Starting a new oven build!

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Oldsarge
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Starting a new oven build!

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Last edited by Oldsarge on Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by Gamelord »

I just got finished building my oven and have done a few projects with it.

Couple things that you may want to consider.

Lights - if you are checking on the condition of your powder coat, lights in a big oven may be a big benefit. My oven doesn't have lights and after doing a couple jobs, I am thinking that lights may have been kinda nice. :)

Heat - It gets very hot. The more insulation you get the better. If I was to do my oven over I would probably double up on the insulation and/or get some very heavy duty insulation over the normal home-depot insulation. The outside of the oven will get to where it is a little hot to the touch after the oven has been running for an hour or two. It is not a serious issue, but a small concern. :)

Fan/Blower - I built my oven to add a blower onto it at a later date. It could be added in very easily but ... so far I don't think it will actually benefit that much. My oven is 4' x 4' x 80" tall. The heat in the oven seems to be very consistent with only 2-5 degrees difference between the floor and the ceiling. I don't think a blower/fan would really do that much better. This may be an expense you could do without, especially if your oven is a little shorter than mine.

Wall support - When the oven heats up, it does flex/warp a tiny bit. I think if I built another one I would probably reinforce it a little more. My oven is made from steel studs at 16" centers, lined with 18ga. steel on the outside and 16ga steel on the inside. When it is hot, you can see the walls bow/flex a small amount. When it cools it all goes back into shape just fine but this may be a concern while building.

Viewing Door - You may want to incorporate a viewing door/access door in your oven. Mine does not have one so to check on the pieces you have to open up the huge main door which lets out a ton of heat. I have 6 elements so recovery time is very fast, but an access / viewing door would be very nice to have. After seeing some of the other threads on how some people have built an access door, I am seriously considering adding one to mine.

Heat rises - You may want to double up on the insulation / size of the top of your oven where it gets the hottest.

Hope these things help. My oven came out very nicely (for me anyways) :) These are just some of the things I have discovered/learned with my build and hope they can help you out a little.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Thanks for the info! I will have enough light to almost bake the powder! Eyes aren't too bad, but they're not too good either! I think I am going to use a fan, not because of the temperature variations from top to bottom, but to eliminate "hot spots" on&around the parts. I'll be using rock wool insulation that I can get locally, and I'll be doing the metal studs like you. It seems like you used very heavy sheet goods for the skin. Do you mind if I ask why you went that heavy? Most builds I see use 20g galvanized I am and out, which is what I'm planning.

I'm going to have a double glass Window, and as well as a small port to shoot a digital temperature reading through. I considered going with a flat to the floor design, but the way I have the shop set up it works out better to have it on wheels.

It's going to be a few weeks until all the supplies are here, so I have time to change the design between now & then. If there's any interest in the project I'll try to do a video of the build. Any other ideas are welcome, always looking for a better smarter way to do things!

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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As for the steel used on the walls, It is what I had available in the shop. you should be fie with the 20 ga. I went with the heavier ga. inside to help hold the heat in the oven when the door is opened...it is a big door. :) Sounds like you have everything planned out very well. It would be nice to see how it comes out.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by plain ol Bill »

Mike I had documented my oven build - but darned if I can remember where! That was about the same time things went South with my health also so maybe that is why I can't remember where. Anyone else remember seeing it?
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Got the control box in from Ted's a few days ago... All I can say is with a controller of this quality already prewired for you, I don't know why anybody building an oven would want to build their own! There are 4 switches labeled Power, Heat, Lights and Fan. The instructions are very straight forward, and it really becomes a matter of running wires and hooking them up. I still have to source a heat proof fan and order the steel wall studs and sheet goods, but the hard part is already figured out for me with this controller.

I cleared a few pieces that would fit in my old kitchen oven, and the difference between a good quality clear powder and the automotive grade clear I've been shooting is dramatic.... Can't wait to get the big oven put together!

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Picked up the wall studs, and channels today as well as 3 huge bundles of rock wool insulation. Got a quote for the 20 gauge steel as well. Hopefully I can figure out how to get it picked up soon! About the only thing left to buy is the heat proof fan and some high temperature wire and silicone. I may have a line on a few nice sized pieces of oven door glass as well.. If all goes well, I should be able to have it put together by the second weekend in December. Would be sooner, but I have 2 shows coming up that I need to get ready for!

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Got the 20g galvanized sheets in yesterday, and the fan showed up at the door as well. Tonight I was able to frame up the top, the floor and one side wall. Tomorrow night I'll do the other 2 walls and hopefully get some of the skin on. Tomorrow I'll pick up the casters, and the J boxes for the heating elements. Also need to pick up some heat proof wiring and a few tubes of heat proof caulking while I'm at it! Other than those last few bits I have everything else ready to go. I I hope to have the oven ready to fire up before the end of the weekend!

A few pics of what I got finished tonight. The interior of the oven will be 4'x4'x7' with 4 element of rated at 4310 watts each.
20121114_200416.jpg
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by swidick »

Thanx, I will be looking forward to the progress pics.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Got a LOT done in just over 3 hours tonight.... Skinned the floor and top, built the back wall, installed the casters, and put the walls up with the top & bottom insulated. Looks awesome, and I can't wait to get it finished! Here's a few pics...
20121115_181456.jpg
20121115_183153.jpg
20121115_193022.jpg
20121115_204256.jpg
Won't be in the shop tomorrow night, but will be hitting it hard this weekend. I think I miscalculated on the sheetmetal, so I may have to order one more sheet to finish the door... :oops: I have a plan for the air return to diffuse the air coming in from the bottom, and I still have to find an old oven to get some donor glass as well.... I'm planning to do a small access door inset in the main door so I can pop it open and shoot a digital temp gauge to get actual part temperature without opening the big door. So while I wanted to be able to fire it up this weekend, it's looking more like sometime next week.

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by Gamelord »

Looking awesome! Love the updates, keep em coming.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by plain ol Bill »

Mike check out McKinnys appliances for old ovens. Sometimes they have old ones they have replaced sitting out back waiting to go to the dump. Thats where I got mine.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Good idea, I've dealt with them a lot over the years... Good people. I also spoke with Welch's and they said I could pick through their ovens tomorrow. Minus the door, I should have the lion's share of the build finished up tomorrow! I miscalculated on the sheet goods, so I think I need to get at least one more sheet, but that won't keep me from testing everything even if I cant run it up to temp....

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Another good day in the shop! Didn't quite get everything finished I wanted, but did get everything finished I could! :lol:

Got a good deal on 6 feet of heat proof wiring, some glass for the access door, and some other bits & pieces I needed. Bill, sorry I missed you! I was back just shortly after 10, so we probably passed each other on the road!

Got the inside sheeted today, put the 5x10 sheets on the table for the back, and cut out the hole for the fan, and a grate for the return air. Fit like a glove! Then I cut the sides, and included a hole to countersink the light fixtures... Saw this on a build on Ted's site and liked the way it looked, and the fact that no bulbs will be hanging out there for me to break! Installed the fan, and blocked in and sealed the channel to make it air tight for the return air. Also sealed the inside seams with 600 degree caulking.

Tomorrow I'll plus up the hinge corners to support the door, and will frame out the door as well. Hoping to be able to get to some of the wiring as well. Sure wish I didn't mess up on the sheet count!
PC Oven 3.jpg
PC Oven 2.jpg
PC Oven 1.jpg
A few more days like today & I should have it wrapped up! Can't wait to fire it up & test it out.... Night all!



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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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A little more work today... Came up with a good way to support the door, and framed out the door. Looking like I may be able to fire it up next weekend!
20121118_175208.jpg
20121118_175128.jpg
Have a good week all!


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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Made some more progress the last few days... Getting close to wrapping up the outside! Worked on the door tonight, and it's solid... this door will not sag! Tomorrow night the side panels go on and then the wiring starts... A few pics...
20121120_160954.jpg
20121120_162011.jpg
20121120_170606.jpg
20121120_171711.jpg
20121120_170547.jpg
The access door in the main door is 16x16 and will have a 12x12 window in it.... will be able to open the access door to shoot a temperature probe to get an accurate part temperature. Probably fire it up on Saturday, will try to shoot some video when it's working!

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by akpilot »

looking good !!! I built a 4x4x6 oven last year (propane) They are a lot of work but well worth it..
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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It is alive! Hard day in the shop, but it was worth it! Wired everything up, threw the breaker, flipped the switches & off it went! Tired as heck, but here's a few shots...
20121123_201927.jpg
20121123_204039.jpg
20121123_201558.jpg
A little buttoning up tomorrow & it's time to start testing it out!

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by wickedinhere »

R you gonna put some shields over your elements? NIce build.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by kb3gun »

Nice work and attention to detail. How much do you want for it?.... lol
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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Wicked... I may after the Christmas rush is over! I'm building a trolley that will roll in with positive stops so I can't bump the elements... As far as cost, I have about $1600 in the build... for the size and features I built in, I'm guessing it's about $4k or so commercial? The way my old bones feel after building it it feels like about $4k worth! LOL Will post some finished pics of what comes out of it later.


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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by JJsCustomDesigns »

Is that a magnet for your plasma ground? Thats a great idea. Sure beats putting your hand in the crappy water.

Nice oven build. I want one too :lol:
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by plain ol Bill »

JJ I was in Mikes shop a couple of weeks ago and spotted the magnetic ground he is using. It is rated for 300 amps! So - I came home and dug in a cabinet and found an old magnetic clamp off a cheap dial indicator I found at a garage sale years ago and VOILA I had one too. I ran a bunch of 3/8 plate the other day pumping 80 amps in and it never even got warm. Mikes is a little smaller overall than mine but I'm happy.
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Re: Starting a new oven build!

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JJ, I paid $59 for that thing, and a week later I was in Harbor Freight... Guess what I found for $12.00? This:
20121125_165659.jpg
Holds like crazy too! I'm going to pick up a few more just to use for holders and stuff!

Cut, finished and powdercoated like crazy today, and I LOVE this oven! Here's a shot through the window:
20121125_120308.jpg
I'll be posting a few more shots of finished items in the projects thread....

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Re: Starting a new oven build!

Post by JJsCustomDesigns »

Looks like im going to harbor freight. I gotta feeling i better grab the check book. Buy now and beg for forgiveness later. :lol:
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