Hi,

I've a small oven rated 200C.  I wonder what sort of issues
would be involved in increasing this to ~300C?  Obviously,
putting more power into the unit, etc.

But, I worry about things like the capabilities of the
insulation, materials within the oven, etc.

Though I find it hard to believe that I can easily hit 260C+
with a countertop convection oven without *it* melting or
otherwise self-destructing and this industrial/laboratory oven
wouldn't be capable of likewise (?)

"D Yuniskis" <n...@seen.com> wrote in message 
news:hlkqtj$mhk$1...@speranza.aioe.org...
> Hi,
>
> I've a small oven rated 200C.  I wonder what sort of issues
> would be involved in increasing this to ~300C?  Obviously,
> putting more power into the unit, etc.
>
> But, I worry about things like the capabilities of the
> insulation, materials within the oven, etc.
>
> Though I find it hard to believe that I can easily hit 260C+
> with a countertop convection oven without *it* melting or
> otherwise self-destructing and this industrial/laboratory oven
> wouldn't be capable of likewise (?)

If I understand correctly, you should be able to increase the temperature of 
an oven by simply insulating it better.  If you could better insulate the 
inside of the oven with materials rated for your temperature, you should be 
able to have a 300C oven inside of your 200C oven with a layer of 300C or 
better insulation.  For example, I smoked some port in my smoker in cold 
windy weather.  It wouldn't get high enough temperature until I wrapped my 
smoker in an insulating water heater blanket, then it was plenty hot.  If 
you do not want to risk your oven, you could get some insulating materials 
and heating elements and construct your own oven.  Or you could buy an old 
ceramic kiln and a temperature control to get all the heat you would need, 
the machine shop I used to work at used a ceramic kiln to heat treat steel 
at around 1700F.

RogerN