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flame question gas kiln

updated fri 11 nov 05

 

marianne kuiper milks on thu 10 nov 05


My Olympic gaskiln had its try-run with some bisquing
business inside. It was great and fast. My question is
at the end of the info I thought I needed to put here.

The kiln is 11 c ft including the extra ring.
Propane.

There are 4 peepholes, one facing the other way (my
choice
to see that part of the kiln better)

Under the kiln is a fire ring that is the pilot (of
which one section never worked but I think that's how
it is supposed to be) I ran that for over 4 hrs (new
kiln and all) until no more steam showed on the mirror
I held by the peep.

There are 4 burners along the outside parameter of the
kiln, placed under 4 round holes. Inside, ofcourse.
They are attached to the pilot ring.

When we turned it up (slowly) everything was fine.
Then I turned it on full blast, as I thought I should,
and a torch of flame (Olympics??) shot out the round
hole in the center of the lid. Scared me half to death
(jetplane?), turned the hood jetblack inside and I
turned it back to about half. When I checked the cones
they were down (05, 04, 03) and I turned the thing
off. The load is good.

Was that big flame ok? When would I put the large
brick - came with it - on the hole. These are
elementary questions for Watson, I'm sure, but Watson
is as dead as a doornail.

I now have a pyrometer, 2-prong, which I will use
tomorrow with my glaze firing ^6. Anything I should
avoid/do? I don't need to jiggl;e with
reduction/oxidation yet. Some other day, after my kiln
knows who's boss. .................

Marianne



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William & Susan Schran User on thu 10 nov 05


On 11/10/05 11:55 AM, "marianne kuiper milks"
wrote:

> When we turned it up (slowly) everything was fine.
> Then I turned it on full blast, as I thought I should,
> and a torch of flame (Olympics??) shot out the round
> hole in the center of the lid. Scared me half to death
> (jetplane?), turned the hood jetblack inside and I
> turned it back to about half. When I checked the cones
> they were down (05, 04, 03) and I turned the thing
> off. The load is good.
>
> Was that big flame ok? When would I put the large
> brick - came with it - on the hole. These are
> elementary questions for Watson, I'm sure, but Watson
> is as dead as a doornail.
>
> I now have a pyrometer, 2-prong, which I will use
> tomorrow with my glaze firing ^6. Anything I should
> avoid/do?

You are simply using too much pressure.
On my Olympic updraft I don't have a pressure gauge, but the valve is never
turned more than quarter turn - at the most! As the kiln climbs in
temperature and the flue is closed in, I also get flames from the top.

The pyrometer with 2 thermocouples will be valuable to check temperature
variation/change between top and bottom. Opening the flue will cause the
temperature to rise at the top of the kiln, closing in the flue will
increase the temperature at the bottom.

I use 2 insulating firebrick as a damper over the flue, bringing them
equally from both sides of the flue opening. I've also drawn pencil lines,
1/8" apart on either side of the flue so I have some reference marks to
write down and keep track of for future firings. My ^6 firings run 6-8
hours.


-- William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu

marianne kuiper milks on thu 10 nov 05


Hey...Thanks!

That gave me additional, precise information, a bag of
tools needed. So helpful and excouraging. It's going
to be a NICE firing with exciting surprises at the
end. Has to be.
The very end of your message, that it takes you 6-8
hours, was great. I really wanted an idea but was
afraid to ask :-o

I'll know by Saturday morning! Marianne

--- William & Susan Schran User
wrote:

> On 11/10/05 11:55 AM, "marianne kuiper milks"
>
> wrote:
>
> > When we turned it up (slowly) everything was fine.
> > Then I turned it on full blast, as I thought I
> should,
> > and a torch of flame (Olympics??) shot out the
> round
> > hole in the center of the lid. Scared me half to
> death
> > (jetplane?), turned the hood jetblack inside and I
> > turned it back to about half. When I checked the
> cones
> > they were down (05, 04, 03) and I turned the thing
> > off. The load is good.
> >
> > Was that big flame ok? When would I put the large
> > brick - came with it - on the hole. These are
> > elementary questions for Watson, I'm sure, but
> Watson
> > is as dead as a doornail.
> >
> > I now have a pyrometer, 2-prong, which I will use
> > tomorrow with my glaze firing ^6. Anything I
> should
> > avoid/do?
>
> You are simply using too much pressure.
> On my Olympic updraft I don't have a pressure gauge,
> but the valve is never
> turned more than quarter turn - at the most! As the
> kiln climbs in
> temperature and the flue is closed in, I also get
> flames from the top.
>
> The pyrometer with 2 thermocouples will be valuable
> to check temperature
> variation/change between top and bottom. Opening the
> flue will cause the
> temperature to rise at the top of the kiln, closing
> in the flue will
> increase the temperature at the bottom.
>
> I use 2 insulating firebrick as a damper over the
> flue, bringing them
> equally from both sides of the flue opening. I've
> also drawn pencil lines,
> 1/8" apart on either side of the flue so I have some
> reference marks to
> write down and keep track of for future firings. My
> ^6 firings run 6-8
> hours.
>
>
> -- William "Bill" Schran
> Fredericksburg, Virginia
> wschran@cox.net
> wschran@nvcc.edu
>
>
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