Oven question. Opinions wanted

[Spector]

I've been flirting with the idea of buying a large Brevelle oven. I also intend to buy a plug-n-play PID. Yesterday it occurred to me that if I'm going to buy a PID anyway then why not just use it to control a large convection oven to get good temperature control when I'm not using it to control my Lee pot.

The Brevelle oven advertizing says it offers individual control of multiple heating elements to maintain even temps throughout the oven, and that sounds nice on the surface of it, but I'm afraid that if it malfunctions that I will be forced to send it to Brevelle to get it serviced.

I suspect a large, lower cost, convection oven that I can just set the temp knob to max and allow the PID to control it will be plenty adequate and offer uniformity in the powder curing.

Am I missing something, or am I on the right track?

Mike

[ipijohn]

I think the Brevelle has a digital controller, if it does a PID would not work since the controller will loose it's settings when the PID cuts off the power to it.

[Spector]

ipijohn....I'm afraid you did not understand what I was asking, or I was not clear enough in asking it.

If I buy the large Brevelle oven there will be no need for any additional temperature control other than the digital control already built into the oven. From what I've read they are very accurate as to temp control. Cost $238 to $250.

Or I can buy a large convention oven with a knob on it, which I assumed would be non-digital temp control, for I believe between $70 and $100. I guess I should have specified that I knew it would need to be a non-digital model.

Anyway since I intend to buy one of Frozone's units to control my pot I think all I would need is an extra probe to be able to use it with a non-Brevelle convection oven. That should save me $138 or more over purchasing the Brevelle oven.

I suspect the non-Brevelle oven would be plenty sufficient coupled with Frozone's PID.

I figure I could buy a complete new large convection oven if it ever quits for no more that it would cost me to just get the Brevelle serviced at the factory. Am I on the right track assuming this, or am I missing something?

Mike

[kweidner]

Use the 20% off cupon free from Bed Beth and beyond and cry once. In my case twice. I have two of em. I also have two osters digital I would let go for a great price if anyones interested.

[kbstenberg]

Spector I just bought the brevelle you are looking at. Yes on mine the temp stays where you set it. The interior space is a lot bigger than the smaller ovens. Baking at -5 ambient temp I had a 35 deg. oven temp drop when placing a tray into the oven, which took just short of 2 min. to get back to bake temp.
I got mine NIB used at a very reduced price on Ebay. I also considered having to ship it back if anything went wrong, but I took the chance. Kevin
I do have second thoughts when I hear about those 60 $ ovens though. When the price difference could pay for a lot of powder.

[Spector]

Before her death my dear wife managed to go into debt $71,000 without my knowledge after I retired. I discovered this right after our daughter died. Paid for her funeral. Her 2 small children needed a decent home and parenting. Went to court and took custody of them from their father. Rolled all the debt into a home equity loan. Paid another $10,000 on her mom's funeral, wife's attorney fees and a pharmacy bill she'd hidden from me before her cancer. l Just paid off her van a few months back. Money is tight right now as I have quadrupled the amount of money I am paying monthly on the home equity loan so I can have it paid off in December. Just in case those economic forecasts of hyperinflation come to pass as the FED winds down quantitative easing. Not the life of ease retirement I'd planned so far. ha ha

I've accumulated a new Lee 20 lb pot, compressor, HF-PC gun, pressure control valve and HF powder. Still need a PID and decent curing oven.

I used to reload and shoot all the time before my wife's death. With just me raising my two teenage grandchildren I have less time available, but I'm trying to get back into reloading and shooting again.

Thank you all for your input. I want to cure as many boolits per load as I can manage so I think now I need to compare usable tray space available in different oven models. Think I'll drive by Bed Bath and Beyond while the kids are in school and actually inspect the large Brevelle oven.

I have just enough money saved from selling some unneeded mouse pistols and parts guns to buy a new Brevelle oven and Frozone's PID. Or PID, convection oven and maybe a custom groove-less boolit mold. Or......

Hope to eventually be geared up and able to share some PC boolit results here. At the rate people are experimenting, and adding the number of new people who are starting to PC daily around the world I've got to believe if PC is indeed the wave of the future in cast boolits then we will see definite trends for success very soon. Not sure we're not already there. Want to see PC manufacturers work on best PC formulas, and easiest to apply, for our purposes.

Mike

[gefiltephish]

I bought this one (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hamilton-Beach-Large-Capacity-Counter-Top-Oven-Black/16503576) from Walmart. Was on sale a short time ago, think I paid $60. Only comes with 2 racks but does have 4 slots, so I think with a bit of ingenuity 4 is doable. These 9x13 trays (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RYPHRK/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) fit easily. They are not the least expensive but they ARE very sturdy, unlike the low budget variety. You may also find them at Walmart for the same price. The temp control is fairly accurate, though it does take a while to get there. When I first got it, I used it in the barn where the temps dropped rapidly once opened. I've moved it into the house where it does much much better. I think it was in the mid teens when I last used it in the barn.

[Moonman]

I LOVE my Breville BVO800XL "SMART" Convection Oven.

$250 at Bed Bath and Beyond.

GREAT WITH THE TEMPS AND HEAT ZONES!!!!!!!!