Oven Build

[Wilsoncs3980]

Hi guys,
I'm in the need for an oven that would be suitable for curing coated gun parts. I'd like to be able to do a barrel with the receiver attached so I need something long and narrow. At least 32" long. Gun parts are pretty small but a regular kitchen oven isn't big enough. My max temp would be about 400 deg. F. I want to do something cheap and easy.

Heres my ideal. Any obvious reasons why this wouldnt work?

I was thinking about buying 2 metal drums. 1 standard 55 gallon drum and one 110 gallon salvage drum. Salvage drums are made to put regular sized leaking drums inside of them. I was thinking of taking a 55 gallon drum and wrapping it with insulation and placing it in 110 gallon drum. Mounting the appropriate heating elements and a thermo couple inside the 55. Glue some insulation to the lid with a handle that uses the standard locking ring and I should be ready to rock. Is there something I missing here? I was thinking of adding a small circulating fan also.

Thanks for your help. Unless someone can tell me why I should do this I'm going to give it a try. I'd be glad to post some pictures of my build. I'll be lurking on around to find help with how to size my elements and quick and dirty controls.

Thanks for your input fellas.

Chris,

[captez]

I am building one but if I might have bought one ready made from Ted's
3
3'x3'x4' for $1675.00

[Wilsoncs3980]

Got a quote from him but I'm not doing this to make money so I'm trying to keep my cost under 400.00.

[SCOTTRODS]

Sounds like you are destined to do the "Pregnant oven" thing then.

Look that up on search and maybe some really cool ideas will emerge for you,.... all under your 400 bucks.

Once you see one, you'll understand. There are pics too.

Good luck and enjoy.

[captez]

I am building mine out of old stainless cooler 4'x5'x28" inside; 3-2750 watt and will have about$400 in it

[Wilsoncs3980]

Here are some pictures from my solid works assembly of what I'm thinking about. I think I'd like to keep this oven running on 110 but I could go to 220 if its necessary. This oven is about 8 cubic feet and I'd like to heat it up to about 650 deg. F. using 3 or 4 range top stove burners mounted in the bottom. I want a circulating and exhasut fan also. I'm going to contact a guy here on the forum about building me a controller.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/70482222@N00/3912393161/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70482222@N00/3912393137/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70482222@N00/3913177214/

[ed_denu]

Getting an 8 cf oven to 650 degrees on a 15-20 amp, 120 volt circuit may be expecting a little too much. You would be limited to around 1500 watts on a 15 amp circuit and slightly more on a 20 amp.

If you have the ability to install a 240 volt circuit you could probably heat this area with a 15 amp/240 volt circuit fairly easily(2500 watts).

The oven barrel construction would work, but you may want to reconsider and look at the pregnant oven design that was suggested earlier. It would certainly be easier to construct, and ovens can often be obtained for free or nearly free.

[FigureLLC]

our first oven was made from a 4-drawer filing cabinet free from craigslist. i cut out the drawer supports, turned it upside down and used a donor natural gas oven (also free from CL) and swapped it to propane. the only things i bought were 25ga metal studs (attached those to the outside of the oven), a blower, a digital temp readout and thermocouple, fiberglass insulation, 22ga galvanized sheet for the outer walls, and an LP hose. the size and shape are perfect for guns (roughly 48x25x13 internal dims).

[Wilsoncs3980]

I think I'm going to switch gears on this oven build. I found the plans on here for a gun cabinet conversion to oven build. I can get a stack on gun cabinet from walmart for 98.00, add some duct board insulation and I should be golden. We have an industrial oven down on the shop floor thats being scrapped out so I'm going to grab the elements and controls out of it. That oven goes to 500 degs F on 110 and the interior area should be similar, if not I'll switch over to 220. Its stupid, I can salvage parts from the work oven but can't have the oven to take home. The dimension don't work for me anyways so no big deal.

[FigureLLC]

I think I'm going to switch gears on this oven build. I found the plans on here for a gun cabinet conversion to oven build. I can get a stack on gun cabinet from walmart for 98.00, add some duct board insulation and I should be golden. We have an industrial oven down on the shop floor thats being scrapped out so I'm going to grab the elements and controls out of it. That oven goes to 500 degs F on 110 and the interior area should be similar, if not I'll switch over to 220. Its stupid, I can salvage parts from the work oven but can't have the oven to take home. The dimension don't work for me anyways so no big deal.

on a 15A plug?