I'm looking to buy or build an oven that I can bake some rifles in. I've done shotguns and a couple AR-15s in the kitchen stove, but I need something longer for bolt rifles. Even if I pull the barrel, it still won't fit in the kitchen stove; 20" is the maximum corner to corner length available.
Thanks.

lawndart

Look for a used restraunt equipment supply, in your area. Commercial ovens are much bigger with slightly higher temp range.

I have one in my kitchen and just measured 23" diagonally.

If your looking for something longer find somebody with a sheet metal brake and use 12 guage steel, and custom bend up a dual wall enclosure, then weld or rivet it together. ( probably going to need to weld to fabricate a door anyway). Make sure you put insulation between the layers, seems it comes in sheets about 1/2 thick. I want to say abestos but I know that is something new nowdays. Then get a gas burner, and a propane bottle. On a long skinny oven you could use two shorter burners, on a single control valve. If your not looking for too much heat the parts from a BBQ grill would get you real close, after you got your enclosure built.

How much heat do you need? Are you doing bake on teflon finsihes?

Good ideas, thanks. There are plenty of welders around here. Some are even skilled at their job.

I will only need 400 degrees F. I will be baking on moly based products. The underlying metal will be hard anodized or parkerized, as appropriate. That gives more "bite" to the coating. I have used the moly product made by Sandstrom in the past. You mix it 50/50 with a spray solvent made of 1/3 Denatured alcohol, 1/3 MEK, and 1/3 Toluene (in a well ventilated area).
I think I will give the Gun Kote product a try. Hell, it is probably pretty similar to what I have used in the past.

lawndart

Go to Home Depot or the like and buy a 4' section of galvanized stove pipe and a slip-in lid. You can rig a hanger on the inside of the lid. I poked a hole midway up mine to stick a casting thermometer. I put the whole thing standing up on a piece of plate on my Coleman camp stove and let'r rip. Best done in the garage as a stong wind will keep you from reaching 400 degrees. Also, make sure you have lateral support or you'll be doing it all over again! I quit painting before I tried this but I was going to get a 6" flanges A/C flex hose adapter at same Home Depot for a base.

Slick.

I could do it on the lee side of the house.

lawndart

Thanks for the ideas on this project as I too want to coat several rifles and one handgun; plan on using gunkote and duracoat products to achieve (hopefully) a flat black, fairly weather resistant finish - thanks again - KMule

Call or email Brownells. At one time at least, they were going to put together a booklet of the "gunsmith kinks" type ovens folks had come up with. Sort of a Field Expedient Baking Lacquer Oven Booklet.

Haven't heard anymore about it but it wouldn't hurt to ask 'em.

Joe.

I knew a guy that rigged up an old gym locker with insulation on the outside and heating elements from a toaster oven. Worked for him.

lawndart -

If you just want to bake on some coatings, try this site for do it yourself:

DIY Gun Baker

I've seen it in action, seems to work well.

Gentlemen

I have a Brinkman gas grill, that’s about 26" across the top. I left all three burners on high the other day for about twenty minutes. (The time it took me to eat a couple of dear burgers) When I went back out it was right at 500 degrees. That should cure the claps much less some gun paint. Plus when you get through cooking your guns and they turn out ok you can throw on a celebratory steak. I like dual use tools.

Shawn

I was able to Gun Kote in my oven, a 24" barrel screwed into a R700 receiver. I had to take yout the racks and go from upper left front to lower right back but it fit. If I had to do something bigger I'd make something like a half box that could rest on the open oven door and extend into the kitchen. I'd make it out of "stove board" which is that sheet metal covered asbestos substitute stuff. I'd seal the seam by stuffing fiberglass insulation around it. Then you can still use the thermostat on the oven.

If you want something really versatile, get yourself a copy of the book "Ill' Bertha" by David J. Gingery from Lindsay Books (and other places). Bertha is an electric casting furnace, but because of the range of tempratures, it can also be used for heat treating too. I was starting to build one but managed to pick up a cheap but small oven on ebay.

Kory

This is a design used by a gentleman I have had some dealings with on another board. This is some pipe, a cake pan, a plow disk and thermometer - all pretty inexpensive stuff he had laying around out in the barn. He uses a fish cooker as a heat source and claims it works wonderfully.

there's a white insulation board sold at lumber yards in 4'x8'x1/4" sheets, I'm looking at some leaning against the wall right now- it's a bit brittle and can be cut with a table, circular or jig saw. fill the sides of a long, narrow, rectangular angle iron frame, add a stove element, a thermostat, some sort of ceramic pieces to hold the work and you're there.

lotta nice designs in this thread.

This is all good stuff.

For the price of one send out job I can build a stove and get all the supplies I need.

God knows there are plenty of worn out plow discs around these parts.

lawndart