# Tool Gloat #1



## RWL (Jul 9, 2013)

I picked up this little dental kiln (aka a small heat treat furnace) at a yard sale for $5 last week.  The pyrometer is not working, so I ordered a new digital one from eBay.  The analog one on the furnace is labeled to 1800º.  I never measured the temp when I did the few hardening projects I did before - just eyeballed the glow - so I don't know if 1800º is hot enough, but I suspect so.  The temp control is pretty simple - just low medium and high.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jul 9, 2013)

Hey, wait-aah-minit...  You are supposed to return it to RH Ruppert and Co in Chicago, not fix it yourself!   It says it plain as day!  


Bernie


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## Ray C (Jul 9, 2013)

If it really gets up to 1800, you can do everything you need as most common steels have austentizing temperatures around 1550.  Most of the common tool steels need 1750 (all approximate numbers, please look it up when you use it.  Missing the mark by 25-50 degrees is bad).  Some of the more complicated tool steels like M2 require a very high temp -over 2000 if memory serves...

Good find!

Ray



RWL said:


> I picked up this little dental kiln (aka a small heat treat furnace) at a yard sale for $5 last week.  The pyrometer is not working, so I ordered a new digital one from eBay.  The analog one on the furnace is labeled to 1800º.  I never measured the temp when I did the few hardening projects I did before - just eyeballed the glow - so I don't know if 1800º is hot enough, but I suspect so.  The temp control is pretty simple - just low medium and high.
> View attachment 56846
> View attachment 56847
> View attachment 56848


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## Hawkeye (Jul 10, 2013)

I'm reading through a book on heat treating. Your oven should be just the ticket. Good score.


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## Levi (Jul 10, 2013)

Thats a pretty fancy pyrometer, I wouldn't discount it's being fixable. 
I purchased a small pottery kiln last year, and meter didn't seem to be working, and it just needed to be taken apart and had all the grit cleaned out of it.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 10, 2013)

Nice score on the unit!!
PS... YOU SUCK ...$5 really, you thief! :tiphat:


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## RWL (Jul 10, 2013)

Senna said:


> I've been looking for a reasonably priced heat treat furnace for a while now.
> 
> $5 fits that bill to a tee!
> 
> Wanna triple your money?)



I may have saved the email address of someone local to me who had a rather nice furnace that he only wanted $100 for.  I just didn't have space for it.  IIRC it was at least twice the size of this one; not something like this one that I can easily pick up and put on a shelf.  I don't know if he still has it, but if you're within reasonable driving distance of Selinsgrove, PA and are interested I'll do some looking to see if I still have the email address and whether he still has it.  My guess is that unless someone else bought it (didn't sound like he had any other takers at the time) or he just junked it (he wanted the space) it may still be around.


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## oldgoaly (Jul 10, 2013)

dang that is cheap! I paid 20$ for this little muffle furnace 20 years ago.


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## DMS (Jul 10, 2013)

1800F should be good for anything other than HSS. Nice score.


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## Hawkeye (Jul 10, 2013)

So many slippery slopes on this forum. According to the label, that unit is only 880 watts. A toaster oven like mine has four elements totaling 1500 watts. If I made a good insulated chamber and added a pyrometer, maybe tweaked (or replaced) the thermostat, I could come up with a workable furnace. Off to Value Village...

Like I said, slippery slopes.


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## Ben (Jul 10, 2013)

Hawkeye, that is an excellent idea, however when I burn my house down trying to make a furnace, I am sending my wife after you anic:!!


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## jpfabricator (Jul 11, 2013)

Ben said:


> Hawkeye, that is an excellent idea, however when I burn my house down trying to make a furnace, I am sending my wife after you anic:!!




Do it at a friends house! Problem solved.


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## Hawkeye (Jul 12, 2013)

That's why I'm suggesting electric. A lot less damage than propane.


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## Ben (Jul 13, 2013)

jpfabricator said:


> Do it at a friends house! Problem solved.


Pure genius!!!


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