Betty Drachman on mon 29 jul 96
Thanks to Rose Downs and Don Kopyscinski who reported on the effects of
coating their electric kilns with the above. A friend and I ordered the
coating and the patching compound from ITC, rented the required HUGE
compressor, and set aside one full day for the project. First we sprayed her
outdoor gas kiln; then we lugged the equipment to my house and sprayed my
indoor electric kiln.
The results: she reported that her gas kiln, which was in need of lots of
patching and which had deteriorating bricks, fired fast and well - like the
good, old days. She thought the results were terrific. Like Don, I saw no
change in my firing schedule heating up to 2200 degrees on my electric kiln;
but heat retention was noticeable, and the cool-down took longer. Using the
spray-on procedure, the coating seems to penetrate the bricks and make them
more stable. I have seen kilns where the coating was painted on, and the
results only affect the surface of the bricks. There is a terrible mess if
you spray inside in the basement . Put down lots of newspaper.
The day-after this project I concluded from all the mess and the frustration
of getting the material to come out of the spray gun and from lugging the
compresssor around and from calling the company for advice and from losing
the little screw that held the spray gun together because I had to take it
apart to see if the coating had turned to cement inside and from doing the
work on a hot-hot day that I was crazy to ever do it. Two days after, I was
happy I had done it. My kiln looks great - like new. Much gratitude to the
ITC company and to my friend on this project, Scottie Allen, who remained
calm in the face of all these frustrations.
Peace to all. Physclay in Bethesda
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