Need help building a cheap oven. 2'x3'x6'

[parkergolden]

Ok so I have been lurking a bit trying to find information on oven building. I came across this oven design Home

Its around the size I would like to make mine but the price might be a tad bit of a problem. I would imagine that insulation would not be 60$ and i could salvage some from something. The sheet metal looks a little pricy as well and i was thinking i could probably cut some corners buy using hardi backerboard or whatever for the outside. The problem about the backerboard for the outside for me would seem to be building the oven out of both. As for all of the electrical components and lights could i salvage those from ovens?

I would like to build this as cheap as possible without having to buy too much stuff. Does anyone have any input on building one this size as cheap as possible? I Believe its a 2'x3'x6

Thanks for reading.

[ed_denu]

Good planning is the key to an oven build. I'm not sure what area of the country you are in, but I would first do some basic research on material cost. I recently priced 24 ga galvanized sheet for $30(4X10). HD sells unfaced insulation for around $30 for 75 sq ft. Metal studs and tracks are around $3 for an 8' section. You might find that metal sheet isn't much more expensive than the hardi board.

Sketch a basic plan and determine the material required. Then make some phone calls to get pricing.

An oven this size would need around 5-6K watts of heating. You might be able to salvage oven components, but as I've mentioned previously the problem is determining their capacities.

[mixedbikes]

Built mine on top of an existing stove/oven.

[Zigeuner]

Ok so I have been lurking a bit trying to find information on oven building. I came across this oven design Home

Its around the size I would like to make mine but the price might be a tad bit of a problem. I would imagine that insulation would not be 60$ and i could salvage some from something. The sheet metal looks a little pricy as well and i was thinking i could probably cut some corners buy using hardi backerboard or whatever for the outside. The problem about the backerboard for the outside for me would seem to be building the oven out of both. As for all of the electrical components and lights could i salvage those from ovens?

I would like to build this as cheap as possible without having to buy too much stuff. Does anyone have any input on building one this size as cheap as possible? I Believe its a 2'x3'x6

Thanks for reading.

Hello,

I saw that website in 2005 and built an oven of that size using his dimensions, wiring diagram and basic information. I didn't have access to sheet metal bending equipment so I built it out of steel 2X4" studs for the base and 2X2X2" 16 ga. "C" channels that I had bent by a friend. Using these shapes, I built a framework and designed it so that it bolts together with 3/8-16" bolts through steel tubes brazed in to add strength where the bolts go in.

For insulation, I used 2" of rockwool instead of using the formed fiberslass that the site showed because I couldn't locate any in my area. I followed his design for the electricals, although he didn't specify wire size. I used four elements from an appliance store and installed two lights.

I could probably have saved some money had I found this site earlier. I've got about $1,200 in mine since I was working at the time and had no time to scrounge for cheap deals so everything was bought over the telephone. I'm sure I could probably have done it for half that using surplus materials but, unfortunately steel has nearly doubled in price since I built mine so it's up to the builder where to save money. It took me four years to complete it working on it part time, since I spent a year getting well from a broken leg in the interim.

The only suggestion that I can offer to save money is to buy all used electrical elements from a used appliance repair station and do all of the scrounging you can for sheet metal. The rockwool insulation for mine was only $42.50 for a single bundle and fiberglass would have been less expensive so that's not going to be the expensive part. The metal is the costly element for an oven. I went to a custom sheet metal shop and had the materials cut to a plan. They fit perfectly and there was no waste on my end. I avoided and cuts and lacerations that way, although it was far more expensive than locating used stuff.

The 2X3X6' size is very nice. I have wheels on mine and it rolls out of the way when not in use. I have a 6 ga. cable with 4 wires to plug into my electrical panel in my shop and it's pulling about 50 amps. I recently bought a 4 pole contactor to replace the 2 pole one shown in the site so that I'm pulling only about 25 amps per contact whe under operation.

The oven keeps its temperature fairly constant although I do like to tinker so I'll eventually change to a PID with a K-type thermocouple.

I've tested it on smaller items with good success so far. My first big job will be the mower deck on a Honda Harmony riding mower that I'm restoring. It's 32" in diameter and it will ride in on the lower trolley to be powdercoated.

This site will be very helpful to you. There are some really good suggestions to be found here.

Here are some pictures of my oven.

Framework:




Outside view of the completed oven:




Good luck.

[hurricaneracing]

From looking at the size you want let me tell you what I did for my first oven.

Started with an old freezer. and an oven from the dump. I pulled all the plastic trim and door panel from the freezer and replaced it with Aluminum roof flashing from a local hardware store and used the original seal. Stripped the iven of the elements and electronics and mounted them. This took about a day and maybe 100.00 total. It dosnt sound like much but I used this oven for over a year with great results.

[bikerdad46]

Built mine on top of an existing stove/oven.

Hello Mixedbikes
What have you got on the outside of your oven? Is that OSB (chip board)?
If so. How does it handle the heat that transfere through the insulation?
bikerdad46

[mixedbikes]

Rock wool, and have had the oven to nearly 500 degrees, with rock wool temp less than 100 to the touch.

[bikerdad46]

Rock wool, and have had the oven to nearly 500 degrees, with rock wool temp less than 100 to the touch.

So you havn't put an outside skin on the oven.
bikerdad46

[AntaresArms]

mixedbikes - Why is the door so large or what sits above the top portion?

[mixedbikes]

have not skinned the outside with anything yet. The door is the full length of the oven, but there is a drop in removable partition so when doing small parts I only need to heat half the oven. Works well so far