DIY heat treatment oven || RotarySMP

[@melgross]

Thanks!

[@RotarySMP]

Thank you for your support and generousity Mel. I appreciate that.

[@christopherbill8537]

Man, that label printer is the un-sung hero of this video. Easily saved future you a few bucks and hours. Sure would have for me as well.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Christopher. Yeah, I would certainly forget it.

[@Paul-FrancisB]

Your wife has great taste in birthday presents, funnily enough i got my wife a novus temperature controller for her pottery kiln last year 😁

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Paul-Francis. She does :)

[@cheater00]

i bought my wife a new steam deck. she doesn't seem to be playing it a lot, so i use it all the time... weird how that works.

[@Paul-FrancisB]

​@cheater00 ah, I was more sneaky, updating her kiln controls was a complete accident that it could be used as a heat treat oven as well afterwards 😂

[@hugobiddlecombe504]

As a seasoned Tig welder myself, i used to keep a long aluminium angle in the bench vice horizontally as a hand rest, and would clamp various angles to larger workpieces. Un supported tig welding is hard so you're not alone there. I'm glad you had a second crack at the oven, the old one looked like the inside of my first apartment 😅

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Hugo. On simpler projects, I also clamped wood or iron as an arm rest. Here I got lazy, and then the welds sucked. Who'd a thunk :) Yeah, It was not my finest workmanshop that one. Heated fast though :)

[@kevinoakes1171]

Refractory engineer here. Nice diy job, very well done. For industrial , large scale, and smaller lab sized kilns, we generally use separate elements for the sides, the back wall and the door, it’s much less time consuming to change one when it burns out than changing a whole thing. Also, the grooves for the element to sit in, we leave more open at the top of the element, so, in effect, it just sits in the groove, where as, yours are more captive, again, more difficult to change.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Kevin. It was suggested I knock the top lips off those channel to make it easier to switch elemments. I might well do that, and coil up a shorter element to increase the power a bit more.

[@nitro19986]

was looking forward to the video ... was pleasently surprised when i saw more than an hour of RotarySMP goodness

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for that.

[@vandyFixer]

You have out done yourself on this mammoth project, Mark. The oven looks pretty much professionally built. Well done.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks a lot.

[@milithemuffin4534]

Agreed! The only thing missing that gives it away as a DIY project is labelling. I loved the "Spare coil/seal inside" print and I think some control panel markings or nameplate with power draw and so on would make it exactly like a professional product. And I guess a "hot" warning sticker, but I still can't decide if I like such signs. Will the door frame get hot? Of course once everything's finalised :D

[@arccaptain-weld]

Good video and nice project!!! Really happy our TIG 200P AC/DC help you finish the project! Arccaptain is committted to provide our customers with excellent products.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks again!

[@philipallard8026]

What a project. Us mere mortals would have just bought one if we had the money. You even made your own coils! Wow!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Phil, The coils were the easiest bit :)

[@ferrumignis]

If you ever need to make another coil like this, place the part of the coil no longer supported by the mandrel into a length of pipe (e.g. PVC) to prevent it mangling itself, and also use a small hose clamp to attach wire to the end of the wire instead of a slot. That way you don't have to stretch and bend the wire when you coil the next section.

[@RotarySMP]

Good tips. Thanks.

[@jrmintz1]

Fascinating video. I'm a musician by trade, and I appreciate the fact that you credit the music you use. Too few people do.

[@RotarySMP]

I really appreciate that there are musicians who make music for Artlist.IO. Please join and make more Reggae :)

[@TheUncleRuckus]

Great video as always Mark! Idk about anyone else but I like these longer format videos. 👍👍

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks a lot. I is beyond my available time to do videos of this length frequently. This one was a real bear to edit. :)

[@imbuildingasynth]

even if your builds weren't so good or if you weren't as entertaining, i'd still come here for the music 🦁

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for that :)

[@argee55]

Totally agree.

[@RotarySMP]

@ Glad you enjoy it.

[@ED_T]

The cubitron 3 disks are amazing indeed, I got a 25 pack for 48€ or so from amazon. Never going back to the cheap ones 👌

[@RotarySMP]

The price swings on these are pretty extreme. I also got mine at about 50% off.

[@ED_T]

@ good deal 👌 I’ve been looking for bricks like the ones you’re using from a European supplier but I’ve ended up with extremely hard and dense refractory bricks which are very difficult to work with. Where did you get yours from?

[@RotarySMP]

@@ED_T I got them from Santa :) But she got them from Schuba-shop.de www.schuba-shop.com/Feuerleichtstein-230x114x64mm-NF1-135-86-126-100650102

[@ED_T]

@ Awesome, I’ll see if I can arrange something with my Easter bunny 😁

[@RotarySMP]

@ The shipping to Vienna was about €100 but they were in two huge boxes, 28kg in total, with spray foam to protect them.

[@RestartVandelay]

My lab always used sacrificial 1cm ceramic plates on the base of our furnaces to help protect the outer bricks from crucible drops and spills. It might be a useful addition for you to keep the bottom pristine a little longer. A cheap Cordierite pizza stone might be an ok option.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the tip. I think they have them at the hardware store even.

[@scottvallance2007]

Mark, you have made a really nice job of that……well done 🎉

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks a lot Scott.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Those 3m discs seem to be worth the money; you and Stefan aren’t the only people who recommend them.

[@melgross]

Yes, they’re very good.

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Jim and Mel. I also did really beleive it would make a difference, but Stefan knows his stuff, and they are amazing. With the cheap ones wearing out so fast, you seem to always have a too small disc just when you need diameter. I am still on the first C3, and it is lasting really well.

[@paulsomero]

They are totally worth the money

[@melgross]

@ the problem is, and it’s true for me, that if you have a lot of other disks and you try these, you never go back to the others. You have to find someone to give them all to without letting them know, before they get them, how much better these are. By the way, Norton makes somewhat similar yellow disks that are also great (and expensive).

[@robertjung8929]

really nice project ! ;) regarding the lower power, you calculated the needed resistance at 20Celsius, but the coil is hot during operation and the resistance increases with temperature.

[@RotarySMP]

True, but I did the power measurement when I just turned it on and it was still pretty cold.

[@SLeslie]

@@RotarySMP You can expect a couple percent of voltage drop on the wires also (from the main line on the street to the heating elements). And the solid state relay also drops 1-2 Volts. So, a lot of small things go a long way

[@thebigchuckster]

Thankyou for showing the whole build in one go - heaps of work cleverly condensed into 1hr and your marathon editing much appreciated. You could grind away the upper lip of the horizontal coil channels to make replacement easier and get more of the coil exposed. I've seen a few electric Pottery kilns where the inner bricks had a protruding channel that the coils sat in. Easier for replacement/repairs. Cheers!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. That is a good tip.

[@m3chanist]

A hint as subtle as a fire brick great gift. Lovely attention to detail on the oven, she's a bobby dazzler.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for that!

[@Paddington60]

Your welds are coming along nicely, well done Mark and thank you.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks John. Of course you didn't get to see all welds :)

[@marcfaulk]

That montage split screen montage at 39min 👌

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Marc, glad you enjoyed it.

[@corey_nz]

Nice setup with the drill press to route out the channels in the bricks. That looked like it worked really well

[@RotarySMP]

G'day Corey, I picked that up from the Blackbeard build. Those bricks cut so easily, I never had a router bit loosen in the chuck.

[@anticom1337]

Still having to get used to your bandsaw not jumping out of gear. Very enjoyable video as always!

[@RotarySMP]

It is surprising how much more practical that band saw is now.

[@SuperAnodyne]

late night goddie🎉 thank you for the massive effort you put into your videos...... it really shows

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Christian. That one was a bit of a marathon :)

[@pvg5559]

I really enjoyed this build, I hope it will work as intended! Thanks Mark! Looking forward seeing those pistons come together too!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. I got the oven to auto tune yesterday and it held 500°C indicated nicely. Today I will run it up hotter. I hope the weather holds do I can do a casting session for the Redrup radial.

[@reubentheobald]

Hello there Mr Greenthings sir. Just a note (having just completed upgrading a ceramic kiln to modern control myself) that it's a good idea to have additionally - a bimetallic temperature switch (60°/70° attached to the SSR heatsink), and an over temperature safety relay output from your controller (SSRs love to fail closed) in your safety door switch loop .

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the tips. Good safety inputs.

[@v3ctors69]

I love the idea of a DIY oven and honestly most builds have sort of scared me off in terms of skill set outside of my wheelhouse. This version 2 you've made is by far and away the best I've seen. As always, thanks for sharing with us. This was fantastic.

[@RotarySMP]

Have you seen the one from Blackbeard? His is the gold standard.

[@Crusher9mil]

Excellent build and I'm confident you will iron out the couple remaining bugs that will result in a really nice oven.

[@RotarySMP]

I played around and got it to auto tune and hold 500°C yesterday. That controller interface is pretty clunky.

[@Joel-st5uw]

Impressive build. Thanks for laboring through curating it for us, I really enjoyed watching the entire thing.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Joel. I hope it lasts better than the last one. :)

[@kenthesparky178]

I used to maintain some walk in heater rooms (used for drying rewound motors) they supplied the elements which were Tubular Incoloy which were much easier to work with than spiral wound heater wire.I also repaired blister and skin packing machines using Infra red porcelain elements which are also easier to replace Did you see Keith Rucker has just replaced his furnace as well but he bought his .It had a very easy to set up controller. Another great video and yet again prove you have way more patience than I process

[@RotarySMP]

There was a nice oven which came up for sale just before I started this build, but it was a bit too small inside. Thanks Ken.

[@simonvongunten9288]

Great video! I had to postpone my bedtime by a hour yesterday. 😉 great work! Your welding skills are improoving. Only 10 dips! 🎉

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Simon.

[@stevensmart8868]

Thanks for the build vid Mark. Look like a great little furnace.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Steven. I hope it holds up better than the last one.

[@ashesman1]

After watching Inheritance Machining make his oven, I was out off from ever trying to do it myself. You have made it look way more doable, and IMO, got a better result.

[@RotarySMP]

His stuff is really good.

[@tinom.2455]

So much work, but thanks, I enjoyed the whole 67 minutes...

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for watching it and for your kind feedback.

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Very nice work mister on that oven. That looks real handy in the workshop. Maybe a future project for me.

[@RotarySMP]

Go for it.

[@grippgoat]

This is the most satisfying vid you've done in a while. 👍

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks.

[@grippgoat]

@@RotarySMP It really showed off your diverse skills/knowledge and improvisation in a lot of areas that we don't often see, and it was a big meaty video that went all the way from start to finish (close enough) of the project.

[@RotarySMP]

@ Thanks. I under estimated this one. I also like complete project in one video, but I can only do a few of them a year.

[@LCalleja]

looks grate and glad to see the bandsaw and mill running good

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Luke, thanks to you for those gears. The DoAll is working really well now.

[@LCalleja]

@ glad to see you are enjoying it :)

[@RotarySMP]

@ Huge improvement verses cutting everything with the angle grinder.

[@LCalleja]

@ way easier and cleaner. Is the mill working fine now?

[@RotarySMP]

@@LCalleja Yeah, I only ran that big end mill at 400 rpm, but there were not weird noises or anything.

[@peterhadfield873]

An epic build but it looks great. The slightly low power ie probably because you used the wire resistance at 20 deg C rather than the 800 or so that it looked like it was running at. Everyone else seems to do that too...

[@RotarySMP]

You are right. I guess I need a slightly shorter coil.

[@Kirill_Maker]

Nice controller, got the same on my BGA IR soldering station - It can be programmed and controlled through rs232 interface as well. It support up to 9 program cycles with up to 8 steps each (temp vs slope vs time).

[@RotarySMP]

Does your one have the black label or silver one. Seems the silver ones are a lite model, with some functions crippled. Mine is that LT version, and is missing a lot of the menu items. I am pretty confused by the interface. It seems to be in random modes and have random behaviour, but that is my lack of understanding. I also dont really understand how to get into the software config menu, verses the operation parameter menu, as they steps seem the same per the manual. I did stumble on the max temp limit, and upped that from 400°C to 1000°C, and ran the oven up to 500° to check it. Do you know of a good video or web site explaining it's programming? Is there a software available to interface with it over RS232 with a decent gui which makes it easier to program in those ramps, or is it the same ball ache, as doing it on the comtrol panel. I really only need to program a few different standard profiles. 1. Burn out investment moulds 2. Carburise steel 3. Harden steel 4 melt aluminium Cheers, Mark

[@GeoffTV2]

Great build, thanks for a really detailed video on all the ups and downs of making this oven. - Heather

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Heather, thanks for watching it. I hope it lasts a bit better than my first one.

[@GeoffTV2]

@@RotarySMP Yeah me too. It looks like a really nice build, so I predict success. You clearly learned loads after your first one (and we all have too). My brother and both plan to have a heat treat oven like this, so it's good to track your experience. I was aware of most of the calcs for the wire size/length etc. but part of what you detailed was new to me i.e. regarding the power - surface area thing.

[@frenchiephish]

Your TIG welding is really starting to come along!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks a lot. I still struggle when too lazy to put in a wrist support on the weird positions.

[@johnmccanntruth]

Looks like you did a mighty fine job!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks a lot John.

[@GeoffMcMasters]

Thanks

[@RotarySMP]

Thank you very much for your generosity Geoff.

[@asquithea]

Really enjoyed watching that - fantastic project, well presented!

[@RotarySMP]

Thank a lot.

[@vr66luke]

Fantastic content. Thanks for sharing!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Luke.

[@bchdsailor]

nice work on this one, your video editing is impressing

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the kind feedback.

[@Echo51]

The Cubitron lineup is generally quite the quality across the product lines, be it sanding belts, sanding discs for your DA, or similar. pretty impressive vs "old style", and a very noticeable step-up when using in a production enviroment

[@RotarySMP]

I am still working on wearing the first cut off disc down from 125mm (my battery grinder), to 115 (the plug in one). I would have worn out at least three of the cheap discs. I'll have to try out some of their other products.

[@srmofoable]

I found out about those cubitron disks a decade ago when they were handing out free samples. They are really nice disks

[@RotarySMP]

I hope you took lots of them. They can b pricey now. But worth it.

[@Rustinox]

Really nice. There is a lot of very creative thinking in this project.

[@argee55]

Totally agree.

[@RotarySMP]

Thank you very much Michel. It was a bigger project than I expected.

[@Watchyn_Yarwood]

Anxiously waiting to see it in use

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, me too :)

[@JulianMakes]

Lovely job! Can’t wait to make a new kiln myself. I wish I was a better at mains power electrics/electronics like you.

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Julain, There is a decent wiring diagram on VegOilGuys website to follow.

[@JulianMakes]

​@@RotarySMP great i'll have a look :) thank you!

[@charlespetitjean3961]

#MAINTANABILITY 😁 Love it!!!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Charles.

[@WillemvanLonden]

Marvelous video in all aspects! Worth the wait.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Willem.

[@MikelNaUsaCom]

thx for the video. Quite the marathon over the winter vacation time. I've only accomplished making a loaf of whole wheat bread, lol... it was tasty bread tho. Happy Sunday! Glad to have the long format.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Mike. That was a beast of a video to edit.

[@Doomskilled]

Great video, i appreciate all the effort you put into these videos. I wish you had a video showing how you made the finger brake, looks like a well built machine!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. I built that years before I started the channel. There is a forum thread about it here; www.cnczone.com/forums/bending-forging-extrusion-/56672-forum.html

[@Doomskilled]

@ thank you!

[@RotarySMP]

@ I didn't have the machines I have now. It could do with thicker materials, especially the angle iron, for a bit more stiffness.

[@Doomskilled]

@ im currently working up tools and machines myself, i've found i HAVE to get a brake to bend sheetmetal accurately for fabrication.. I have a tig welder, a mig welder, and most automotive tools but im looking for a used mill and a used lathe

[@RotarySMP]

@ It is nice to build up a shed shop. takes a lifetime :)

[@MyMiniHomeWorkshop]

Nice build, well done. On another note, I was milling a piece of Aluminium angle the other day, and it started having a bit of a sing, so I jammed a piece of high-density packing foam between the vice and the angle, that shut it up. 👍

[@RotarySMP]

Good tip. I was surprised this only resonated that once.

[@stephenmurray2335]

Great video Mark! I loved everything about it from the longer format to the reggae music. And a superb result to boot - I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs. I wonder, have you ever considered using self drilling screws for securing to metal like the angle iron you were using? They're very secure, take literally seconds to fit with an impact driver and even the little ones will happily zip through 5mm steel plate. I like the low profile heads and they sure save a lot of time marking, drilling and tapping for bolts.

[@RotarySMP]

I probably should have used something like that Stephen, as those panels are a bit loose.

[@julias-shed]

Epic build I wonder if using the more traditional narrow ceramic cup would make inside corners easier? mine suck too and I also use the glass cup and gas lens…. 😀

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Julia. Good point, I do have a couple of smaller diameter ceramic cups. I should have tried one.

[@noberet]

Wow, some great solutions to pesky problems! Thank you.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the kind feedback.

[@crb456]

I am a new subscriber in Australia. Until you said that you are in Austria I was sure that your accent and approach to building stuff meant that you were in New Zealand!

[@RotarySMP]

Welcome and thanks for subscribing. I am a Kiwi, but emigrated 30 years ago to Austria :)

[@FullSpeed_only]

My Recommendation for everyone building something similar: Get a Controller that can use two Outputs for Heating. One in Case the Temperature is far from the SetPoing to control a mechanical Relay/Contactor. One in Case the Temperature is near the SetPoint for a SSR. The best Way is having the SSR take over the Load while switching the mechanical Bit, but that probably requires a PLC.

[@RotarySMP]

Good tip.

[@greentom]

man that empty scratchy sharpie gave me goose bumps

[@RotarySMP]

Sorry about that :)

[@chrismayer8990]

Great work! Thanks for the video! 👍❗I hope the door switch disconnects both wires. Otherwise you have the live wire in the inside. ❗ 🤕 (depending on the plug position)

[@RotarySMP]

I will swap the plug to a three phase on, as it has been reported that those ones can overheat at 10A constant for hours, and then I will have a defined neutral line.

[@TheDistur]

Hope it works out well!

[@RotarySMP]

Me too. I got it to auto tune yesterday, and it held an indicated 500°C with only a +/2° deviation.

[@joels7605]

Awesome work. But yes those Cubitron discs are ridiculous. Worth every penny. They cut SO much faster.

[@RotarySMP]

Like magic. Or more likely, a decade of materials science research :)

[@bgdwiepp]

I've used a bunch of 3Ms cubitron abrasives, all have been excellent, their abrasives for autobody are worth every cent.

[@RotarySMP]

3M must have put some real research money into them.

[@johnsherborne3245]

My first lab one of my colleagues had a side line building small furnaces. My senior borrowed a top loading to melt sodium cyanide in a platinum crucible hoping to plate something with platinum. It sounded feasible except that platinum is readily soluble in molten sodium cyanide. We were then faced with explaining the damaged crucible and how to clean the cyanide saturated fire brick. I think we loaded it into a tub of water and poured in a bucket of hydrochloric acid. It fizzed for ages but cleaned it up quite nicely. I’m sure it was in a fume hood too.

[@RotarySMP]

Given that you are still here.... there was a fume hood John :)

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

Programming those things is like programming a 1980s VCR. Cubitron stuff is really good stuff. I have a life time supply of 3" wheels to burn through before getting them in that size but I'm almost out of 4" which is what I mainly use now (air tools not grinder ones) Every time I see pottery kilns for sale I see a starting point... I like how most of them are made to be disassembled and rebuilt. I could have bought several boxes of kaowool a while back but I didn't want to store it. Also the ansul (fire suppression) guys insulate the vents of commercial vent hoods with kaowol wrapped in foil and all taped up. Your lock wire pliers are allot fancier than mine. But mine are a few days old too. Course I also have some ancient clecos from back when they weren't made from stamped steel. Next time you machine teat sinks stick a wood wedge or wedge a chunk of rubber between the fins. Will dampen the vibrations. I never understood why the machinist industry has no idea how to dampen vibrations. (not you but the industry) While in other industries like automotive have been using rubber belts with lead weights wrapped around rotors and drums to stop the chatter. Well gotta get that hood finished and edited so i can start on a new welding cart. Can't find anything I like here in the US so I'm using an aussie one for inspiration.

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Robert. Played around with it some more last night and go it to self tune and hold 500°C nicely. The ramp I programmed seemed to work, but then it ignored a 20 minute hold and went straight to the next ramp. The manual is much more subtil than Chingrish of 10 years ago. It now all looks and reads like correct, complete sentences. It just often fails to help or make sense :) I think my lock wire pliers are Bluepoint. Yeah I should have done the wedge thing, but then again I was surprised how little it did resonate. Just that once.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

@@RotarySMP That sounds like setting some of the controllers in commercial panels. IE lighting controllers etc. I will say when I buy stuff I tend to opt for one I can set up with my phone as the interface is allot better. That is if that's an option. I have a stack of books for how to set different commercial systems and it amazes me how the engineers have been able to do so much with so few buttons but when you don't do it every day it's a pain to do. For the chatter noise... I am told us old people can't hear those high pitched sounds... And by the same take it doesn't have to look as good cause we can't see as well either. :)

[@Johannes58934]

Nice Project! I busted out laughing when I saw the 1st tally of "tip dips". Thanks for your sense of humor! Because "shit happens"

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Johannes. Yeah, dipping tungsten is one of my specialities. :)

[@srmofoable]

It helps me to clamp your bolts into position when welding on wheel axles so its not so fiddly when welding out of position like that.

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, I should have. That was lazy of me.

[@philhermetic]

Excellent build sir! Phil

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Phil.

[@Preso58]

Nice upgrade. Sometimes you've just got to do it over. Regards, Preso

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Mark, yeah I should have done it properly the first time. Also that first one was massively overpowered, so this one seems slow :)

[@nikolaykamerrer7659]

That was so obvious that you will use this kind of pliers :))

[@RotarySMP]

Yeah, those a very handy. :)

[@Hilmi12]

I have a suggestion for an entertaining machining project. How about you try and make an espresso lever machine? Sounds like a fun challenge for an over engineered home made project. Also, before you made the comment noticed your welding looked much cleaner. Good job and fun video. For those of us who can't practically have a metal working shop at home we live our dreams through KZbin

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. Since I started the motorcycle engine project, and am also never really got a taste for coffee, you will have to make the Espresso level machine for the internet :) Go for it. Have you looked at JLCCNC? Nowadays you can get machined parts quite easily.

[@jimdean7335]

A Beatles fan, I’m not surprised. Here comes the Sun…

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Jim.

[@argee55]

When TIG welding inside corners a little more stick out can do wonders for the weld.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. I need to practice that.

[@DreitTheDarkDragon]

YAY for Logo! I use them quite a lot, but extensions (Pt100, analog inputs, analog outputs) get expensive very fast. But it's nice there is a display compared to most of other PLCs, so I can show error messages with instructions and change values with no need to connect laptop to it. Also it fits perfectly to boxes made for circuit breakers (unlike different PLCs) which is its main advantage in my opinion.

[@RotarySMP]

Not having the software, or easily identifying the correct interface module plus having to learn yet another system, it didn't seem the most attractive solution to this use case. That PC410 I am using is also much less less user friendly than expected. It is hard to work out which mode it is in, and what I can do and not do. The manual is full of good looking words which seem to mean nothing. :/ Maybe I should have gone with an ESP32.

[@DreitTheDarkDragon]

@@RotarySMP Software (Logo SoftComfort) was around 40-50 eur last time I way buying one, maybe it got slightly higher meanwhile. It's very simple but also very limited, you have to learn your ways to get through and make it do exactly what you want to. You know, Siemens won't cannibalize on their Simatic with such simple thing :) There is even PI regulator as block you can just place in schematics but sadly there is no option to run autotuning or change values by program, so for proper smarter regulator you'd probably have to draw completely your own...which is for sure doable but there will be some limitations I guess. I think there is no module for thermocouples, so you'd have to get some transmitter to convert thermocouple to 0-10V signal. That's bummer, that regulator looked nice on video. If you are programming microcontrollers sometimes and feel for doing it, then ESP32 would probably be good solution. Or just some PID regulator with RS485 input and then use simple code on ESP or something else to feed temperatures you need in regular intervals. That way you at least don't have to care about regulation loop. I planned to try something like that with Autonics TX reguators at work in future and one of our existing machines does something similar with some Azbil regulator (available on Aliexpress). I was thinking of it a little and you could definitely do ramps and similar things with Logo too, probably quite easily. I can try to make some simple program in my free time if you tell me how it should act. Right now I'm fighting a little with shift register sorcery (two sets of shift registers and option to connect them into one on demand) for one project at work and then I'll have to tune different project which I'm quite proud of. Machine runs at certain speed and makes product, then there is heat treating and rollers to pull product behind oven. Trick is to keep product at correct tension in oven, so it shrinks just right. I thought of PID regulator but that probably wouldn't work as nice, so I used Logo. It measures machine shaft speed, multiplies by fixed value and variable set to 1.000, subtracts error between set and measured tension of material and outputs 0-10V signal for rollers. Magic is in that variable. In reality program measures error and slowly adjusts variable (1.000) up and down to keep minimal error in measurements. For bigger errors it's averaging after like 3-5 seconds of runtime, for small errors it's averaging I think 45 seconds of runtime. When regulator was running for some time, you can look how much did variable changed over time. If it changed a lot, just multiply it with constant, replace original constant with result and start again. Boom, suddenly it's basically fine tuned for most common setting but it can automatically adjust itself if there is different demand, material properties change and so on. I have no idea if I would be able to get same result with PID regulator at all. Probably would work for long running process but this one starts and stops suddenly.

[@Crusher9mil]

Just thought of an idea, could you use a small house clamp on your winding jig setup to secure the wire to your rod? When you reach the end of your rod, loosen the house clamp, slide it down the windings and rod then pull your rod back, rinse & repeat. Then you don't have to stretch out your beautiful windings out at arbitrary spots.

[@RotarySMP]

Yes, others have suggested that too. Good tip.

[@ncktbs]

i do love your stats at the end of a video

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for noticing :)

[@travismiller5548]

when it comes time to free up more mandrel, use a hose clamp to reaffix it to the mandrel, instead of stretching out and stressing out the wire.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. Good tip.

[@FullSendPrecision]

Really nice project! - Could have used some airplane facts though. Happy new year

[@RotarySMP]

Good point, I forgot to mention that one of the most disgusting job in aircraft maintenance, is cleaning behind the oven models. they all seem to produce an oven juice which is a foulest smelling gut wrench you can imagine :)

[@andli461]

1:01:30 ”Future Matt (I know it’s Mark) will love you for that.” 😉 ”Future Matt” most likely never had that experience, feeling warm and fuzzy about ”Present Matt”. But now ”Future Mark” will. 😅

[@RotarySMP]

I hope that sticker doesn't fall off, and the coild get forgotten. :)

[@platin2148]

I suggest using also the Cubitron as the fiber disks.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. The cut off ones are excellent.

[@mumblbeebee6546]

Monster job, but what a pretty thing you built! Does not have to hide behind commercial units and probably going to last longer. Congratulations to pushing out the video, do you think your wife knew that she would have a lot of peace and quiet from that little present? 😂

[@RotarySMP]

I now have the pressure to cast the last two Beetles statues :)

[@mumblbeebee6546]

@@RotarySMP …not only that, but to film it and edit it for us 😜

[@DrArtiePoole]

Great video, loved it throughout! You probably know this but you used DC calculations for an AC power and so I think your actual power delivery will be less than you calculated. This means that the power capacity of the wire may not be close to the limit at all. You may also not quite get that 0.71 W/cm^2 you calculated.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. I guess I need to shorten that wire quite a bit.

[@mandrakejake]

Hey Mark, pushing plasticine into heat fins works OK for damping some resonance. Or rubber tubing.

[@RotarySMP]

Good tip! Thanks.

[@dazaspc]

Very nice project.It's turned out well. May I make some suggestions I dont know about where you live but it is law in Australia that you use an over temp thermocouple and controller as well. Even the most basic stuff that uses heat has them. Your electric fan heater for example. A domestic oven gas or Electrically powered. SSr's usally have a failure mode of open circuit but they do occasionally fail in a closed circuit mode, the same can be said with the temperature controller. Usally they are in the element circuit and prevent the main power from going to the elements. You have a secondary controller and if it can run a contactor or relay of a suitable size it would be ideal. The Thermocouple for the over temp should normally be set in the roof or the hottest spot in the oven away from the elements. The Thermocouple for the temperature control should be in the closest practical vicinity of the job area. If you were doing knife blades it would be about 15mm from the floor. The making of the element brought back some memories. The winding jig we used was a little different though as you would fit a spacer in it to drag on the mandrel the correct gap so you wouldnt have to stretch the element out after making it. Finally a heads up about the ceramic fiber insulation you are using. Even though the MSDS sheet declares it is safe that is only the case before it has been exposed to heat. Once exposed the ceramic can be broken into much finer pieces and becomes dangerous. Where I worked for some time it was used all the time and depending on exposure and handling frequency it was either wrapped up with heavy duty aluminum foil sheet or encased in sheet metal steel boxes. some efficiency was lost but opening up a die and the cooked insulation wasnt a problem. Your video was well worth the wait. Thanks

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for that. I need to add a safety relay to the system, and probably move the process thermocouple. Although I have been giving the opposite advice that the thermocouple needs to be as close a possible to the coil for fast feed back?

[@dazaspc]

@@RotarySMP Thermo location I suggested is the way commercial Ovens and furnaces are done. The temp of the job is the usual goal and the overtemp thats set higher is usally at the hottest point to prevent damage to the oven itself. Put either to close to the heat source and the ovens temp will never be achieved as the burner or element is always the hottest part.

[@Reman1975]

Whenever I see lock wire plyers I think of when I was training as an engineer. One of the old instructors there had an immaculate Jaguar XJS V12 that he'd done a nut and bolt restoration on. He'd got the bodywork and interior looking factory fresh, but he'd gone overboard under the bonnet. If it was steel it had been chrome plated, if it was alloy it was mirror polished, if it was a fastener it had been replaced with stainless...... And every single one of those fasteners had been perfectly drilled, the ends of the holes radiused, and then all of them were lock wired. EVERY.... SINGLE..... FASTENER !!! 😮. There must be a few hundred nut/bolt heads under there, and many of them were in locations where it would be a struggle just to get a spanner on them, let alone spin a pair of lock wire plyers near them, even so, they were still just as perfect as the ones on prominent display in more accessible places ! The thing was a work of art. The going joke was that he'd told his wife she looked like she'd gained a few pounds 15 years prior and just started tinkering with his car while waiting for her to calm down. 😄

[@RotarySMP]

British aircraft are built like that. We always said a nut would be levitated with a magnetic field, then the entire A/C built around it, and finally you have to lock wire something you could just see or just reach with one hand but not both at once.

[@murrayedington]

Have another word with Arccaptain. They do a very nice 200A inverter MIG welder ;-)

[@RotarySMP]

Hi Murray, thanks. They have been trying to send me one of them as well, but I weld so little, I think it better to keep practicing TIG, even if it is slower and less ideal for this kind of thing.

[@Eric-vq9nq]

Looks great!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Eric.

[@gworx-247]

great videoi, thank you! 😍👍

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks.

[@brendanshorter5550]

1h+ the wait will be worth it.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Brendan.

[@squelchstuff]

Couldn't sleep, and saw you'd dropped a video... still can't sleep 😑 Anyway, I suspect you do have the lite version of the PC410 which is aimed at electronics BGA reflow ovens and the like. The full version should go up to 1200 C. Great build!

[@RotarySMP]

I found the setting to adjust max temp, and have reset that software limit to 1000°C. It seemed to have no specific limit, as I by mistake overshot and set about 1400, before dialing back down to 1000°. I was busy editing, but did manage one heating run to 500°C.

[@Michel-Uphoff]

Great video! I'm curious how the oven will behave at really high temperatures.

[@RotarySMP]

Me too. I did find the menu setting to move the max temp from 400 to 1000C, and did a test to 500°C yesterday, but was editing, and didn't have time to play with it any more.

[@waliza001]

exactly what I need.

[@RotarySMP]

Glad to help :)

[@newmonengineering]

Awesome job. When you figure out how to program and change the settings write yourself a cheat sheet manual. I do this for everything. I can never remember how to change the furst settings and then need to 6 mons later for some reason. So from the get go, write down each setting you change and the procedure to change it. Then anytime you may need to make a change u can go through the process without trying to read the book and its crappy directions.

[@RotarySMP]

Good point. I managed to get it to auto tune and to hold 500°C , but the interface still makes a 1980's VCR seem logical.

[@bobuilt10]

Great video, I have an ex lab furnace bought cheap, which needs new elements. I bought the wire but have been pontificating for months. You have just soured me to get on with it. One thought on making the elements on a short mandrel how about using a jubilee clip with a bit of protective packing. That would allow you to just keep moving it along until you have the required length? Right, where did I put that wire.

[@RotarySMP]

There is quite a bit of torque on it, I doubt a spring clip would hold it without slipping. Maybe some sort of small screw clamp could work.

[@leifj000]

Very cool… hot… anyway… nicely done!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks a lot.

[@jamjamamam4139]

56:30 you can stuff some wet paper towels between the ribs to dampen the resonance while milling

[@RotarySMP]

Good tip. Thanks.