Millie Carpenter on sun 19 may 96
Hi. I have a hae to buy a Duncan "Pro kiln". It is 23 inches in
diameter. it only fires to ^8. so far I seem to fire in the ^5 to ^7
range. the only people that I know that have duncans are "hobby ceramics"
and they are in the very low fire range. Is this a good kiln to have. I
don't know that I will ever want to fire to ^10 but I am hesitent to give
up the option unless this is a great kiln.
TIA
Millie
Starbuilders on mon 20 may 96
Dear Millie,
If you're going to do hi-fire - and ^5-7 is still hi-fire - you probably
want to get (my opinion) a kiln rated to at least ^10. The ones I've seen
rated at ^8 are pretty thin walled and may not stand up to constant
hi-fire loads. Another word for ^5-7 is "mid-range", but most of the ^8
rated kilns I've seen are really geared to the lo-fire market. Be aware
that the rating is the highest possible temp you can take it to without
damage, and not the recommended daily firing range.
Katrina
On Sun, 19 May 1996, Millie Carpenter wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> Hi. I have a hae to buy a Duncan "Pro kiln". It is 23 inches in
> diameter. it only fires to ^8. so far I seem to fire in the ^5 to ^7
> range. the only people that I know that have duncans are "hobby ceramics"
> and they are in the very low fire range. Is this a good kiln to have. I
> don't know that I will ever want to fire to ^10 but I am hesitent to give
> up the option unless this is a great kiln.
>
> TIA
>
> Millie
>
Hricum on wed 19 mar 97
My wife is getting a kilns. I dont know what to do. She wants me to
set it up(i haven't a clue how to)and learn to use it with her. Someone
please tell me where to look, read or plead for information on the
above topics.
having a heart attack
Ed O.
David Woodin Set Clayart digest on thu 20 mar 97
Try Skutt at http://www.skutt.com
Paul Monaghan on thu 20 mar 97
Hricum wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> My wife is getting a kilns. I dont know what to do. She wants me to
> set it up(i haven't a clue how to)and learn to use it with her. Someone
> please tell me where to look, read or plead for information on the
> above topics.
>
> having a heart attack
> Ed O.
Ed,
A lot more information is necessary uch as gas or electric, size, etc.,
etc.
Paul
father of Homo Clayartus
www.web2u.com/clayart
--
Paul J. Monaghan email: paul@web2u.com
WEB2U Productions --- http://www.web2u.com
The "COOLEST" Site on the WEB
"The Computer Secrets are hidden at www.web2u.com/secret"
j.kelly@genie.com on fri 21 mar 97
Reply: Item #7279912 from CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU@INET01#
Ed:
Every kiln I have ever bought came with a manual. I can give you the
advice which you can also get from most computer hackers -
When in doubt: Read the Manual.
I will give you another clue: If the kiln is electric, you will learn
to replace the electric elements.
May the EMF be with you.
Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on wed 5 nov 97
If all of you who e-mailed me about kiln building tips will look at
Mishy Lowe's Home Page you will see the steps delineated that she took
in building her own car-kiln. Mishy has agreed that I can refer you to
her e-mail for any advice she might be able to offer, also. She is very
generous and, within time constraints, will help. Her Home Page url is
on the bottom of her message on yesterday's Clayart titled "Mug
Exchange."
Joyce
In the Mojave thankful for so many informative and encouraging posts
about our kiln experiences. AND still laughing over the responses to my
"rusted out old derelict" and "marching on tiptoe" comments. You are
one clever group! Literary,too. Fuunnny!
Larry Davis on sat 20 jun 98
I would like to build a brick kiln capable of firing 4' clay vases. If
anyone has a proven design that they are willing to share, or could lead me
in the right direction, I would certainly appreciate the information.
Doesn't seem to be much written on the subject. Thanks, Larry.
EARL ROBERTS on mon 13 jul 98
Dear Friends:
We would like to know what you think of Paragon kilns. Please email us at
ParagonInd@worldnet.att.net with your opinion.
If you have questions on kiln operation or repair, please ask us. We will try t
help you.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, Inc.
Nancy Jonnum on wed 30 sep 98
Well, since you said, "The only dumb question is the unasked one," I thought I
would ask you a question. I have a very old kiln which my husband and I
built from a kit many years ago. It is a catenary arch, down draft, propane
kiln. It has been very reliable and has given us hundreds of even and not-
too-expensive firings. It is made of hard fire brick and is lined with soft
brick. I believe the mortar was made of silica sand mixed with a type of
clay, possible ball clay. Since it has been used so much and expands and
contracts each time it heats and cools, it is beginning to drop sand from the
mortar when it is fired. Of course this is disastrous to glazed pots. Do
you know of anything that I could use to coat the interior so that it would
control the sand? I considered kiln wash, but I am afraid that I would have
kiln wash and sand falling on my pots. Any advice would be very much
appreciated.
Sincerely, Nancy
David Woodin Set Clayart Digest on fri 2 oct 98
Spray the interior with ITC -100. ITC advertises in Ceramic Monthly.
Brian Crocker on fri 2 oct 98
------------------
There is a cement wash ,, get onto your supplier of ceramic fibre,
Kind regards,
Brian Crocker.
4 Erica Street, Tea Tree Gully, S.A. 5091
AUSTRALIA.
=7B e.mail address =7D crocker=40picknowl.com.au
phone-fax 08 8264 4136
----------
=3E ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3E Well, since you said, =22The only dumb question is the unasked one,=22 I=
thought I
=3E would ask you a question. I have a very old kiln which my husband and =
I
=3E built from a kit many years ago. It is a catenary arch, down draft, =
propane
=3E kiln. It has been very reliable and has given us hundreds of even and =
not-
=3E too-expensive firings. It is made of hard fire brick and is lined with =
soft
=3E brick. I believe the mortar was made of silica sand mixed with a type =
of
=3E clay, possible ball clay. Since it has been used so much and expands and
=3E contracts each time it heats and cools, it is beginning to drop sand =
from the
=3E mortar when it is fired. Of course this is disastrous to glazed pots. =
Do
=3E you know of anything that I could use to coat the interior so that it =
would
=3E control the sand? I considered kiln wash, but I am afraid that I would =
have
=3E kiln wash and sand falling on my pots. Any advice would be very much
=3E appreciated.
=3E Sincerely, Nancy
Joe Tate on mon 25 jan 99
Does anyone have information about kilns from Evenheat and Blue Diamond.
These were suggested to me by friends. The quality, service etc.
J.T.
Lili Krakowski on mon 25 jan 99
Have no catalogs on hand but I think Blue Diamond is or was sold by
Bailey's and they are a super suppleir and I would give them a call.
They ahve an #800.
Lili Krakowski
gail sheffield on tue 26 jan 99
I bought a Blue Diamond kiln, new, and it works just fine. Of course, it is
still new and I am not an experienced ceramicist. They are made in New
Orleans, and I bought mine from Ab Jackson, at New Orleans Clay Supply Co.,
(504) 947-3937. No e-mail address or web site.
Gail Sheffield
Covington, LA
Elias Portor on sun 18 apr 99
Anyone,
I am currently using a skutt kiln 1027- a manual type and have had
trouble with it overfiring and just plain tired of being up all night.
I bought a new one same size 1027-Zc and it is computerized. The
question came up, why didn't I just buy a computer panel to put on my
existing kiln and save some money. My old kiln is two years old and is
used nearly five days a week all year. I fire 02 and 06. I just
replaced the sensing rod which has improved the problem of overfiring.
Anyway the question is would a computerized panel adapted to my old kiln
work just as well as the new one or should I just bypass the trouble and
keep the new one? I'd appreciate a few comments on the subject. eportor
Kira Campbell on fri 14 jan 00
-------------------
I have been searching in vain for a comprehensive comparison of electric =
kilns
by manufacturers and capabilities. Where might I find this information, or =
do I
need to compile it mysef?
Many thanks,
Kira Campbell
kira=40squarefish.com
Cindy Strnad on tue 4 jul 00
Roseanne,
Nothing is ever trouble free, but for my money, computer controllers are
definitely worth the extra bucks. The farther you go in clay, the more
control you're likely to want over the rate of heating/cooling of your kiln,
and a computer controller will give you more of this control than anything
else currently out there. Be aware, however, that thermocouples are not
accurate at high temperatures. They're consistent, though, and once you get
to know your particular kiln, it's like having your watch set five minutes
fast--you look at it and almost without thinking, you make the adjustment.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
earthenv@gwtc.net
Roseanne Denchy on tue 4 jul 00
Hi, I'm a new potter and looking to buy a kiln. Thinking of either a Skutt
or Olympic w/computer controller. Does anyone have any opinions about
computer comptroller. Are they worth the extra cost and are they problem
free
Thank you for your comments.
R Denchy
Louis Katz on wed 5 jul 00
Get the Controller. The cost of these might be worth questioning if your time is
worth $0.25 U.S. per hour and your pots are similarly valued. I bet Nikom in
Thailand would buy one if he could get one at U.S. prices.
My minimal experiece is that they are less trouble than 6 switches, a kiln sitter
and interbox plugs.
Louis
Roseanne Denchy wrote:
> Hi, I'm a new potter and looking to buy a kiln. Thinking of either a Skutt
> or Olympic w/computer controller. Does anyone have any opinions about
> computer comptroller. Are they worth the extra cost and are they problem
> free
>
> Thank you for your comments.
>
> R Denchy
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Penny Hosler on wed 5 jul 00
Definitely get the controller. My relief tiles were breaking due to
the too-rapid cooling. Since I programmed a slow cool with my
controller I've had zero breakage. And am looking forward to
experimenting with crystals - gotta have a controller for that.
Penny in WA
----- Original Message -----
From: Roseanne Denchy
To:
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2000 3:18 PM
Subject: Kilns
> Hi, I'm a new potter and looking to buy a kiln. Thinking of either
a Skutt
> or Olympic w/computer controller. Does anyone have any opinions
about
> computer comptroller. Are they worth the extra cost and are they
problem
> free
>
> Thank you for your comments.
>
> R Denchy
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Larry Phillips on sun 6 aug 00
Carolyn M Leung wrote:
>
> When I first bought my kilns, I had heard that 3-phase kilns while more
> expensive intially, spent less in terms of electricity. Is this true?
Not at all.
A kiln will have a power rating, usually measured in VA (volts x amps)
or watts (which is voltas x amps, but takes power factors into account).
You can pretty much ignore power factor in a kiln, because the load is
resistive.
So, you take the VA or watts (or, if your kiln is marked as to voltage
and current, just multiply voltage and current together to get VA), then
multiply it by hours, you get KWH, or watt-hours, and dividing that by
1000 gives you kilowatt-hours, which is the unit that the electric
company's charges are based on.
I have an 8000 watt kiln that has a 1 minute timer on it that turns the
elements on/off to regulate the heat rise. While it's on, it does
consume 8000 watts. Mine happens to be 220 volts, single phase, but it
will consume the same amount of energy as an 8000 watt kiln that
runs on 3-phase.
--
Hukt on fonix werkt fer me!
http://cr347197-a.surrey1.bc.wave.home.com/larry/
Carolyn M Leung on sun 6 aug 00
When I first bought my kilns, I had heard that 3-phase kilns while more
expensive intially, spent less in terms of electricity. Is this true?
________________________________________________________________
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mel jacobson on wed 27 sep 00
mark ward, and i trust his judgement, makes a good point.
i think my post was a bit harsh, and i apoligize for that.
there are many kilns out there, flat, arch, round that no one
could fire well, and that is a fact.
experience is the teacher of kilns.
a great deal of it.
each of us must find his or her own way, and it is difficult.
mark and many others have to pick up the pieces of many
of those poor kilns. it is a tough job.
thanks mark for reminding me.
mel
mark sent me a long letter with a great deal of information
privately....he is a good teacher.
FROM MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA, USA
http://www.pclink.com/melpots (website)
will edwards on wed 11 oct 00
Dear Clayarters,
Since so many of you have so much to offer it is only wise for me to ask =
a few
questions in order to help me decide on some new kilns. We are looking at=
buying 3- ^8 1227-3" (Commercial bricks) to replace some of the older kil=
ns in
our studio. This is a 9.9 Cu ft. kiln with digital controls made by Skutt=
=2E
(240 single phase)
I will be making two raku kilns from one of the older ones and refurbishi=
ng
the other extra kiln so we will have one for a back up in case we need it=
=2E
Maybe another bisque kiln? This gives us a total of 6 kilns.
Do any of you have information pro/con in helping me decide on what kiln =
would
be a good choice. Also envirovents will be installed but we do have a ful=
l
room exhust system that works by bringing in fresh air and pulling the fu=
mes
out through the roof. They are 3 of these installed but the envirovent is=
to
be used mostly to help settle out cool areas in the kilns.
I own one like the above mentioned but would love to know if I am the onl=
y one
who has had great luck with these kilns? Also has anyone experienced prob=
e
problems or digital problems in any of their kilns that would sway you to=
purchase digital controlled kilns in the future?
A private reply is fine. Its not a debating issue with me it is one wher=
e I
need your expertise in making such a call.
William Edwards
____________________________________________________________________
Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1
Martin Howard on thu 23 nov 00
Don, I do not see that introducing CO2 in that way makes any difference.
To get a reducing atmosphere in an electric kiln use a LITTLE SiC just where
you want it. Some on the list have suggested dead cats, while others collect
the accident victims from the highway.
Other types of firing, gas, pit, salt, Roman, etc. do it by closing down the
input of air, so that the firing will use the oxygen in the glaze rather
than the oxygen in the kiln atmosphere. Hence copper reds.
Well, that is how I understand it. Extra CO2 wouldn't do anything, except
make a reduction firing change into an oxidised firing, for a short time.
Martin Howard
Webb's Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
England
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
Don Halton and Fernando Garcia on thu 23 nov 00
I have just subscribed to Clayart and this is my first contact. I have
been following with interest your discussion about reduction firings in
an electric kiln. I am wondering if anyone has tried introducing CO2
into an electric kiln using a lank of compressed CO2. The CO2 could
somehow be introduced into the kiln perhaps through a peep hole. I have
a kiln with an vent and wondered if I could introduce the CO2 through
one of the holes on the top that draws air into the kiln for the vent.
Don Halton
Jocelyn McAuley on fri 24 nov 00
Hi Don,
While the introduction of CO2 in an electric kiln displaces O2 in the
kiln, I don't believe this would contribute to a reduction fire. For one
thing, electrics don't need oxygen to work, and they don't put out fuel
into the atmosphere of the kiln.
A reduction atmosphere occurs when "stuff" in the atmosphere wants to bond
with oxygen more than the components in the glaze do. CO2 does not want
oxygen, and therefore will not seek it out in the kiln or in our glazes.
In a gas fire, hydrocarbons/fuel surround the glazed ware, and desparately
want to bind with oxygen when the energy, or heat of the kiln splits the
hydrocarbon.
There are a couple techniques potters have employed to play with
reduction in electric kilns, and searching through the clayart archives
should bring a couple of these out into daylight. The basic princible is
to put something into the kiln's atmosphere that wants oxygen. This can
include drilling a hole in your electric kiln and putting in a gas burner,
throwing wood into your kiln, or dripping oil into your hot kiln. (I am
not neccessarily endorsing these methods and really recommend researching
the consequences on your kiln these methods will bring.) Silicon carbide
is also used as a glaze ingrediant for "local reduction" in electric
firings. The Si and C grab oxygen (from your glaze, and atmosphere
somewhat?) yielding SiO2 and CO2.
I really enjoyed your question! It made me learn what the essential
components of our processes are. I am just learning, and am in no way an
expert... there are many on this list who have contemplated and
experimented with these questions much more than I.
Good luck
Jocelyn
--
Jocelyn McAuley ><<'> jocie@worlddomination.net
Kathy Spiro on wed 27 oct 04
Does anyone have experience with Euclid kilns?
Earl Brunner on wed 27 oct 04
I get elements from them. Like the elements.
BTW I learned a neat trick on the last kiln that we rewired. Often the elements come compressed, that is, wrapped tighter than the length of the groove you intend to fit them to. So, measure the groove, so you know how long the element needs to be, then pre-stretch it to the right length before attempting to install it. That may seem pretty obvious, but this is the 6th kiln I've done and I just now figured it out......
Kathy Spiro wrote:
Does anyone have experience with Euclid kilns?
______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Earl Brunner
e-mail: brunv53@yahoo.com
Rhonda Kale on mon 16 may 05
I have read the archives and what replies I have recieved, three brands are mentioned over and over.
(1) L&L
(2) Skutt
(3) Paragon
If you have any of these would you email me with what you like/dislike about it and any problems if you have any long term use of a certain kiln?
It would be greatly appreciated.
Rhonda Kale
31.23595 N, 85.40529 W
Potters Council Member
qndivauniv@earthlink.net
Richard Mahaffey on fri 15 jul 05
Mel,
If you are building a gas kiln and not building a car kiln I ask why
not? A car kiln will save your back and help prevent other injuries.
Also against scrimping on materials again I would quote Fredrick Henry
Royce, "The quality will be remember long after the price is forgotten".
There are people who drive his cars across the US to the national
meeting of the Rolls-Royce (that FH Royce) owners club. They drive
even the oldest cars.
Remarkably, many with original parts that came with the car when new.
Of how many model T's can one say that, scant few if any- cheap car
made cheaply to be cheap.
I know one fellow who drove his 1911 Silver Ghost from Virginia to
California including a stop at the top of Pike's Peak and back,
Nothing funnier than seeing a well turned out Rolls-Royce at the drive
up window at Mickey D's.
Best,
Rick
Ps. Something, not matter how humble, that is rightly done becomes
noble". FH Royce
Robert W. Anderson on thu 7 feb 08
"Kiln Snobbery".....Well said, Mel.
Now, tell everyone what ya really
think...!!!
Bob Anderson
Antigo, Wis.
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