paragon" that makes a small high temp oven geared for use by those wanting to either fuse glass and others who are in to making things out of "PMC" (polymer metal clay" that's mixed with metal powders and is then "cured" by baking off the polymer and leaving the metallic particles fused together as a solid metal part. That's what it was marketed towards but it also works great for heat treating metals as it has a small processer controlling both the time and temperature and how much (and when) you need some or both to complete your work. It can work up to almost 2200 deg/F and even at those temperatures is working off of 110 vAC and you can still "almost" put your hand on the exterior cabinet! The insulation for the oven portion itself is that good. The entire inner chamber is a cast "solid" with the heating elements positioned and kept exactly where they should be to maximize the heat within the working area.

Do a search for "Paragon oven" and I'm sure you'll find out more than you expected - and then think about the time, temperatures and hold times, etc. that you need for heat treating and you'll see why this one is appealing. The cost is reasonable but not cheap but far better than you would typically find for a metal heat treating oven. Many of the semi-commercial ovens are probably larger in their work area but this same product also comes in larger sizes so there's options there too.

If your significant other has an interest in glass work or the PMC type work, then you can buy it for her as a terrific tool and gift - that you can use on weekends for heat treating your metal parts! How often do you get to find that double benefit!

Good luck -

Chips4lips

 

[Clockmaker]

$1400 is more that I can afford. That's why I was hoping to find a used one. Or I may build one.

 

[herbet999]

$1400 is more that I can afford. That's why I was hoping to find a used one. Or I may build one.

Something like this?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Electric-Kiln/

 

[Bill Gruby]

Member Ray C built one . He posted the build or part of it.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9929-Heat-Treat-Oven?highlight=Oven

"Billy G"

 

[dave2176]

Member Ray C built one . He posted the build or part of it.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9929-Heat-Treat-Oven?highlight=Oven

"Billy G"

+1 on this. Ray documented it well. I figured I could build it for under $400. Still on my to do list.
Dave

 

[Chips4Lips]

FWIW - I didn't pay 1400 and you shouldn't either - a little bit of searching saved me about $ 655.00 if I recall correctly!

The do show up from people who want to be jewelers this year and something else next year for even less.

Good luck with your searching.