Gun Oven for Curing Coatings

[GZR]

I have a couple of long arms I would like to coat but I don't have an oven I can use to bake the coating.
I suppose I could use Alumahyde II but would prefer something else.

Have any of you built a gun oven?
I have seen plans for several types but before I even think about it I wanted to tap the brain trust.
If you have built one please share your experiences.

 

[Pops]

sounds like something you could do with an old refrigerator and some space heaters.
you could hang the parts inside with coat hangers and turn on a small heater. How much heat do you really need?

Of course you could also get a fan and move the air around like a convection over.

If all else faile you could cook a port loin!

 

[HHB Guns]

You could always buy one from Lauer Custom Weaponry for about $1450. Thats what we did. Just depends on how much you use it. It may justify the expense. Works great.

We also thought about finding a subway store that had an old bread heater we could buy for cheap and put some heat lamps in it.

Henry
HHB Guns
www.hhbguns.com

 

[Schultz]

You could always find a regular oven someones getting rid of and use it. Last time i baked on a finish i used the kitchen oven and the old lady had my but, Her words :x "You stunk up the Da** house!" :shock:

 

[Hamman]

+1 on the old fridge. I helped my uncle make a "jerkarator" out of an old fridge, a hair dryer and some PVC pipe and fittings. We put extra racks in and he made a ton of venison jerky with that thing over the years. He had to fine tune it, i recall that if the hair dryer was set on high it would cook the venison. He had to run it on low and vent the chamber to get it to run cool enough to dry the meat. I imagine with some exhaust pipe and a Tile heat gun one could bake paint, and do it outside in case the contraption caught fire during R&D. I'm begining to ramble a bit so I will sign off but if anyone wants to know more details let me know I will call the Old Fart and see what he thinks. He loves to Tinker and is a wealth of info.

 

[Kazhrei]

sounds like something you could do with an old refrigerator and some space heaters.
you could hang the parts inside with coat hangers and turn on a small heater. How much heat do you really need?

Of course you could also get a fan and move the air around like a convection over.

If all else faile you could cook a port loin!

Ever watch "Good Eats"? He made a smoker one episode macguyver style: cardboard box, hot plate, small cast iron pan (4-6"), and a fan. He went to a cabinet shop and got a bunch of the sawdust and used that for his smoke (untreated of course)

 

[armedpig]

Skiddy biddy ting de bot. Poot d saudust n d pot! Kazhrei, I love your avatar.

 

[Chili]

I used the house oven when I refinished 3 FAL's. Though my Ol' Lady didn't get mad, it does make the house smelly and that could pose an issue for those who suffer breathing issues. The old fridge conversion sounds like a good idea if you plan on doing a lot of refinishing. If it's one or two guns, give your wife some money and let her go shopping for the afternoon. Don't forget to crack a window or two

 

[Hedgedawg]

+1 for "regular" home oven. You can often find 1 (even new) at Habitat ReStore on Sunset across from the chicken plant.

We have donated "scratch-dent" appliances to them that could not be used in new homes. Plus, money spent is for a good cause.

Just keep in mind that you will need to wire in dedicated circuit to your breaker panel.

 

[Schultz]

Never thought about the habitat store I think there's one in Gville.

 

[SCRich]

I know it's a bit old but it's also a popular post all over the internet. I welded a "school locker" out of some steel but kept the bottom open and it's on stilts. I don't have a photo handy right now but I am sure you get the idea. Bolted a couple of magnets to the side so the door would close easy, drilled a hole in the front and installed a BBQ thermomiter. Drilled the top and placed several long shank open eyelet bolts both there and along the sides. I can hang 2 barreled actions and several pistols from the side but you must use caution maintaining the temperature inside.

For heat I use a crab boil pot burner placed under the locker and adjust the heat accordingly. I usually run it really high to pre-heat the steel locker then crank it down when I am ready to place the parts. It also works great for painting too...I'lll preheat the parts and the locker, then shut off the heat. The bolts can be turned easly so when the rifle is in the locker I can airbrush it without worrying about touching it and it keeps dust to a minimum. I let everything flash dry which is quick with pre-heated parts and LET THE CABINET AIR OUT!!! I'd hate to paint with the burner on or with a lot of fumes in there and have a flash over when I re-light it...NOT GOOD!

I owned the burner and the cost for brand new 1/8 cut steel was about $150 5 years ago. I'd highly suggest a old used oven though if all you plan on doing is small parts and handguns.

 

[Machine Gun Jenny]

SC Rich, Sharing trade secrets I see.

 

[SCRich]

SC Rich, Sharing trade secrets I see.

Sorry Ma'm I promise not to do it again just please don't punish me! I swear I won't... :lol:

Would it be better if I edit it and leave the part out about not starting up the burner before airing out the cabinet of paint fumes? :twisted: