Model Engine Maker

Help! => Tooling Review => Topic started by: tangler on April 10, 2014, 10:40:29 PM

Title: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: tangler on April 10, 2014, 10:40:29 PM
Now it may be because I spent all my working life as a (sort of) metallurgist but I have been feeling the need for a heat treatment kiln (furnace, muffle) call it what you will.  I've followed a few on ebay but finally plumped for this mostly because it has a PID controller, which most of the 2nd hand ones don't:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310922375462 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310922375462)

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/f1_zps2a2afd23.jpg)

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/f2_zpsaf5319a8.jpg)

It goes up to 1000C (1832F).  Temperature control is surprisingly good.  I had it up to 900C and then came down in 50C steps to try and anneal an iron casting with some hard spots.  Temp stabilised quickly at +/- 1 degree.  Should be fine for heat treating BeCu and hardening and tempering tool steel.  Turn it on its side and I reckon I could get a crucible of aluminium in there, big enough for casting pistons or aero engine bits.

I took some time to decide on this: the company are based in London, it's made in the UK (although I am sure many of the bits are imported) but it seems clear that English is not their native tongue.  Nevertheless, I am pleased with the kiln and they have some other interesting stuff on their web site.

Cheers,

Rod
Title: Re: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: stevehuckss396 on April 10, 2014, 11:45:37 PM
Thats pretty nice. Should come in real handy.
Title: Re: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: Tjark on April 11, 2014, 08:37:17 AM
This is a beauty.
Can you program it in time curves with a special temperature ?
This would be very handy for heath treatment off aluminum.

   Tjark.
Title: Re: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: Jo on April 11, 2014, 08:50:03 AM
Using that will keep the workshop warm  :LittleDevil:

Jo
Title: Re: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: tangler on April 11, 2014, 09:10:11 AM
This is a beauty.
Can you program it in time curves with a special temperature ?
This would be very handy for heath treatment off aluminum.

   Tjark.

Sadly, no.  The ability to programme a ramp to control the cooling rate would be very useful.  None of the cheap PID controllers I've seen on eBay seem to have this function.

Rod
Title: Re: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: Ramon Wilson on April 11, 2014, 10:47:40 AM
Very nice purchase Rod  :ThumbsUp: and a very useful addition to the shop.

I have a nice little oven too but a truly antiquated and 'Heath Robinson' controller - so much so that I've never had the courage to use it  ::)

Hardness tester next ?  ;)

Regards - Ramon


Title: Re: Heat Treatment Kiln
Post by: tangler on April 11, 2014, 11:07:26 AM
Weeeell, Dave Lammas did a hardness tester design in Model Engineer and the castings are available from Blackgates....... :facepalm2:
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