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Post: Home made oven / kiln, another project of mine (Topic#752668)

Rashid
Journeyman KnifeNut!

Reg: 09-27-05

10-17-05 05:41.30 - Post#775813

Folx,

A long while back I made my own kiln - state of the art thing, that goes to 2000F, keeps the temp
within 1-2F, is electrically fired and, my trademark, is very cheap to make. I recently upgraded it to MkII - by enlarging the chamber to
size where I can do 18" long knifes.

In any event, here are 2 links:

The original:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.crafts.metalwor...

MkII:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.crafts.metalwor...

I will post some pics tonite.

Rashid
Journeyman KnifeNut!

Reg: 09-27-05

10-17-05 06:04.43 - Post#775822
In response to Rashid

So now here's what you'd need to build the thing:

- Firebricks: K23 @ your local ceramics store. About 20 to be safe.

- Home Depot high temp mortar: 2 tubes, @ $4 or so per (it is in the caulks section, blackish tube, rated to something like 2000F)

- Omega temperature controller or alike: Ebay,
for $40 or thereabouts you should be able to score one any day of the week

here's an example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Universal-Digital-PID-Temperat...

Omega is most widely recognized name in temp controllers, even though they mostly OEM other makes

- High temp K-type thermocouple: $4 is about going price on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/Type-K-High-Temperature-Thermo...

- an SSR, a Solid State Relay:

$10, or less if you're willing to play ebay game:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRYDOM-SSR-Solid-State-Relay-2...

- some heating wire, Kanthal A1 strongly preferred

Here's how it all works, simplified:

1 the wire heats up the interior

2 when SSR relay lets current flow through the wire

3 when controller tells it to let the current flow

4 when controller senses, from the thermocouple temperature probe, that temperature needs to go up

5 to reach whatever temperature you set up on the said controller

====================

And some more on the subject:

every now and then a disillusioned pottery hobbyist disposes of their kiln. You can literally
score one for free.

for such kiln to be useable as knife HT oven, it
needs to be of right size: just big for the largest blades to fit, but not too big.

When ovens are big - they will still work, but require hours to reach HT temperatures. Not good.
Good enough for pottery, when they bake their wares for hours at a time.

I discovered that using 17 gage Kanthal,
driving about 20A through it, will give you
perfect thermodynamics in oven with interior
of 4x4.5x18 or thereabouts. Any larger than this
and the cycle will be slower and slower.

Rashid
Journeyman KnifeNut!

Reg: 09-27-05

10-19-05 16:32.33 - Post#777444
In response to Rashid

Attachment: DSCF0003.jpg (54.46 KB) 372 View(s)

Attachment: DSCF0004.jpg (58.73 KB) 346 View(s)

Attachment: DSCF0005.jpg (41.74 KB) 239 View(s)

As promised, pics are here.

You can see the exterior & interior.
Firebrick and HD hi-temp cement.

You also will see: SSR on a black heatsink,
Omega CN132 controller on the left, little
PS for it on the right (unfortunately I didn't
get 240-120 model, it uses 12 VDC).

Also you will see how I attached the spiral
to 240V 10 gage wire. Not the prettiest job,
but it works great.

In the interior you will see K-couple coming
out of top left corner and the spriral in 5/8
groove.

The bottom part sits in a metal cage I brazed
together (pre-MIG days of mine, what a hassle
it was to braze with 1CF Oxy bottles !). The
exterior is some HD tin, sealed off with alum
duct tape.

Some handles out of copper wire.

Ripper
Master Member KnifeNut!

Loc: Yuma County, Arizona
Reg: 11-30-99

10-19-05 19:40.27 - Post#777591
In response to Rashid

Rashid,

Thank you for all the great info you have been posting!

Regards,
Greg

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