Barb Howe on tue 8 oct 96
Hi Folks,
Our guild is trying to get some figures together for a new landlord. Can I
get some figures on the cost of firing a 40 cu. ft. downdraft natural gas
kiln? I realize different parts of the country will be different, but I
should be able to arrive at some kind of ballpark figure.
TIA
Barb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barb Howe
Clay Necessities
Fort McMurray, AB, Can
bhowe@ccinet.ab.ca
Bob Hanlin on sun 13 oct 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi Folks,
>
>Our guild is trying to get some figures together for a new landlord. Can I
>get some figures on the cost of firing a 40 cu. ft. downdraft natural gas
>kiln? I realize different parts of the country will be different, but I
>should be able to arrive at some kind of ballpark figure.
>
>TIA
>Barb
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Barb Howe
>Clay Necessities
>Fort McMurray, AB, Can
>bhowe@ccinet.ab.ca
>
>
Barb:
My kiln is 23 years old, made of hard brick with a soft brick stacked door.
I fire to c10R. It takes me about 16-20hrs to reach a flat cone 10. I
reduce heavily from c012 to c1, then moderatly to c9 and pure oxidation to
flat c10. My cost per firing is about $65-85 US depending on time. I do,
however, life in Oklahoma and my natural gas prices are probably less than
yours (maybe not).
Hope this helps
Bob Hanlin
3504 N. Tulsa
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
e-mail bhanlin@ionet.net
Dai Scott on wed 22 jul 98
God, I've already deleted the mail, and forgot whose firings we were
priciing out, but I DID write down the 96 KWH. At $.054/KWH, her firing
would have cost $5.17 at my studio. And, when you consider that our dollar
is worth dick, that's the equivalent of about $3.55 U.S.----eat your heart
out, guys!
Dai Scott, in one part of B.C. where power is cheap, but clay is pricey! It
all evens out, I guess.
Michael Wendt on thu 19 jul 01
To All:
Locally, a woman went broke a few years ago firing wares for others =
cheaply based solely on electrical costs. Figure the cost of firing this =
way:
How many loads can you fire before you need a new kiln?
1. The kiln cost you $1000.00. Allocate that cost per load. =20
2. The electrician charged you to hook it up.Allocate that cost per =
load.
3. The space the kiln takes costs you.Allocate that cost per load.
4. You paid for the shelves.Allocate that cost per load.
5. The time you use to load, monitor and unload costs you lost =
production.Allocate that cost per load.
6. Profit! Allocate that cost per load unless you are a charity and =
want to do this for free.
NOW ADD THE ELECTRICITY!
7. If you don't know the actual cost, use the peak usage value for =
the kiln to be sure you don't lose money. Most have wattage or amperage =
figures are on the nameplate. Ohm's law works like this:
Power (in watts ) =3D Amperage X Voltage a kilowatt =
=3D 1000 watts
a kilowatt hour is the continuous drawing of 1000 watts for one full =
hour.
sample calc: 11000 watt kiln on 19 hours =3D 209 kw hrs X $0.11/ kwh =
=3D $22.99.
Even if your kiln was on high for 19 hours, this would be the =
theoretical maximum power used so you are safe if you use this figure =
for estimation of cost although your actual cost will have been less.
Remember... you have to make a profit to survive so don't let people =
sucker you into low margin activities that drain away your time and =
return little .
Regards,
Michael Wendt wendtpot@lewiston.com
=20
L. P. Skeen on thu 19 jul 01
>>>>>>> How many loads can you fire before you need a new kiln?
Is there a formula for THIS? If so, what?
L
Michael Wendt on fri 20 jul 01
L.P Skeen asked:
>>>>>>> How many loads can you fire before you need a new kiln?
Is there a formula for THIS? If so, what?
L
No formula, but most manufacturers keep general stats on mean time
between failure and general life expectancy. Write and ask them, then please
report to the group. Most kilns last an incredible length of time, but
elements need to be replaced, switches go bad and lids crumble as do top
edge bricks.
I figure the depreciation on a major piece of equipment at 10 years and
try to have it paid off within that time so if you want to have the money to
buy a new kiln in 10 years and you do 26 loads a year, figure you need to
recover all the purchase price plus interest on 260 loads. The kiln may
still work fine, but try to sell it for the new price and you will get about
25% of the new price.
I think most people fail to figure in the replacement cost when they
charge for the use of the kiln and find that they have to borrow again to
get a new kiln when if they had set aside money for the replacement or the
additional unit, they would be very happy when that day arrived and they
could just go out and get what they want.
Regards,
Michael Wendt, wendtpot@lewiston.com
Gordon on fri 20 jul 01
In case i missed anyone personally ... i want to thank one and all
for the terrific information about firing costs... there are sooooo many
good people who take the time to help me figure this one out..I knew i was
missing a piece and you all helped me find it very quickly.. this list is
REALLY AWESOME.....
Kathleen Gordon
Palo Alto, Ca 94301
650-328-9164
fax 650-328-9113
email:kjgordon1@homail.com
"if things seem under control then you are not going fast enough!"
Mario Andretti
mel jacobson on mon 28 jul 03
karen t. and i wrote a piece for cm...comments section
a year or so ago.
we covered all of that.
so you want to fire with wood?
`hey, my cat has to go to the vet, here
are my pots, fire them, and give me a good
spot, i need the slides to get into grad school`
`hey, you love your wood kiln and love to fire
it, so why should i pay?`
`who me, are you kidding.` you do it.`
`split wood, chain saws, are you kidding me...i make pots`.
and my very favorite, it has happened at the farm.
`i thought that was high fire clay, i got it free, sorry they
all melted on your shelves...i gotta go.``` bye, bye`.
guess who scrapes that crap off the shelves?
you got it right.
and of course they are really pissed at me because they
were going to sell them at some dorky craft fair at their
church. it was my fault of course. they are not sure why,
but it must be mel's fault. gotta blame anyone but them selves.
the new world order. `never my fault.`
it costs about a thousand dollars to fire nil's kiln.
wood, time, loading, unloading, wadding.....and on and on.
if you don't share the load, you do not get your pots fired.
(well, except me.)
`i hate icky work...like to sit in a lawn chair and watch.
but, i want a really good place...sorta near the front, two
shelves from the bottom.'
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
Jan Goodland Metz on tue 29 jul 03
Thanks mel, you have to like the "process" to wood fire, it is a whole
seperate animal within itself. and I love it, just the firing itself.
We don't even cut the wood, we just feed it in whole, push it in as it
burns.. We stack it in the shed according to size. and use different
woods and thicknesses during the firing. We lucked into whole load of
wood from an old window factory that had been out of business for years
(very dry wood) and the factory building sold and had to be cleaned out.
Thousands of pieces of 2 inch square by 4-6 feet long. Fires great.
mel jacobson wrote:
> karen t. and i wrote a piece for cm...comments section
> a year or so ago.
> we covered all of that.
> so you want to fire with wood?
>
> `hey, my cat has to go to the vet, here
> are my pots, fire them, and give me a good
> spot, i need the slides to get into grad school`
>
> `hey, you love your wood kiln and love to fire
> it, so why should i pay?`
>
> `who me, are you kidding.` you do it.`
>
> `split wood, chain saws, are you kidding me...i make pots`.
>
> and my very favorite, it has happened at the farm.
>
> `i thought that was high fire clay, i got it free, sorry they
> all melted on your shelves...i gotta go.``` bye, bye`.
> guess who scrapes that crap off the shelves?
> you got it right.
> and of course they are really pissed at me because they
> were going to sell them at some dorky craft fair at their
> church. it was my fault of course. they are not sure why,
> but it must be mel's fault. gotta blame anyone but them selves.
> the new world order. `never my fault.`
>
> it costs about a thousand dollars to fire nil's kiln.
> wood, time, loading, unloading, wadding.....and on and on.
> if you don't share the load, you do not get your pots fired.
> (well, except me.)
> `i hate icky work...like to sit in a lawn chair and watch.
> but, i want a really good place...sorta near the front, two
> shelves from the bottom.'
> mel
>
>
>
>
>
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
>
Linda - Pacifica on mon 7 may 07
Our city has finally installed a small ceramics studio! That's the
good news. Bad news is they're sooooo worried about cost that
they're limiting students to cone 05, yes 05, glazes. I do like what
some folks do with cone 05 glazes but that's not my interest.
Bureaucrats!
I need help determining the expected costs for each glaze firing.
The kiln is a Cress ES27 and is rated at 208 volts. I've contacted
Cress and Arturo Maldonado of Cress has given me this:
"To determine how much does it cost per fire this is what you do:
1 Multiply the hour that your kiln takes to fire times .75
2 Multiply that number times 11
3 Multiply that number times the price per kilowatt hour on your
electric
bill.
That will be your cost per firing."
Now, can someone please give me an estimate of how long it might take
to fire to cone 05 vs. cone 5?
TIA, Linda, California
Mike Gordon on mon 7 may 07
Hi Linda,
>
> "To determine how much does it cost per fire this is what you do:
> 1 Multiply the hour that your kiln takes to fire times .75
> 2 Multiply that number times 11
> 3 Multiply that number times the price per kilowatt hour on your
> electric
> bill.
> That will be your cost per firing."
>
> Now, can someone please give me an estimate of how long it might take
> to fire to cone 05 vs. cone 5?
>
> I fire C/05 glazes in a Cress B-23 - H, 240v., two manual switches.
> All my low fire glazes are commercial. Most of them I put both
> switches on High, if they are dry enough, otherwise I use Medium for
> an hour then High. 3-4 hrs and it is off. If I have to soak, I tape
> the sitter up and lower both switches to low for an hour, then off. I
> went to PG&E about trying to figure the gas usage on my 20cu/ft.
> updraft, and they told me that the therms, change daily, so using the
> Kilowatt hrs. might work as long as nothing else is on that line. I
> guess-- at $20.00 per electric kiln firing, but all my electric
> machines in the house are running at the same time. Hope this helps.
> Mike Gordon in Hot- Walnut Creek, Ca.
| |
|
