Daniel Turnell on wed 13 aug 97
Hello everybody.
I was wondering What are the pros and cons of gas and electric kilns.
Right now we are looking at the kilns in the 96-98 Laguana clay catalog
We like the small Aim G-2336 model gas kiln. but don't know if thats what we
should buy. If they stay outside we cover them, right? We aren't looking to
much at the electric but we're wondering if electric is the way to go.
Please list the pros and cons of these two types of kilns. We have thought
of a couple ourselves (me and mom), Like no venting, and posible fumes in
house. Cheaper and more efficent.
Plus reduction and oxidation.
Please post.
D.E.T.
ps could you define please what reduction and oxidation are :-)
thanx in advance
Orion Ceramic Studios on thu 14 aug 97
I think the four greatest advantages of gas firing are:
1 - Responsive temperature control (similar to cooking on a gas range vs.
elec. range)
2 - Choice of atmosphere condition: oxidation/neutral/reduction
3 - Economy: the cost of firing with natural gas or propane is lower than
electric
4 - Independence: physical location is generally more flexible; not
subject to power outages, etc.
Ellen Baker
orion@telcomplus.com
The Shelfords on sun 17 aug 97
At 10:50 14/08/97 EDT, Ellen Baker wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I think the four greatest advantages of gas firing are:
Just to put in a comparable set of arguments for electric:
1. Extreme simplicity, and less work.
2. Susceptible to electronic control, so you can fire to a complicated
pattern without being there. (Maybe gas offers this too, I don't know)
3. May or may not be cheaper - depends where you live. Where we are, on an
island where gas deliveries are expensive, and electricity is from
hydro-electric sources, electric is at least marginally cheaper. Power
outages are not typically frequent enough to be a headache (even here,
where we are without power on average 12 days / year.) The firing can just
be cranked up again when the power returns.
4. Independence too depends on where you live. If you are in a city, you
may have a harder time getting permission to run a gas kiln than electric.
These are not definitive arguments, but I think the reasons for going to
gas usually have more to do with wanting to get reduction effects, than
anything else. But for those who can't go to reduction, for whatever
reasons, electric offers a lot of advantages, and a sufficiently wide range
of interesting and beautiful effects to be worth pursuing for its own sake.
I would like, eventually, to get a gas kiln, but if it doesn't happen, I
won't die unfulfilled or anything.
- Veronica
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