Cheap-Ass Tools: A $350 Powder Coat Oven
By Chuck Cage
This inexpensive powder coat oven from Harbor Freight might be a good alternative to that “recovered” oven you’ve been thinking about installing in the shop. Why? It runs on 110V so you don’t have to drop 220V, it’s a lot more compact, and you need a range top in the garage like you need an extra hole in your head.
It’s temperature adjustable to 480 degrees F, and it draws about 15A peak, which means it’ll easily run off a “freezer plug.” The inside is an 18″ cube, so this would work great for small items (like valve covers), and this would be a great match for Craftsman’s (or Eastwood’s) gun-based powdercoating systems.
Best of all: it’s on sale for $350 — down from the $399 you’ll see on the website — in the most recent HF sale flyer. The deal’s good through June 25th.
Powder Coat Oven [Harbor Freight]
June 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Haha.. Well said.. and say.. how did you know I was looking for an old electric range?
Too bad it’s not cheap-ass enough for my even-cheaper ass. Nice find though.
Anyone have any experience with one?
June 8th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I used one at a motorcycle shop I used to work at. We mostly used it for brackets and other fabricated parts and sent out the parts that wouldn’t fit or needed fancy colors. It was convenient not having to worry about turnaround for the little stuff, and was a better option than using rattle cans of paint.
Anyways, I don’t recall ever having any problems with it for the year I was working there, but we got it just after I started, so it was pretty new and I don’t know if I can speak for the longevity of it. Then again, Harbor Freight offers extended warranties, and if I recall correctly allow (essentially) no questions asked exchanges.
February 13th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Still on sale ???