[Deles136]

Any suggestions of where to find a long narrow oven for baking some spray-on finishes on rifle barrels and other parts?

Many thanks,

[jrhines]

You bet, you build one! If your using low temp bake on finishes...
Most of the bake on finishes (i.e. Brownell's Gun-Cote (?)), bake on at low temps (~320 F). So you don't need much of an oven. I use a bank of heat lamps (six in a row) over a plywood box, 1 ft in cross section & 3' long. The top of the box is open, the sides are covered on the outside with insulation. The lamps are raised or lowered to adjust the temp in the box, indicated by a dial-type oven thermometer. The ends are open, but can be covered with boards to restrict the air flow from a small fan. Hang what your coating from an iron wire through the bore. It is well to get the temp set up and adjusted before you start, and you can line the inside of the box with aluminum foil as an extra touch. Try to achive as even a temp as you can, move the thermometer around to check it. None of this stuff should burn until it get to 500+ degs, but keep a close watch on the whole setup while it is in action. It can and does get hot, wear light gloves at a minimum. Enjoy...

[Deles136]

jrhines - sounds like the easiest and cheapest solution. I should have all the parts in my shop so I will try it.

Many thanks,

[4 eyed six shooter]

One other cheap method, if you have a bluing tank, lid and burner they make a great oven. Just suspend the part in the middle of the tank and heat. Watch the temp as you do it.
Good shooting to all, John K

[4v50 Gary]

Buy a toaster oven so the Missus doesn't throw you out and make you take her out to dinner (b/c she can't use the oven) all week.

Me, I'd offer the kid next door $20. :p

[Ian Sean]

I have used the house oven with a couple of small parts first. The smell wasn't too bad so I did the bigger parts. Most bake ons are about 300 degrees for half an hour. If you have a self cleaning oven you can always run the clean cycle afterwards.

The key to a good bake on is getting everything oil free before hand. Its a real pain to strip and re-do a part when the heat hits it and melts out some old grease or oil from some nook or cranny.

I have had good results with the Brownells brand finishes. The dark grey is my own preference.