powdercoating

[Diedrich]

ok i would like to start doing a lil powdercoating myself but i dont have the money to buy a big oven..do all yall have the great big ovens or what do yall use? tell me what would be good to start off with..thanks

[CHAUNCY]

I got an electric oven off of ebay and it works great. I can fit everything except bars, steering stem, and other big parts. It works great!

[Woodsrider]

I have a kitchen oven, and I built a 31 cubic foot oven that cost me less than $150 to build.

[K_Fulk]

I bought a regular kitchen oven at the salvation army store for 20 bucks. But its not big enough anyone else have on ideas on how to make a oven?
I was thinking of buying a old freezer taking out the plastic inside and replacing it with sheet metal with insulation under it. And putting in the elements from my other oven. Or hooking a thermostat up to a reddy heater and firing it with that? I dont know?

[Woodsrider]

Originally posted by K_Fulk
I bought a regular kitchen oven at the salvation army store for 20 bucks. But its not big enough anyone else have on ideas on how to make a oven?
I was thinking of buying a old freezer taking out the plastic inside and replacing it with sheet metal with insulation under it. And putting in the elements from my other oven. Or hooking a thermostat up to a reddy heater and firing it with that? I dont know?

thats what I did;) 31 cubic foot:D

[K_Fulk]

:D So im on the right track. Do you have pictures of it you could email me? If you dont mind.

[Woodsrider]

no I don't but I intend to get some next time I am out at the shop. LOL every one is asking. If you get an older freezer, it will already have the metal liner. I lined mine with Hardibacker underlayment. 1/4 inch will be sufficient.

You may be onto something with the t-stat on a reddy-heater. it may be easier than every thing I went through to get mine right.

[K_Fulk]

I also have easy access to natural gas and propane burners and have some expierience with them at work.

If i took a freezer cut a 4 inch whole in the end at the bottom for the burner tube and mounted up a thermostat, it would be real similar to our pig cookers at work. That would probly work good too and it wouldnt cast as much as electric if you run your demand way up.

[anywhereEx]

K_FULK that was my original thoughts but I was still worried about over/under heating. I have 3 100lb tanks here at my house so that would make a easy start:D

I guess the biggest ? would be how to set the thermostat up so that you can get a constant temp.

[K_Fulk]

I would mount the t-stat on top along the side.

As for the overheating, If you use a tube and a burner you could put a angled piece of metal over the tube a few inches above it . Thats what we did with our pig cookers so the grease wouldnt fall on the tube and catch on fire, but it may not be necessary for powder coating.
One of those burners would heat it up pretty quick and then it would shut the thermostat off.

[K_Fulk]

If i get one of the burners for my project i can take pictures of the thermostat and how it will be set up

[anywhereEx]

My concern is the cook time. Would the freezer adiquatly keep a 400 degree temp for the required times on propane. I would run the deflectors any way just to be safe.

[K_Fulk]

As long as there isnt any plastic i think it would be ok, Freezers are insulated pretty good if it will keeps stuff cold it will keep stuff hot, (After we are done cooking chicken or ribs at work we just throw them in igloo coolers and they will stay warm for a long time)
I'm sure you can buy the strips they use for oven doors and use it on the freezer door ,

Figuring out how to hang parts is what i think will be the hardest part. Any one got ideas on that?

[anywhereEx]

I actually have 2.

1) you could run 2-3 peices of 1/2" round stock through it and make it to where they have handles on one side so that you could slide them out for big parts

2) or turn the freezer on its side so that the door would open tward the floor and run a few pieces of round stock from one end to the other(easier for a 1 person operation with big parts) at the top and just drill holes for it to go through on each end. This would really be nice if you put the chest style freezer on a stand.

[Diedrich]

good ideas...yall try these out and tell me how good they work

[anywhereEx]

:D see how it is