New Evenheat KO18 with TAP Controller touchscreen

Pittknife

Pittknife

Joined
Oct 1, 2013
Messages
901
Just got in my new kiln, so far I've been using a small Rapidfire Pro that was only able to handle about 5" max blades.

I was going back and forth between the different kilns when I saw that Evenheat offered the KO18 with a touchscreen they call TAP. This thing is put together well and the metal casing is so nice I don't want to use it lol. Will do a blade tomorrow but so far I'm really impressed.

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You just had to post thoes pictures didn't you. I was looking at them last night and spotted the tap. Looks slick if I say so compared to a normal cheep pid. I have done quite a bit in retro fitting old heat treat ovens with pids and never really liked ramp and soak pids. Just seamed over compacted for what was needed but this tap bight just be the bridge.
 
JTknives said:
You just had to post thoes pictures didn't you. I was looking at them last night and spotted the tap. Looks slick if I say so compared to a normal cheep pid. I have done quite a bit in retro fitting old heat treat ovens with pids and never really liked ramp and soak pids. Just seamed over compacted for what was needed but this tap bight just be the bridge.
Click to expand...

Man I'm a complete noob to kilns, but this thing is extraordinary. The TAP has diagnostic features, gives you maintenance warnings & all kinds of summary reports. It's like I went from a bicycle to a tesla.... I don't know if I should heat treat a blade or marry the thing lol
 
I have a good buddy that is a programmer and I guess plays with small computers called arduinos. Says we can build a control for my oven build that I can access and program from my iPad mini and my phone. This would allow tracking of tempature curves and all other cool things. We will see how it works out, but it's nice to be able to get your hands into the guts and make it do exactly what you want.
Let me know how the tap control works for you. What did it set you back cost wise with shipping.
 
JTknives said:
I have a good buddy that is a programmer and I guess plays with small computers called arduinos. Says we can build a control for my oven build that I can access and program from my iPad mini and my phone. This would allow tracking of tempature curves and all other cool things. We will see how it works out, but it's nice to be able to get your hands into the guts and make it do exactly what you want.
Let me know how the tap control works for you. What did it set you back cost wise with shipping.
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I did the test firing and am completely impressed. It can calculate a bunch of stuff, including how much cost each heat treating session is (if you are interested in that). The big thing so far is seeing the temperature summary graphically and being able see the step it is in and all the data per firing.

I paid $1400 total, with a blade fixture shipped, about 3 weeks.
 
Yeah I thought you would test fire it. How could you have that beauty and not turn it on lol
 
I was eyeballing that exact same setup, when a kf18 set-pro version popped up on Craigslist a few weeks ago. I decided to look at the price for an upgrade to the tap controller and its $500, but the difference on a new oven is quite a bit less.

I ended up heat treating the first blade I've made in a very long time, and going from my analog paragon to the set pro was pretty awesome, so I guess I went from a bike to a Chevy lol. I won't be doing the upgrade anytime soon, but for the price difference on a new oven purchase I would jump on it for the cool features. Good on ya for being the guinea pig, now go heat treat a bunch of stuff!

Justin
 
Pittknife said:
It can calculate a bunch of stuff, including how much cost each heat treating session is (if you are interested in that).
Click to expand...

How much was the cost of your heat treating session? How hot did it get and how long did it hold? I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get a 22.5in one with the TAP control soon
 
Nice! I ordered a KH18 with TAP on new years, and it comes in today! :tears_of_joy:
 
JG Custom Metal Works said:
How much was the cost of your heat treating session? How hot did it get and how long did it hold? I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get a 22.5in one with the TAP control soon
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I just ran the burn in recommendation only like 10 mins so I didn't add the cost parameter. You basically just give it the electrical rate and it will calculate for you. One thing I really like is that they will be offering a lot of free software upgrades and features you will be able to download in the future, of which I'll probably not use many but nice to have.
 
Come on Kosa, tell us why. I know I've read in the past that you believe the ovens available and affordable to most indie makers (at least in the US) are substandard, but I can't recall where you have ever said exactly why you believe this, or offered another similarly priced alternative. Can you elaborate a little, specifically about this controller? I swear I am not trying to attack in any way, I just like to see all sides of an equation
 
Where is:
1. Gain scheduling
2. Auto Adaptation
3. Fuzzy Logic algoritm / Smart PID
Tell me where this is in this "controller" ?

On two kilns what I now building with a friend who worked in Steel Smeltery ( and was responsible for kilns) I use Lumel RE72 controller. This don't have fancy touchscreen, but can be programmed by laptop.
http://www.lumel.com.pl/en/our_offe...controller-2-outputs-dimension-48-x-48mm.html
http://www.lumel.com.pl/download/Z2...fbXVsdGlsaXN0YV9wbGlrb3cudjAvNDYy/re7209g.pdf

And I can tell you that 2 kilns with 4x times better insulation and TC typ K with inconel shield + RE72 and 3kW power will cost less than 1.300 USD

And this will never see overshoot.
 
Kosa_PL said:
Where is:
1. Gain scheduling
2. Auto Adaptation
3. Fuzzy Logic algoritm / Smart PID
Tell me where this is in this "controller" ?

On two kilns what I now building with a friend who worked in Steel Smeltery ( and was responsible for kilns) I use Lumel RE72 controller. This don't have fancy touchscreen, but can be programmed by laptop.
http://www.lumel.com.pl/en/our_offe...controller-2-outputs-dimension-48-x-48mm.html
http://www.lumel.com.pl/download/Z2...fbXVsdGlsaXN0YV9wbGlrb3cudjAvNDYy/re7209g.pdf

And I can tell you that 2 kilns with 4x times better insulation and TC typ K with inconel shield + RE72 and 3kW power will cost less than 1.300 USD

And this will never see overshoot.
Click to expand...

I understand our opinion. I like most makers are overwhelmed trying to make knives and if there is an acceptable machinery available that meets the need I would rather buy it then build it. Having the ability to build the machines is great but there is a lot that goes into, including the PID and writing programs that I'm not interested in getting into. As I have said, this touchscreen upgrade is not much more over the other controllers they offer and does everything I would need. I think this is a fantastic kiln from what I have seen so far and read and takes care of what I will need. The software updates is also a very good benefit as this matures I would love to see what they release later down the road.
 
My concern with these type devices is an environmental one. There vis a very specific operation temperature range for this type electronic device. In a hot smithy with the oven running at 2000F for hours I worry the upper limit may be reached. I would hope the Paragon folks have tested this, but sometimes the obvious in a small hot forge is not even thought of in a lab or factory.

IIRC, most touch devices operate between -10F and 185F... then they fail.
 
Hot led display is one ression we are working to move the control display to something portable like a tablet. My buddy is geeking out over this project.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
My concern with these type devices is an environmental one. There vis a very specific operation temperature range for this type electronic device. In a hot smithy with the oven running at 2000F for hours I worry the upper limit may be reached. I would hope the Paragon folks have tested this, but sometimes the obvious in a small hot forge is not even thought of in a lab or factory.

IIRC, most touch devices operate between -10F and 185F... then they fail.
Click to expand...

I shared the same concern but was told that the led was insulated very well away from the heat, which it looks like it is. I'll be reporting back later next week after doing some heat treating, right now I just don't have any blades ready.
 
Nice oven :thumbup:
 
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It's reassuring to find out that I'm not the only one scratching my head over the Evenheat control dance!
 
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