heat treating furnace which one

farmrbrnboy

Active Member
I am looking at buying a heat treating furnace and need some suggestions. My budget is around $1200. I like forging bigger type blades, ie camp knives and zombie choppers :lol: Maybe eventually short swords. What furnace would you recommend? Paragon, Sugar creek, even heat...others?
 
Sugar Creek is out of business, sorry to say. I held fire just a little too long on going for one of those.

Doug
 
I have a 27" Evenheat with the simple 3 button controller and it's fantastic. It's dead-on in calibration even after 2 years of use and several hundred cycles. It's heavy and needs a very solid and stable bench and definitely takes awhile to cool back down after an austenitizing cycle but is worth every cent. The cost was around $1200, as well. If I remember rightly the shipping was in the $160 range. I picked mine up from Tracy at Usaknifemaker.com.
 
+1 on Evenheat ! I've also got the KF 22.5 with the Rampmaster controller and will HIGHLY recommend it.

I ordered from BossDog and couldn't have been happier with that transaction.

Some things for General info-

My 22.5 will safely fit a 22.5" blade diagonally so their Model number very closely equals the blade length you'll be able to fit inside.

All suppliers offering Evenheats will have them shipped directly from the factory so you won't save money on shipping by ordering from a supplier closer to where you live. The only way I know to save shipping cost is to pick the oven up at the Bladeshow. Shipping to Florida was $90 if my memory serves correctly and the shipping weight was 110#. That has been several years ago so I'd expect shipping to have gone up.

I have used most all the features of the Rampmaster controller and especially like that I can run multiple segement programs to anneal carbon steels or ramp up to a pre-heat soak and then ramp to final temp for stainless.

An oven is one of our Big Ticket tool purchases and it will last a LONG time. (probably outlast us with maintainence). It will also see ALOT of use so for these reasons I would recommend going all-out for the size you want and go for the Rampmaster. This advise was given to me when I was looking to purchase and I followed it with zero regrets about it.

-Josh
 
Rob,

Thanks for the clarification on the stocking distributors. I should have added that at the time I bought my oven all of the big knifemakers supply houses (in the states)told me that each oven was made to order and shipped out from Evenheat's factory. I did not check anywhere other than the Knifemakers suppliers.

I was hoping to pick an oven up off the shelf from Sheffields Knifemakers supply which is about an hour and a half away from me to save that shipping charge but they also order from Evenheat and ship freight from the factory.

Hard to remember exactly how long it's been since I got my oven but I'm guessing over 3 years at least so things may have changed since that time.

Take care Buddy :)

-Josh
 
What are the advantages of the ramp master vs the set pro?


Ive been going ove the same thing because we are very close to ordering a 18" Evenheat with the rampmaster..If Im not mistaken it stores more programs and has several more features like alarm and a full keypad..Evenheat has several videos on youtube of how to program both models..That will give you a good idea.:cool:
 
I have a brand new Even Heath KF18 with a Rampmaster ll on it's way. I paid under a thousand dollars and free shipping!!! I had purchased a Sugarcreek but just sold it since they went out of business. Should have bought my first choice to begin with!!
 
I have an Evenheat with a three button controller. It's an older and smaller model than most everyone elses, but when I can afford it, a new larger Evenheat will be my choice. I can't say enough about their customer service department. I highly recommend these folks!
 
I notice that everyone goes with the KF series but I saw they also have a KO series which goes to 2400 degrees, as opposed to the 2200 for the KF. Is there any reason that the higher maximum temperature would be needed? I'm thinking if I'm gonna cry, I don't want to ever find out I SHOULD have spent an extra hundred or so for the KO!
 
I bought the KO recently, and for the same reason you mentioned. Some are now saying that the stainless steels like M390 need to go up to 2150. I would kick myself if next year a great steel comes out that requires 2200+ degrees. Buy once, cry once. I may never need it, but it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I guess it's because I've cheaped-out many times in the past and regretted it.

Lance
 
Back
Top