RogueRose
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Registered: 16-6-2014
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Microwave oven chassis as shell for electric kiln?
I was watching some YT video's and came across some videos of a guy using an electric kiln. It looked like a small oven with bricks on the side and
groves cut maybe 1/3" wide by 1/3" deep wrapping around the entire inside. It looked like spiraled nichrome wire was in the groves although it could
be something else.
So, I have an old microwave chassis sitting around and thought it might work well for this application although I don't know how thick the interior
bricks have to be.
Here are two pics of what it looks like and what I have to work with..
Inside dimensions:
Height 10"
Depth 13.5"
Width 19.75"
 
I'm only concerned about making a door although I think I can use much of the existing door as the hinges are metal and there is a lot of metal
framing onto which insulation bricks could be attached.
I have access to other ovens both larger and smaller, I think the height is of greatest concern IMO. I'm thinking that heating elements will be on
the side and possibly something like aesbestos (no lectures here please, I'm well aware of dangers and how to properly handle it) on the top and then
insulate the top on the outside of the machine on the top to help keep heat in.
Besides heating elements, is there anything else that may be useful in this? Should it have air circulation of some type (either interior only or
fresh air from outside)
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j_sum1
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I think the chassis will be more trouble than it is worth. It will be awkward fitting bricks to the top and to the door so that it opens and closes.
You will have work shaping the bricks. I think you would be better served by building something out of your bricks that bolts together. And then
putting cladding around it if you want to.
OTOH,if you were using a flexible insulation material you might go ok. But you still have to fix the stuff to the top and mount your element somehow.
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violet sin
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I saw a glass anealing oven used by a bead maker. It was a metal tool box lined only with kaowool. Longer, short(height) metal kinda old-timey guy.
The exterior paint was intact after years of use. Had a double quartz tube from a space heater as the heat source.
She used borosillicate glass wound on thin wires and built up layers of color. Though she had mentioned it cost her 1k$ years ago  probably 50$ of ceramic wool, 20$ tool box, parts from a 20-30$ heater and a
thermostat probably ordered from a kiln supply company.
Relatively cheap if made by you, though i wouldnt have payed 1000$ for one made by some one. Food for thought
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