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kiln vent outdoors?

updated sat 9 oct 04

 

Don Rank on fri 8 oct 04


I haven't come across anything in the archives, maybe a clay expert can
help. I have recently moved my electric kiln outdoors into a protected
area. Since I'm no longer concerned with indoor fumes is there any
advantage to the slight negative pressure the vent produces?

Thanks in advance,

Don Rank

Arnold Howard on fri 8 oct 04


The downdraft vent pulls fresh oxygen into the kiln for brighter colors,
especially noticeable with red and orange glazes. According to Orton, you
can fire red and green glazes in the same load without glaze migration. The
extra oxygen also helps burn carbon out of the clay.

Without a vent, you should manually vent the kiln lid by raising it an inch
or so during the early part of the firing. The downdraft vent eliminates the
need to vent the lid.

I've heard that the downdraft vent increases element life, but I have no
research on that claim.

Sincerely,

Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
arnoldhoward@att.net / www.paragonweb.com

From: "Don Rank"
> I haven't come across anything in the archives, maybe a clay expert can
> help. I have recently moved my electric kiln outdoors into a protected
> area. Since I'm no longer concerned with indoor fumes is there any
> advantage to the slight negative pressure the vent produces?