How To convert an old stove to a Powder Coating Oven
 

Here is how I converted an old stove to a Powder Coating Oven.

I had that stove now sitting for some time. First disassembly and cleaning, prep. for Paint.

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I'm using engine enamel paint just to be on the safe side. The main parts will be red.

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Door and the front section will be silver.

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Adding a little bit of details just for fun.

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Two of the heating plates, will be deleted, to keep it simple. Too many switches and cables.

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Now I have only 2 connectors left for the heating plates

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I tested the 2 elements which I left, and they all work.

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No worries, it's not bend. Just the picture.

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Now I got 2 holes with the heating plates removed. What can I do with the holes.

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I had a nice piece of table top left over from the desk I converted to a drawer only piece. This makes a nice cover when the oven is not in use.

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After the first time I put some pieces in the oven, I noticed that the temperature control of the coating oven was really bad. I had to watch it all the time.

So I did some enhancements. Added a PID digital controller, a better thermocouple, and Solid state relay.

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Now the oven keeps the temperature within 2 Deg F.

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I had to modify the back panel to make some space for the PID. I just cut out a piece of the panel, and riveted in another piece of galvanized sheet metal.

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This is how I wired the PID, Solid state Relay, and the on/off switch for the controller. I removed the original TC and disabled the baking switch, and kept the broil switch as on/off switch for the heating element.

Please note that this is how I wired it, do your own wiring at your own risk.

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Cheers
Engelbert

You are the Man!
 

That is so cool. Do you line the oven with anything like ceramic tiles like for a pizza or bread oven to further stabilize the heat or is you hot-rodded controller all that's needed? Well done. I am so envious!

It looked like a nice little project until: "So I did some enhancements. Added a PID digital controller, a better thermocouple, and Solid state relay." -- now it's WAY cool! Nice job.

All that's left is to wrap the handle in leather, and replace the knobs with billet aluminum ones. Maybe add a few VDO gauges. ;)

Do you do beer fridges too? :?

I did a project very similar to this. I had a cadet onboard so this was a great project to use him with. Lots of skills taught in this one, lol. I wanted a larger over so I took the guts out of a commercial over and put them in to a upright cabinet. The outside was wrapped in 1 inch ceramic insulation then wrapped in sheet metal. The oven took about 40mins to heat up to 500 Deg. Some stove pipe was slip rolled out of 18 gauge sheet and welded up. We used a small inline fan to give it some convection action. The outside metal was slightly warm to touch but still fairly cool considering. Worked out well. I will probably make another one here in the the next year. Maybe a 12 inches deeper this time. That would allow just about anything to be baked. Keep it controlled with basic knobs and a thermostat for simplicity of use. Wish I thought about the PID controller.

Love the oven Engelbert!!!!

Nice work and you even used my PID of choice.

If looks are not an issue and you have lots to coat or bigger parts like A arms can't fit in a standard oven you can make a nice large coating oven from inexpensive foil lined foam insulation board taped together with metal foil tape. Heat with 2 heating elements stripped from an old over and use the T stat to control the heat. When you are done you can simply fold the foam panels flat and store it away.
I spray the parts right in the foam box. I stick a small fan in an open section in the back with a cheap AC filter over it to catch most of the overspray. This is handy as I don't have to move and risk disturbing the coating before it is cooked.

More good ideas, Thanks !

Yes, I plan one more enhancement on this one. I plane to make a box to put on front, when the door is down, so I can hang longer parts in it.

ducatithunder, these are nice ventilation pipes. I like the welding construction. To make your oven bigger, you could just extend the front section.

Cheers
Engelbert

I built a 5'x3x3 oven over the winter, really not that hard if you can follow instructions. I think my total cost was somewhere around $300.
It has made life a lot easier.

Can also be used for bluing or browning projects. I used one on my .50 cal. Hawken half stock rifle project. Could have used Vice's plans to eliminate the 0 mark around barrel. Oven wasn't big enough to do the entire barrel at one time.

Lots of mad skilz here!