stevemills on sun 19 oct 97
Dear Lisa,
You're going the right way, you've sidelined Skutt, admired Olympic
robustness and L&L element holders, and obviously like to be in control.
Looks like a non computerised L&L to me, after all ill fitting rings can
be "lapped" together (and this from an avowed Olympic user of 18
years!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Steve
In message , Lisa P Skeen writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>In the never-ending search for information, I visited several potteries
>in Seagrove, NC today, and basically took a poll wherever I went. I'm
>trying to decide which electric kiln to buy, and I know what size I want,
>but I can't decide what brand. Here are my questions/concerns, and any
>help is appreciated. For those of you whose first question is: "Why do
>you want to fire electric?", let me just say that this is my first kiln,
>I'm just getting started on my own, and there is no gas line where my new
>house is being built.
>
>1. Do I need a 3 phase or a 1 phase kiln? I don't know what the phase
>part means.
>
>2. L&L kilns: Tom Gray tells me that most folks who fire electric in
>Seagrove use the L&L kiln. The only person I know who has an L&L says
>the rings don't fit together well and you can see the orange heat between
>the rings. Another guy I talked to in Seagrove says his L&L fires ok,
>but the computerized ones aren't very good. I like the element holder
>thingy in the L&L and also the square shape.
>
>3. Skutt Kilns: I have used Skutt kilns since I started throwing
>because that's what we had to fire in at City Arts. They seem to present
>little problem with "normal" use, but sometimes fire a little hot. City
>Arts fires an average of 2x per week.
>
>4. Olympic: We had an oval Olympic at Warnersville and it's as old as
>the hills and much abused since the woman who teaches the molded ceramics
>classes
>(A.) knows very little about kiln use. (ie: She thinks the limit timer
>should be set to whatever cone you're firing, and the timer doesn't work
>anyway), and
>(B.) is prone to forgetfulness and often leaves the thing propped open
>during firings.
>I have fired this kiln many times to ^6 with no problems. It fires
>evenly every time, but since I don't stay there with it, I don't know how
>long the cycle is.
>
>The person in Seagrove who sells Olympic kilns gave me a great price
>quote, but then he started talking about how I'd need increment switches
>and a pyrometer, plus cone packs at each peephole to monitor the
>temperature difference and adjust as needed. This is something I've
>never heard of before with an electric kiln.
>
>The same guy who told me about the L&L computers also said that he had an
>Olympic and sold it for $1k less than he paid for it just to get rid of
>it, and wouldn't have another one if it was given to him. Yikes! This
>sounds bad.
>
>5. Firing Schedule: This is the way I was taught to fire the kiln. Is
>there anything wrong with this plan, if so what and why?
>
>a. Load kiln
>b. turn kiln on low
>c. 2 hours or so later, turn up to medium.
>d. 2 hours or so later, turn up to high.
>e. Next day, firing is done and can be unloaded when it cools.
>
>Thanks in advance!!!!!
>
>Lisa Skeen
>Living Tree Pottery and Soaps
>http://www.uncg.edu/~lpskeen
>YesIAmRU?
>
--
Steve Mills
@Bath Potters Supplies
Dorset Close
Bath
BA2 3RF
UK
Tel:(44) (0)1225 337046
Fax:(44) (0)1225 462712
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