Dan and Joanne Taylor on thu 8 may 97
The latest issue of Clay Times magazine has a glowing report on the
Olympic updraft gas kiln. Previous reports on the same kind of kilns
(not necessarily Olympic) have not been so kind. Anyone else out there
had experience with this Olympic? Sounds too good to be true.
Dan Taylor
Bill Buckner on fri 9 may 97
I have not received the new issue of Clay Times, yet. So, I do not know
what was said about Olympic kilns. I have one. Here are some
observations.
I purchased the Olympic updraft because I live in an intown neighborhood
in Atlanta, it was my first gas kiln in this location, and I was concerned
about building a "homemade" kiln here.
As installed, the pilot/ignition/safety system is completely useless
(excepth as an ignition system). It is designed in such a way that one
cannot leave it on during the firing without destroying the kiln's
foundation (which also holds the burner manifold system). To "fix" this
problem, I moved the thermocouple to sense off one of the burners. I only
use the ring to ignite the burners, then I shut it off.
The second issue is not an Olympic design problem, but I simply wanted to
convert it to fire downdraft (for better firing control). Essentially, I
built an IFB collar between the bottom slab and the walls into which I
included the exit flue. The 4 burners fire up along the perimeter of the
walls. Using bricks and the first set of half shelves, I constructed a
trough which prevents the flame from taking a short cut to the exit flue,
and forces it up instead. The exit flue in the lid of the kiln is closed
off with IFB. The shelves are stagger stacked, providing a central gap
for the downward flow of hot gasses toward the exit flue. While not a
perfect kiln, nor a large one (~13 cu. ft.) it has served me pretty well
for 6-7 years now.
I also have an electric Olympic (in which I bisque). It has some major
design flaws, as well. But, that is another chapter...
-Bill
Bill Buckner e-mail: bbuckner@gsu.edu
Georgia State University http://www.gsu.edu/~couwbb
On Thu, 8 May 1997, Dan and Joanne Taylor wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> The latest issue of Clay Times magazine has a glowing report on the
> Olympic updraft gas kiln. Previous reports on the same kind of kilns
> (not necessarily Olympic) have not been so kind. Anyone else out there
> had experience with this Olympic? Sounds too good to be true.
>
> Dan Taylor
>
Joshua Lynch on tue 2 feb 99
If anyone can direct me toward a resource that explains how to fire an
olympic updraft kiln evenly and reliably I would be greatly endebted!
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