specs for a large oven

[datadawg]

hello everyone, I am new to the PCing and i have decide to take the plunge and get into PCing on a hobby basis in the next couple of weeks. I have read most of the post here and i wanto say thanks for all the great info. I love forums like this, it gives newbies (like my self) and vets to share info, ideas, and most of important, lessons learned. I find them invaluable.

What I want to do is build an oven big enough to cure my current project, a '61 Fordson Super Major diesel farm tractor with a loader and backhoe attachments. At first I planned on painting the tractor and only PCing the smaller parts but after reading the posts on building an oven i have decided that I'll PC the whole thing.

I am finishing building the blast booth right now and already have a metal shell that I am going to make into a smaller oven, 3'x3'x3'. The larger oven needs to be 4'h x4'w x10'l in order to handle the larger pieces such as the frame, loader and hoe arms.

My idea so far is to build the oven outside under my deck (that we don't use) to help shelter it from the weather. Use metal studs to frame it, insulate with fiberglass batts, use sheet metal on the inside (I am pricing the metal now so i don't know what gauge yet), and place corragated metal roofing on the outside (have some left from building my shed). I have also thought about putting a overhead track/trolley system, that i found in the dump pile at the back of the property when we bought the house (its sometimes good to hang onto junk), in to help with loading and unloading the large parts.

My main question is how to heat it. I found use electric infrared garage heaters for $155 each with shipping but i think i can get a hold of a couple of gas furances for free that I could rob the burners out of and modify them to fit the booth size and place a diffuser plate above them to keep any stray powder from contacting the flame. I read a post here somewhere (they start blending to gather after awhile) that someone had done this and used pipe to extend the burners. Will this be my best bet? I so how far apart do i make the holes and how big of a hole. I am on a budget but I am willing to spend alittle money to do it right.

I orginially planned on getting a infrared lamp or two and cure the pieces section by section but I don't have the paitents to monitor things that close, i would rather build an oven and be done with it. I have other projects down the road that would require an oven this big, as well as friends and family that might have a use for it. PCing a car sounds interesting.

Should the interior metal be insulated from the metal studs as not to creat a thremal bridge between the inner and outter layers?

What size fan do i need to circulate the air?

Anything else i am missing or need to consider?

Any addtional ideas are more than welcome.

Once the tractor is done i am building a new garage that is twice the size of my house and i would move the oven inside and give it a permanent home.

As for the smaller oven, I figured on using two electric elements out of a kitchen oven as that seems to be the norm and pretty straight forward.

I know it is a long post and that us newbies can be a pain in the ass but i really do appreicate any help. After building the two ovens and tweaking them i would be willing to share my experiences and photos for anyone who would be interested.

Thanks for everything,
DataDawg

[robsrod]

That will be a good sized oven. I have a 8'x8'x10' Oven, electric 10-Oven elements 30k watts. You may want to be careful putting the unit outside though. Water and Electric don't get along very well.

As for the small oven two elements should heat it just fine. As long as it is insulated well. You need to use high temp Insulation, Mineral Wool or something similar. I used a high temp Duct board on the inside of the Oven to prevent heat transfer through the steel studs.

You will also need to be able to control the Heat in the Ovens. I used two Oven Thermostats for this, each controlling a contactor which controls 5 elements.

Good Luck.

[pickleboy]

hey robsrod could you post pics of your oven i am currently designing one that is 4x4x8 and would like to see how yours is set up. thanks bro.

[robsrod]

Here you go. Try this.

http://forum.********co.com/showthre...=3385#post3385

[robsrod]

Oven Pics...

[robsrod]

More Pics.....

[pickleboy]

thanks bro if possible could you send me some of the electric specs on that monster. i think mine is going to be about half that size but i am still concerned as to power needed vs service i have at home. i may have to look for a building with 3 phase. also how long for heat up.

[robsrod]

I had to have a seperate 400 amp service installed to my shop. The Oven has 30k watts and heat to 400 deg. in about 10-15 minutes from cold. I have two 90 amp breakers feeding two contactors that control the oven.

[datadawg]

RobsRod, what did you use for the inside? It looks like foil covered fiberboard, the same as they use for heat ducts.

If i use sheet metal for the inside, what gauge should i use? I priced 22guage and it is about $27 for a 4x8 sheet. That is too much for my wallet right now.

[Popeye]

22 ga is about as light as I'd want to go..
Check around for a local HVAC.. Heating/Plumbing supply house. Lots of times they have 2nd's.. sheets that have the ends curled or some that got wet.
I've bought skids of 18ga before at $5 a sheet.