Howard on mon 10 jun 96
How do they differ?
We at Axner are very careful not to use Clay Art as a means of advertising.
A recent inquiry on Clay Art asked for the difference between the Axner
oxygen probe and the one made in Australia. Specifically responding to
that inquiry, the differences are:
*The Axner oxyprobe comes complete with its own protection tube, which will
greatly extend the life of the platinum wire.
*The meter on the Axner oxyprobe is more heavy duty.
*Repairs and spare parts are available domestically.
*Axner instructions are more descriptive and are easier to read and understand.
*The Axner Oxyprobe sells at a lower price.
Kelly @ Axner
Daniel Dermer on tue 21 aug 01
(Thanks in advance for any advice on the following
questions!)
After reading Nils Lou's book "The Art of Firing", I'm
considering purchasing an Axner oxygen probe.
Question 1: how do you decide if you need the 10" or
12" version. It's a $100 difference in cost for the
longer oxy probe.
Question 2: where in the kiln is the best place to
position the probe? I have an updraft 16 cu ft. West
Coast kiln. Do I need to drill another hole in the
door, or use one of the two peep holes? Seems like
use of a peep hole for the probe would prevent usage
for regular purposes (checking flame, color, and
cones).
-Dan
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Hank Murrow on tue 21 aug 01
Dan wrote;
>After reading Nils Lou's book "The Art of Firing", I'm
>considering purchasing an Axner oxygen probe.
>
>Question 1: how do you decide if you need the 10" or
>12" version. It's a $100 difference in cost for the
>longer oxy probe.
****I supply them standard on my kilns, so have some experience
with them. Length required depends upon how far you need to go to mount it
so that an inch or so sticks into the chamber.
>
>Question 2: where in the kiln is the best place to
>position the probe? I have an updraft 16 cu ft. West
>Coast kiln. Do I need to drill another hole in the
>door, or use one of the two peep holes? Seems like
>use of a peep hole for the probe would prevent usage
>for regular purposes (checking flame, color, and
>cones).
***I would not mount the probe in the door. You could knock it
every time you load, or swinging the door, it might strike something. I
would mount it at the same level as your spyhole, but in the back (out of
the way) of the chamber. Possibly in the corner of the chamber, where you
will not strike the tube with an errant kiln shelf.
Good Luck! Hank
Marvpots@AOL.COM on tue 21 aug 01
Hi Dan:
I purchased an Axner Oxyprobe some time ago for use in a downdraft gas kiln
and find it an excellent tool.
Axner can probably answer all of your questions fairly but I'll try too:
The length of the probe will be influenced by the thickness of the wall
through which you will be placing the probe. I drilled a hole (for which
instructions come with the probe from Axner together with suggestions about
the placement of the meter) in the front of my kiln, which is also the door
of my car kiln. I do not think it makes good sense to insert the probe
through a peep hole for several reasons, like the need to secure the probe
firmly, the loss of the peep hole etc.
You may need to buy a special masonary drill bit for creating this hole but
it will make the installation neater, firmer and in general, better.
Hope this helps.
All the best.
Marvin Flowerman
marvpots@aol.com
Bruce Freund on sat 26 apr 03
I cannot find any info in the archives on the oxy-probe.
I am having some difficulty using the probe due to erratic fluctuation of
the meter. I sent the probe back to be checked and they told me it worked.
The problem must be in my use of the instrument. I would appreciate any help
off list.
Thank You
bruce
David Beumee on sun 27 apr 03
Dear Bruce,
I also had problems with wildly fluctuating meter readings
until I reduced the size of my flue, the opening at the bottom back of
a downdraft kiln. One of my students had the same problem in her new
kiln, and when we reduced the size of her flue, the probe readings
stabilized, so the theory is holding true. Try reducing the flue size one half inch
on all sides to begin with. You can use cut soft brick. Measure the length of the top of the
opening and cut a half inch piece to fit, the width of a brick. Then with the piece in place, measure
to the bottom of the opening, and saw two half inch pieces of the same length,
and prop the top piece in place with the two side pieces. Make sense? If in the
next firing you still get fluctuating readings, replace the half inch pieces with one
inch pieces, and so on until the readings stabilize. This way you won't suddenly
reduce the size of your flue so much that you stall your kiln.
David Beumee
4/26/03 7:27:13 AM, Bruce Freund wrote:
>I cannot find any info in the archives on the oxy-probe.
>
>I am having some difficulty using the probe due to erratic fluctuation of
>the meter. I sent the probe back to be checked and they told me it worked.
>The problem must be in my use of the instrument. I would appreciate any help
>off list.
>
>Thank You
>
>bruce
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
Bruce Freund on sun 27 apr 03
Dear David,
Thank you very much for the suggestion. I have a 40CF Olympic. I think I am
going to call them and ask about this.. It sounds like it might work....
Do you think that the reduction of the flue increases or decreases
turbulence in the kiln. Do you think it will disturb or shorten the flame
and it's rolling effect throughout the kiln on it's way down and up and out
the flue?
bruce
Jennifer F Boyer on sun 27 apr 03
Hi Bruce,
Describe the fluctuation, using the numbers you are seeing. Also
where is the probe in relation to your flame path?
Jennifer
Bruce Freund wrote:
> I cannot find any info in the archives on the oxy-probe.
>
> I am having some difficulty using the probe due to erratic fluctuation of
> the meter. I sent the probe back to be checked and they told me it worked.
> The problem must be in my use of the instrument. I would appreciate any help
> off list.
>
> Thank You
>
> bruce
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
--
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery Montpelier VT USA
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/
Never pass on an email warning without checking out these sites
for web hoaxes and junk:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
John Weber on mon 28 apr 03
Bruce, I am not clear on the type of kiln you have but I found with my
Oxy-probe that it fluctuated from like .001 to .450 rapidly. The problem for
me was a windy day and a dry stack kiln. When the wind died down the probe
stabilized. Also, it seems I can get down to a mid range point like .450
but I can never get the kiln to hold at anything in between .450 and .005,
it just climes of drops through that area. Having said that, once I get the
kiln up to .500 or higher it will hold pretty much right on the mark for
long periods of time with only minor fluctuation with a strong gust of wind.
The other folks who may have kilns like yours will probably be closer to
your problem, but if your kiln is outside and susceptible to wind gusts then
that may be part of the problem.
David Beumee on mon 28 apr 03
Dear Bruce,
I have a home build 60 CF natural gas fired downdraft, fiber lined with ITC coating and a soft brick
floor. Getting this kiln to fire evenly has been a longer than necessary experiment, but the most help I received
was a long phone conversation with Nils Lou, who wanted about eight different changes to be made, one of
which was to dramatically increase the height of the stack. About your question of whether reducing the size of
the flue increases or decreases turbulence in the kiln, because I now have enough height of stack, I get more
draw, consequently more heat down low. If that is what you mean by more turbulence, I guess I do get
increased turbulence, but to my mind turbulence is more equated with shotening the length of the flame. As Pete
Pinnell explained in his excellent series of articles in Clay Times on firing copper reds, by opening primary air to
the burners at time of reduction, you shorten the flame, make the burners roar with combustion. This in my
definition is a definate increase in turbulence. Not only is heat released in the kiln instead of the stack, but also
the heat is more evenly distributed, and better and more even reduction is achieved, because as more
combustion is created by a short bushy flame, more carbon monoxide and hydrogen are released, which are the
real workhorses of reduction, as Pete explained. A reduction in the flue size, if accompanied by enough draw,
(created by having enough height of stack), means a greater venturi effect happens, meaning more draw is
created in the flame's path out the flue and up the stack.
David Beumee
4/27/03 5:57:02 PM, Bruce Freund wrote:
>Dear David,
>
>Thank you very much for the suggestion. I have a 40CF Olympic. I think I am
>going to call them and ask about this.. It sounds like it might work....
>
>Do you think that the reduction of the flue increases or decreases
>turbulence in the kiln. Do you think it will disturb or shorten the flame
>and it's rolling effect throughout the kiln on it's way down and up and out
>the flue?
>
>bruce
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
Bruce Freund on mon 28 apr 03
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for the reply.
Probe is in the front door of an Olympic. Not close to the flame . Kiln is a
down draft.
The numbers just keep going up and down. .1 .45 .04 etc etc.
bruce
Bruce Freund on mon 28 apr 03
Hi John,
Thank you for the reply. My situation is very similar to yours. On the next
firing I will keep an eye on the wind...for sure.
John, do you do 2 reductions, one for the body and a later for the glaze and
if so can you tell me when you start either and for how long you hold it and
at what number on the oxy-probe?
I do 1st reduction at about 010 for about 40 minutes then back to neutral
and then a glaze reduction about cone 9. This is for normal loads of ware
not for shinos or reds.
Have a great one...
bruce
Howard Axner on mon 28 apr 03
Dear Bruce et al,
I read your notes about erratic fluctuations on the Axner Oxyprobe=20
Meters and I would like to throw in my two cents.
When an Oxyprobe fluctuates wildly, it is almost always an indication=20
that the atmosphere in the kiln, around the probe, is also fluctuating=20=
wildly. This is actually a testament to the accuracy of the device,=20
which takes a reading 16 times per second. There are two pieces of=20
information that will help with this situation as follows:
Some parts of the kiln are more stable with regards to atmospheric=20
changes than others. The middle of the door or middle of the back wall=20=
are often stable spots. So too is the middle of the roof, but I do not=20=
always recommend this location because the back flames tend to go right=20=
into the probe=92s knuckle where it could cause some damage. This can =
be=20
avoided if the opening around the probe is tightly sealed. The parts=20
of the kiln that are least stable would be directly above the burner=20
flame.
The second bit of information is that the atmosphere fluctuates less as=20=
the kiln goes to higher temperatures due to the fact that atmospheric=20
pressure generally increases as the firing progresses. As the pressure=20=
increases, it simply tends to moderate fluctuations.
Howard Axner=
Bruce Freund on mon 28 apr 03
Hi David,
Thank you again for all of the information...
Do you have any idea as to when "approximately", Pete Pinnell wrote the
article that you referred to. I have almost all of the past Clay Times. I
went to their site but do not see a way of researching Pete Pinnell.
Thank You,
bruce
John Weber on tue 29 apr 03
Bruce, on the glazes I want a body reduction I also start at 010 with the
Oxy at around .60 to .65 I will leave this for at least an hour then back it
off to .50 to .55 and just leave it until cone 10 is down.
annsemple on tue 29 apr 03
Bruce
go to"
www.claytimes.com
click on
reference section
click on 'P'
scroll down to
Pinnell
There you will find a list of all papers he has written for Clay Times.
It is an excellent and easy to use reference section.
Ann
annsemple@shaw.ca
oooO
( )Clayfoot Crockery
\ ( Victoria, B.C. Canada
\ _ )
Bruce Freund on tue 29 apr 03
Thank you Ann. I finally found it last night-late.
Have a great one
*Bruce*
Rod Wuetherick on wed 30 jul 03
Anyone out there that use Axner Oxy probe? On my last firing the probe
worked correctly all the way to the end of the firing. At the end as usual I
disconnect the meter and call it a day. When I checked the 2 days after the
meter would show no temperature at all. I changed batteries just in case
(and I know you were going to ask ;)
Is there an easy way to check continuity of the lead? Which one is it on the
probe? Is there an easy way to fix this rather than sending it back to
Axner? I really don't have time for it right now.
I would really appreciate having a dialogue with someone about maintaining
these on your own. It can't be all the difficult. I would sure appreciate
it.
Please respond directly to my email rod@redironstudios.ca if you don't want
to clutter the list with this discussion.
Thanks allot...
Rod
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