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venting an electric kiln?

updated wed 30 apr 97

 

William Welch on thu 24 apr 97

I'm setting up an ancient Skutt electric kiln (~12cu.ft.) in
my apartment, and am wondering about ventilation. I can set up
next to a high, 1'x3' openable transom window, but there's
no cross-breeze to speak of. Seems like I ought to arrange
for something little less passive.

I've seen pictures of a Bailey kiln with a vent hose running out
the bottom. Can I / should I do something like this with mine?
Where does the thing connect? Does having an active draw while
firing change glaze behavior, or decrease the cone to which you
can fire?

-- Will
--------------------------------------------------------------
Will Welch, Scientist Arris Pharmaceutical
Tel 415/829-1014 385 Oyster Point Blvd #3
Fax 415/829-1001 South San Francisco, CA 94080
--------------------------------------------------------------

Hertz Pottery on fri 25 apr 97

After almost 20 years of fireing Ive finally found the venting answer, Well
it works for me anyway...
you need a piece of metal ducting I got mine from Lowes, its dryer vent but
it is all aluminium and its expandable. you will also need a blower, mine is
from Granger. I found them on the web and they shipped the same day. the
blower is modle #4c442 it moves 140 cu ft. per min.
put the blower in the bottom of the windo and attach one end of the vent to
it. the other end goes to a bottom peep hole on mine, if you dont have one
you could drill one about 1" dia. in the bottom or the side of the bottom.
mine hangs from a piece of copper wire to fit flush against the kiln, I
adjust it by puting a piece of kiln brick (soft)between it and the kiln to
create a gap of up to 1".
This system not only vents out the fumes but it can cause a slight downdraft
effect to even out the kiln temp and to provide enough oxygen to make my
glazes more vibrant.
I used to have a hood with the same blower and a fan in the windo but it
still let fumes out. this system works with out the windo fan.
some on Clayart have suggested that this type of venting will help to reduce
corrosion of metal parts of the kiln, I think that is true also.
be sure the vent where it attaches to the kiln is not getting to hot to
touch if it is I adjust mine a little further from the kiln. I also check
the blower and if it gets hot i adjust where the vent attaches to it to alow
more fresh air to pass through it to cool it a little.
Good luck
Erik

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'm setting up an ancient Skutt electric kiln (~12cu.ft.) in
>my apartment, and am wondering about ventilation. I can set up
>next to a high, 1'x3' openable transom window, but there's
>no cross-breeze to speak of. Seems like I ought to arrange
>for something little less passive.
>
>I've seen pictures of a Bailey kiln with a vent hose running out
>the bottom. Can I / should I do something like this with mine?
>Where does the thing connect? Does having an active draw while
>firing change glaze behavior, or decrease the cone to which you
>can fire?
>
>-- Will
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>Will Welch, Scientist Arris Pharmaceutical
>Tel 415/829-1014 385 Oyster Point Blvd #3
>Fax 415/829-1001 South San Francisco, CA 94080
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

Emily Pearlman on fri 25 apr 97

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'm setting up an ancient Skutt electric kiln (~12cu.ft.) in
>my apartment, and am wondering about ventilation. I can set up
>next to a high, 1'x3' openable transom window, but there's
>no cross-breeze to speak of. Seems like I ought to arrange
>for something little less passive.
>
>I've seen pictures of a Bailey kiln with a vent hose running out
>the bottom. Can I / should I do something like this with mine?
>Where does the thing connect? Does having an active draw while
>firing change glaze behavior, or decrease the cone to which you
>can fire?
>
>-- Will
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>Will Welch, Scientist Arris Pharmaceutical
>Tel 415/829-1014 385 Oyster Point Blvd #3
>Fax 415/829-1001 South San Francisco, CA 94080
>--------------------------------------------------------------
Hi:

Check the
skutt environvent. They really work.

Emily

Emily Pearlman-Pottery (clayfeat@echonyc.com)
http://humanarts.com/emilypearlman
http://www.craftweb.com/org/pearlman/pearlman.htm
(in NYC)

Jonathan Kirkendall on sat 26 apr 97


In a message dated 4/24/97 2:52:15 PM, you wrote:

<the bottom. Can I / should I do something like this with mine?
Where does the thing connect? Does having an active draw while
firing change glaze behavior, or decrease the cone to which you
can fire?
>>

Will, I have an Orton KilnVent that runs out the bottom. It does have an
active draw (requires drilling a few small holes in the floor of the kiln and
the lid ), and I've found it doesn't change glaze behavior, and it vents
incredibly well. When I do a bisque firing, I leave the vent on the whole
time. When I do a glaze firing however, I turn of the vent when the cone in
the peep hole first begins to move, which I've found to be important for
maximum glaze development. An added benefit is that with the vent, the temp.
really evens out through out the kiln, and my bottom shelf gets as hot as the
top.

Jonathan in Yonkers.