Evenheat SB 709 Salt Bath Heat Treat Kiln Engineered for precision, safety, and compact utility, the Evenheat SB 709 is a purpose-built salt bath kiln designed specifically for knife makers—particularly those crafting folding blades and other short-format steel tools. Its 9" bath depth makes it ideal for smaller stock while maintaining full capability for demanding heat treatment cycles.
At the core of the SB 709 is the TAP digital control system, offering advanced, dual-thermocouple temperature management for superior accuracy throughout the heat-up, soak, and quench phases. An integrated over-temperature circuit provides an added layer of protection, ensuring user safety and preventing material damage.
The kiln is equipped with a solid-state relay to deliver precise control of the heating elements. This relay not only enhances temperature consistency but also extends element life and reduces the risk of mechanical failure—ideal for professional or high-frequency use.
Designed with safety and usability in mind, the SB 709 includes:
Drip shields over both the lid and control area to deflect corrosive salt "drag-out"
A pivoting control enclosure for easy access and safer programming
Electrically grounded salt pot and thermocouples for maximum electrical safety
Whether you're working with high-carbon steels or stainless, the Evenheat SB 709 delivers repeatable, controlled results in a compact footprint. Explore the full list of features below to understand why this is one of the most trusted salt bath kilns available for serious blade heat-treating applications.
Evenheat salt bath kilns are built exclusively with the TAP control. The TAP utilizes a touchscreen that's very easy to navigate and understand with all operations displayed in word form.
The TAP control features a thermocouple switching function for reliable and safe salt bath use. When the heat treat process is started, the TAP uses the temperature of the firing chamber to control from. The chamber temperature is a steady and reliable point from which to control as the salts in the salt pot are solid at the beginning of the process. Once the salts in the salt bath become molten (liquid) the TAP is switched over to the immersion thermocouple for precise salt bath temperature control. It's a very useful and reliable feature that only the TAP control can offer.
The TAP control features an Over-temp (high-limit) thermocouple circuit that aborts the heat treat process if the temperature exceeds the process temperature. This over-temp circuit adds a level of safety not found in other controls.
Setting up the TAP for use is a very simple process that requires a single press of the Start key to get things rolling.
While running, the TAP displays current temperature and thermocouple selection (chamber or immersion) in a large, easy to read format. It's easily seen from across your shop or work area. Evenheat salt bath kilns are standard equipped with solid state relays for high reliability. The TAP control has been specifically designed to operate these solid state relays.
The TAP Controller features a touchscreen design that offers a large screen with full text . All commands and menu items are legible, easy to read and easy to operate. Simply respond to the screen with a touch! The TAP Controller is supplied pre-loaded with firing schedules as well as allowing the artist to create and store their own custom programs. On-the-fly features such as adding time to a hold, adding temperature to a hold and skipping ahead are available and easy to use.
The TAP Controller allows for Wi-Fi connection via our well placed USB and Ethernet ports. This connectivity allows the artist to monitor the kiln, develop and edit programs and perform TAP Controller functions from a networked computer, tablet or mobile device. WiFi Dongle Add-On
Touchscreen technology offers many improvements and Evenheat is dedicated to providing this technology to our customers.
All Information Displayed on One Screen: Because the TAP Controller offers a fairly large display screen it is possible to display all firing information on one screen, in full text, while firing. There's no need to touch the screen and go looking. The display will show your current firing segment or step, current kiln chamber temperature, current programmed rate per hour and hold time. It's all there at one time and on one screen. We love this feature as it tells us exactly where we are in the firing without having to touch the control.
The Display from a Distance: While programming and using the TAP Controller, screen information is presented in a legible and easy to understand text and font size. While sitting at the Standby position or when running a firing schedule the TAP Controller screen changes to a large font, high contrast display which is easily seen from across the studio or work space. Near or far, the TAP display has you covered.
Running a Pre-loaded or Stored Firing Schedule: The TAP Controller is supplied with pre-loaded firing schedules that differ depending upon the style of kiln. Currently we offer pre-loaded glass, ceramic and metal clay firing schedules (programs). All of our pre-loaded firing schedules have been developed professionally on Evenheat equipment.
Custom Mode Programming: Feel free to develop your own, custom programs. The TAP Controller makes it very easy and understandable. All firing data is shown on the touchscreen as you develop which makes it very easy to keep your place and not get lost in the process. Your firing data will be shown in a table format and is entirely legible and understandable. This full text feature of the TAP Controller is one of its highlights. All information is available to the eye.
The TAP Controller contains a vast amount of memory and there is no practical limit to the number of programs you wish to create and store. There is also no practical limit on the number of available segments or steps used for a firing schedule. You're free to create exactly what you want.
Modifying Firing Schedules: Firing schedules (programs), whether pre-loaded or custom, are sometimes not exactly to your liking or needs. The TAP Controller allows you to modify or edit any stored program more to your liking. Simply choose to edit the firing schedule and make the changes.
Wi-Fi Capability: The TAP Controller is designed for computer networking via USB Wi-Fi or Wired Ethernet connections. This connectivity allows the artist to monitor the kiln, develop and edit programs and perform TAP Controller functions from a network connected computer, tablet or other mobile device. WiFi Dongle Add-On
Add Time to Hold While Firing: During firing, it's not uncommon that additional hold time may be needed to achieve the desired results. The TAP responds to this desire by allowing you to add any amount of time to the Hold while in progress.
Add Temperature to a Hold While Firing: During firing, it's not uncommon to add to the set point temperature to achieve the desired results. The TAP responds to this desire by allowing you to change the set point temperature while the Hold is in progress.
Skipping Ahead to the Next Segment: You'll find moments while firing when you would like to stop the process and skip ahead to the next available segment or step (very common in glass firing). The TAP Controller offers a single touch feature that allows just for this. It's called Skip Ahead. The Skip Ahead feature does what it sounds like: it skips ahead to the next segment. With glass firing, the segment or step right after the fusing or slumping operation is the anneal, which is exactly where you want to go. It's great feature that allows you to make the glass you want to make.
Accessible USB and Ethernet Ports: Evenheat has designed our TAP Controller package for instant, direct access to the USB and Ethernet ports. There's no need to disassemble the kiln to access these ports. These ports are readily accessible from the outside of the Controller package, simply plug in and go. Proper design and execution, it's what you expect and get from Evenheat.
Cost per Firing: The TAP Controller monitors many functions, among them is your actual cost per firing. Simply enter your cost per kilowatt hour and the wattage of your kiln. The TAP Controller uses this information to calculate a realistic approximation of the cost of your electrical usage for your firing schedules.
Graphing: During firing the TAP Controller collects the kiln chamber temperature and creates a visual graph that can be seen with a single touch of the screen. The graph is continually updated every minute for the duration of the firing. This allows the artist to monitor the history of the firing as it takes place. The visual graph is also stored in memory, along with the particular firing data and can be recalled and inspected at any time.
Software Updates: Software updates will be available on a semi-annual or as-needed basis and are downloaded to the TAP Controller via a USB thumb drive, Wi-Fi connection or Ethernet connection. Updating is fast and simple and will give you the latest in features, themes and functionality.
Diagnostics: Diagnostics provide a real-time look into the usage of critical kiln components. From the diagnostics screen, you can view the actual number of relay actuations, the amount of time the heating elements have been on, and the amount of time the thermocouples have been exposed to high temperatures.
Logs: The TAP Controller stores all functions and user keystrokes into various logs. These logs become valuable for viewing previous firing graphs, error events and programming functions
Quiet Drive Solid State
The salt bath kilns are standard equipped with our Quiet Drive Solid State relay system. The salt bath process can be a lengthy process and traditional, hard- contact mechanical relays tend to fail early and always at the wrong time. The solid state relays have no moving parts and are expected to last the life of the kiln.
Our Quiet Drive Solid State relays can turn the heating elements on and off up to 60 times per second as opposed to traditional mechanical relays that tend to be limited to about once every 10 seconds. This fast response time translates into tighter and more precise temperature regulation.
Evenheat uses special solid state relays that will only switch the heating elements on and off when the AC voltage is at 0V. It's called "Zero Crossing" and our heating elements love it and they show that love by lasting longer!
Chamber Thermocouple
Evenheat salt bath kilns are designed with a separate chamber thermocouple designed to control the salt bath kiln during the heat-up, pre-molten stage of the salt bath process. Controlling the pre-molten stage via the chamber temperature allows for reliable and ultimately safe operation. Once the salts become molten, temperature control is then switched over to the immersion thermocouple for precise bath temperature control.
Immersion Thermocouple
Evenheat salt bath kilns use a dedicated immersion thermocouple designed to control the heat treat process temperature by directly measuring the temperature of the molten salts. While initial heat-up is controlled via the chamber thermocouple, heat treat (molten) temperature is controlled via the immersion thermocouple. Once the salts become molten, temperature control is switched to the immersion thermocouple for precise bath temperature control.
The immersion thermocouple is supplied with a mount that allows it to be properly positioned on the lip of the salt pot.
Over-temp Thermocouple
The addition of an Over-temp (high-limit) thermocouple adds to the safety factor built into every salt bath kiln. The over-temp thermocouple circuit is designed to abort the process in the event of exceeding the process temperature.
Drip Shields
Pulling a work-piece from a salt bath generally brings some of the molten salt out with it in the form of some drops and slight run-off. This is called drag-out: it's hot, it's liquid and it's damaging. Allowing drag-out to make contact with the firebrick lid, control panels and worst of all the controller faceplate, causes extensive damage. For this reason Evenheat provides our salt bath kilns with replaceable, stainless steel drip shields on both the lid and control panel. The drip shields take the hits, not the kiln!
Swing View
The TAP control is fitted within our Swing View adjustable control enclosure. The swing view is a pivoting, swing-up enclosure that allows the user to rotate the TAP control up to a comfortable viewing and programming angle and then place it back down for salt bath operation. Once down, the TAP control is protected from drag-out via our control panel drip shield and can easily be seen from across your shop. It's that simple.
The swing view allows us to position the TAP control at the top of the salt bath kiln for relaxed and easy use. No crouching or squinting needed.
Lid Access
The Salt Bath 709 comes standard equipped with a lid that provides a 4.75" diameter access hole, suitable for a 4" ID salt pot. Additional lids are available with access holes to fit pots up to 5" as well as lids with no access holes that allow you to create the exact fit for your custom salt pot.
Easily Replaceable Thermocouples
Salt bath thermocouples feature an Inconel sheath. While Inconel provides excellent resistant to the effects of the salt bath it will need replacement at some point. All of our salt bath thermocouples are designed with standard sized Type K thermocouple connectors that allow them to be very easily replaced.
3" Brick
Our salt bath kilns are built using premium Thermal-Ceramics K-23, 3" firebrick. This particular brick is a thicker version of the standard and offers excellent thermal properties. We use this firebrick in all of our high temperature designs including our KO Series of heat treat ovens. Thermal-Ceramics firebrick is made in the USA from some very special Georgia ground. It's the best firebrick available.
Sectional Design for Easy Repairs
We've designed the chamber of the salt bath kilns to be easily disassembled. As much as we never want to see it happen damage to your chamber can occur, particularly with a salt pot that has sprung a leak. Each section of the chamber and floor is secured to each other through the use of stainless plates. Evenheat does not use quick-release buckles as they tend to allow for section-shifting and firebrick wear especially with a kiln that is moved.
Grounded Thermocouples and Salt Pot
To protect you against any electrical faults Evenheat has provided electrical grounds on the salt pot and all thermocouples. If a fault (short circuit) occurs the grounding of these features safely dissipates electrical energy.
Evenheat salt bath kilns produce heat electrically via heating elements placed into the firing chamber walls. The nature of the salt bath process exposes the user to electrically conductive features such as the salt pot, molten salts and thermocouples. Each of these features extend into and out of the electrically charged firing chamber. Any fault within the heating element causing it to make contact with any of these features will cause them to conduct electricity.
Evenheat does offer salt pots for sale that are equipped with grounding hardware included. If you intend to provide your own salt pot we require that a grounding mechanism be included in your design.
Cut through your shop noise with our Loud Alarm Option. The Loud Alarm sounds at a loud 80+ decibels! You'll never miss the opportunity to properly quench again.
The load alarm option alerts the user when the heat treat process temperature and hold have been reached, and more importantly when it's over and it's time to quench. Rampmaster, Genesis & TAP equipped Evenheat KF, KO, KH as well as HT-1 and HT-2 heat treat oven models include a built-in alarm jack for easy install: simply attach the alarm and plug it in.
This Loud Alarm Option is intended for use on production models as of mid-April 2014 (serial numbers 107120 and greater). For those who own an oven made prior to this date (serial numbers 107119 and lower) we offer a Loud Alarm Retro- Fit Kit that allows you to enjoy this great feature.
Wifi Dongle Add-On - TAP Controller Only
Wi-Fi dongle necessary to establish a Wi-Fi Internet connection for the TAP control.
The TAP control uses this dedicated USB Wi-Fi dongle for Wi-Fi Internet access. This connectivity allows the artist to monitor the kiln, develop and edit programs and perform TAP Controller functions from a networked computer, tablet or mobile device.
Standard, off-the-shelf Wi-Fi dongles will not work. You must use this particular dongle with the TAP control.
