Oven Recommendation

[Tod]

Greetings all. I am looking to purchase a heat treat oven and need some suggestions. My shop is in the garage and I only have 110 service. I'd like to buy something big enough for large knives as I mostly do fighters- probably 18" or 24". My budget is $1000.

Recommendations, please.

[Jeff Higgins]

18-24"!!! Thats a sword! LOL just kidding, heh!

Hey Tod, I hate to tell ya, but 14" is the small size for the Paragon and the Evenheat ovens. If you want a longer one, its gonna cost ya, so you might blow your budget. As far as performance, they are abot equal. The Paragon has definitely more complicated, and thusly more flexible controls, while the Evenheat has simpler controls. Check out their websites for more info.

http://www.evenheat-kiln.com/

and

http://www.paragonweb.com/

[Tod]

Unfortunately, both Paragon and EvenHeat require 240V. I don't even have room in my box for another 240 breaker, so I'd have to replace the whole panel, to the tune of another $1000+

Anyone have other suggestions?

[Jeff Higgins]

Tod, I ran a seperate 6-breaker service panel, 30 amps from my main to my shop. The 6-breaker is my shop main. Are you sure you can't find a spot in your main box to put a double-wide 30 amp breaker? This would make all the difference in the world for you, leaving room for future expansion.

[Tod]

Right now my main box is completely full. I'm sharing one 220 breaker between my drier and my KMG - I just don't run both at the same time. This is the problem with having electric everything on a 200 amp panel (electric stove, heater, furnace, drier, etc).

It sounds like I'll have to wait until I can affort to put in a bigger panel. I guess I'll have to go with plan B - the gas forge. I had planned on doing clay differential heat treat eventually anyway.

Right now, I am doing heat treat with a torch and a lot of care, so anything would probably be an improvement. I mostly use O-1 and 1095.

[blademan]

Tod
I Have A Paragon KM14D which is made for the KnifeMakers
And it is an Outstanding Oven, And it uses a 120Volts, But the next step up is 220V. My electric bill has not increased very much by using it, its not like you are running 24-7.

And you will love the digital controller, you can program HT Spec's for a number of steels, Just punch which one you want and it's done. I have the same kind that Ed Fowler Has.

Hope his Helps

James