Cerakote Ovens

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I know that there are some discussions have been posted on LRH on purchasing Cerakote ovens or doing a DYI.
We did the DYI years ago and ended selling it when we sold the rest of our equipment. Since then we purchased the materials to build another one, but purchased a Light Armor LA2500B with several of their options instead of doing another DYI.
Our question is has anyone else purchased a "Light Armor Oven" or other model since last year?
Just wanted to see how you like it.
Thanks
Len & Jill

 

[Darryle]

If you can construct a insulated box, this with a heat lamp bulb will give you control over the temperature easily. A simple indirect heat shield will prevent hot spots.

An offset smoker that can be found on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist will get you a jump on the construction.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

If you can construct a insulated box, this with a heat lamp bulb will give you control over the temperature easily. A simple indirect heat shield will prevent hot spots.

An offset smoker that can be found on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist will get you a jump on the construction.

View attachment 459991

We built a really nice oven some years ago with metal cabinet , insulated it and had Thermostats, heating elements, fans, PID controllers. I might have posted the build somewhere. Then sold it to a guy that need one really bad and bought all new components to build another one. But ended up with "Light Armor" ovens THEY "Rock it" and all you have to do is plug them in. Everything we have in our shop from the floor epoxy paint to the LED lights is High Tech.

 

[Kmccord]

I have purchased the LA2500B last year, I added the fan unit and I am in the process of putting steel rollers on it. I used a furniture dolly under it to make it mobile. I turned it on and let it cook for 15 minutes and noticed the bottom getting a little hotter than I would like with a wooden dolly and carpet. So, I will make a steel frame and add metal rollers to move it around.

 

[Cottonfield]

I have the Light Armor oven also. I still use my first oven which I built myself but I love the LA oven

 

[bill123]

Light Armor is an awesome oven.

 

[DukeHarley]

Have you guys ever done any knife blades? I'm a knifemaker and had some CeraKote done on a knife and it ended up costing $80 and I'd like to offer it more but most customers don't wanna pay the extra.
So I'd like to start doing it at home. I had up til this thread given up on offering CeraKote.

Any tip of advice on what I'd need as far as an oven for knife blades. Coming across this thread was a good start.

Don't mean to high jack the thread but it got me thinking about doing it at home.

 

[Kmccord]

I would think a small counter top oven would work, unless you are doing sword blades, the LA2500B is way to big for something that is small.

 

[DukeHarley]

No just blades from paring knife size up to say a 10" oal length. Just like the pic of one I had done not to long ago.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Have you guys ever done any knife blades? I'm a knifemaker and had some CeraKote done on a knife and it ended up costing $80 and I'd like to offer it more but most customers don't wanna pay the extra.
So I'd like to start doing it at home. I had up til this thread given up on offering CeraKote.

Any tip of advice on what I'd need as far as an oven for knife blades. Coming across this thread was a good start.

Don't mean to high jack the thread but it got me thinking about doing it at home.

Unless you are doing large swords, just get a used oven with a "Convection Fan" already in it. You can pick them up for a few hundred $$$.

 

[parshal]

That oven looks fantastic. Had I not bought a warming oven from my neighbor for $150 I'd have bought one. He was a former caterer and had it in his barn. It's about the same size and has casters.

 

[ntsqd]

For a DIY oven I'd think that the PID contrtoller mentioned in the thread about salt bath case neck annealing would work very well and not be too expensive.

I don't know how much heat it would take, would something like this, repurposed in an insulated box, be enough?

 

[blacktail 8541]

I use a stack on gun cabinet that I insulated, added a secondary inner wall to protect the insulation and a bbq heating element with a PID controler. I have been using it for a few years and it has preformed great,

 

[osok-1k]

I've been using Cerakote for about 15 years, I bought a counter top convection oven / toaster that I use for small parts and even complete 1911 pistols. I move the rack to the top position and make my own hangers of differing lengths and configurations to accommodate just about anything that will fit in the oven It has a fan, good temp control and a timer. I simply rack everything, set the temp and timer and go do something else. I do have a larger Veronesi oven for rifles and longer items but for knives and smaller projects I use the convection oven and it uses way less energy.