Hi fellow makers
As the title says I am looking for some guidance from those that have gone down the home HT oven path. I am located in Australia and importing a HT oven is very expensive coupled with low Australian dollar. We do have a local supplier of knife making equipment and they do a great job selling the Paragon kilns but by the time they get them here, cover costs and add a little profit they are out of my reach unfortunately (over $2,400USD for the models I am looking at).
I have been getting all I need together to build my own but an opportunity has just come up that could change this tactic. I have a colleague who is moving from the US back to Australia this year and potentially could bring an oven back along with their household items so in essence shipped free. This means that a HT oven could be landed here around $1400USD and puts it into the realms of possibility.
in terms of what I think I would need in a HT oven is my blades are stainless and mostly folders but on occasion fixed blades in the smaller category and 240v is standard here. Looking at what seems to be available from the "usual suspects" a Paragon 14inch model would do most of my blades but the 18 inch single barrel model would ensure I have all bases covered or the equivalent LB18 from evenheat. I also see Jen Ken have a "fibre front loader" in 18 inch which looks very interesting especially the roof mounted quartz rod coils. Whilst I know plenty rave about the TAP controller my use probably means that is nice but no needed and a lower cost controller would be fine.
So I guess my question really is - given that I could fund a bought oven and I have never made a DIY oven would you recommend against going with a shop bought version? And if a shop bought version would there be any reason you feel that the Jen Ken would not be as good or better than the Paragon?
The Jen Ken is wider and taller which would potentially assist in giving more utility for other metal working projects but primarily this is a HT kiln for knives. I don't make a lot of knives and is a luxury purchase for me rather than a need but I know not being able to HT a blade quickly and easily myself is holding me back (it is normal for me to wait a month to get a blade HT'd).
Sorry for the long post but I hope to hear some thoughts from guys who may have been through similar thoughts before.
Ian
As the title says I am looking for some guidance from those that have gone down the home HT oven path. I am located in Australia and importing a HT oven is very expensive coupled with low Australian dollar. We do have a local supplier of knife making equipment and they do a great job selling the Paragon kilns but by the time they get them here, cover costs and add a little profit they are out of my reach unfortunately (over $2,400USD for the models I am looking at).
I have been getting all I need together to build my own but an opportunity has just come up that could change this tactic. I have a colleague who is moving from the US back to Australia this year and potentially could bring an oven back along with their household items so in essence shipped free. This means that a HT oven could be landed here around $1400USD and puts it into the realms of possibility.
in terms of what I think I would need in a HT oven is my blades are stainless and mostly folders but on occasion fixed blades in the smaller category and 240v is standard here. Looking at what seems to be available from the "usual suspects" a Paragon 14inch model would do most of my blades but the 18 inch single barrel model would ensure I have all bases covered or the equivalent LB18 from evenheat. I also see Jen Ken have a "fibre front loader" in 18 inch which looks very interesting especially the roof mounted quartz rod coils. Whilst I know plenty rave about the TAP controller my use probably means that is nice but no needed and a lower cost controller would be fine.
So I guess my question really is - given that I could fund a bought oven and I have never made a DIY oven would you recommend against going with a shop bought version? And if a shop bought version would there be any reason you feel that the Jen Ken would not be as good or better than the Paragon?
The Jen Ken is wider and taller which would potentially assist in giving more utility for other metal working projects but primarily this is a HT kiln for knives. I don't make a lot of knives and is a luxury purchase for me rather than a need but I know not being able to HT a blade quickly and easily myself is holding me back (it is normal for me to wait a month to get a blade HT'd).
Sorry for the long post but I hope to hear some thoughts from guys who may have been through similar thoughts before.
Ian