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weird stuff w/ kiln vent

updated wed 31 oct 01

 

L. P. Skeen on sun 21 oct 01


Just attached a brand new kiln vent to my old Paragon a99b. It comes =
with witness cones 06, 05, and 04, plus a bar cone for an 04 firing. I =
don't bisque to 04; I bisque to 06, but I put 'em in there anyway, one =
set top and one set on teh bottom, all lined up in order: 06, 05, 04, =
with an 06 bar in the kilnsetter.

When I opened the kiln, the top set of cones had darkened in color, and =
the 05 cone was slightly bent, but neither of the other cones had been =
affected otherwise; they were still standing like they were when =
installed. The bottom set never melted even the least bit, but the 06 =
bar in the kiln setter broke and shut down the kiln as always. Firing =
w/ the kiln vent seems to have shortened the firing by an hour, but it's =
hard to say for sure, because I'm usually sleeping when the kiln shuts =
off.

Also, there is a dark puddle spot directly under the kiln vent fan. =
What's that about?
TIA for any info. :)



L. P. Skeen www.living-tree.net
Living Tree Studios, Summerfield, NC
"Just because nobody understands you does NOT mean that you are an =
artist."
The election ain't over til your brother counts the votes.

John Hesselberth on tue 30 oct 01


on 10/20/01 11:55 PM, L. P. Skeen at lpskeen@LIVING-TREE.NET wrote:

> Just attached a brand new kiln vent to my old Paragon a99b. It comes with
> witness cones 06, 05, and 04, plus a bar cone for an 04 firing. I don't
> bisque to 04; I bisque to 06, but I put 'em in there anyway, one set top and
> one set on teh bottom, all lined up in order: 06, 05, 04, with an 06 bar in
> the kilnsetter.
>
> When I opened the kiln, the top set of cones had darkened in color, and the 05
> cone was slightly bent, but neither of the other cones had been affected
> otherwise; they were still standing like they were when installed. The bottom
> set never melted even the least bit, but the 06 bar in the kiln setter broke
> and shut down the kiln as always. Firing w/ the kiln vent seems to have
> shortened the firing by an hour, but it's hard to say for sure, because I'm
> usually sleeping when the kiln shuts off.

Hi Lisa,

06 in a sitter is usually equivalent to 07 or 08 for real. It depends on
how well and how frequently you have calibrated your sitter. This is why
many of us say large witness cones standing on the shelves are the only way
to tell what is happening in your kiln.

Regards,

John
Web site: http://www.frogpondpottery.com Email: john@frogpondpottery.com

"The life so short, the craft so long to learn." Chaucer's translation of
Hippocrates, 5th cent. B.C.