Stephen Sell on tue 31 dec 96
I am interested in purchasing a pyrometer and wanted to solicit
suggestions from clayart participants. I'm considering the Hand Held Portable
Pyrometer by Fluke which retails for $200 in the Bailey catalog. I would be
using it in my electric kiln, raku kiln and gas kiln (when I build it). The
fact that this model is portable seems to fit these different applications.
Has anyone had experience with this model? Is it available for less than the
Bailey price?
Thanks, Stephen Sell (412) 242-4670
"How am I going to learn if you don't let me fall down" -- Kelsey Barber
Dave and Pat Eitel on tue 31 dec 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am interested in purchasing a pyrometer and wanted to solicit
>suggestions from clayart participants. I'm considering the Hand Held Portable
>Pyrometer by Fluke which retails for $200 in the Bailey catalog. I would be
>using it in my electric kiln, raku kiln and gas kiln (when I build it). The
>fact that this model is portable seems to fit these different applications.
>Has anyone had experience with this model? Is it available for less than the
>Bailey price?
Stephen--
Have you considered getting an oxygen probe? They are pyrometers, too.
Sure, they cost an extra $450, but if you're going to be firing gas, you
might wish you had one. They, too can be moved from kiln to kiln.
Later...Dave
Dave Eitel
Cedar Creek Pottery
Cedarburg, WI
pots@cedarcreekpottery.com
http://www.cedarcreekpottery.com
Karen Gringhuis on wed 1 jan 97
Stephen
- I have used a Fluke pyrom. from Bailey for 2 yrs. & wouldn;t
dream of firing w/out it. Mine is a two-probe model but not I only
use one. I know the variatin between top & bottom of my elec. kiln
so one probe is enough. If you're gas kiln is big, & you want to track
top & bottom, maybe consider two.
I love it because I keep a good kiln log every firing & I can
predict w/in half an our when I need to be there. It also is critical
to down-firing in my electric which I do for approx. 4 hrs. to wipe out (well al
Bailey shipe their pyros. with out a porcelain sheath. I think it's
necessary to have one since the exposed metal tip of the probe does
deteriorate & shed flakes - in my elec. So I orderedont. But the hole in
the side of the kiln which it comes with is too small for the sheath.
So I just cut off the end of the probe to make a cover about 1.5 - 2"
& hang it on the tip inside the kiln & it works fine.
all hell broke loose, I could fire w/ no cones & survive because I have the
(!) go over. ones usually )
excuseme - I have the history of at what temp the cones go over usually.
If I can be of further ehlp, write. GOO FOR IT & good luck.
Karen GringhuisZ
(pLEASE EXCUSE THE TYPING - AM ON HUSBAND'S COMPUTER & IT'S
STRANGE - IMB - what can I - what can I , a MAC use say?)
Evan Dresel on thu 2 jan 97
At 11:21 AM 12-31-96 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am interested in purchasing a pyrometer and wanted to solicit
>suggestions from clayart participants. I'm considering the Hand Held Portable
>Pyrometer by Fluke which retails for $200 in the Bailey catalog. I would be
>using it in my electric kiln, raku kiln and gas kiln (when I build it). The
>fact that this model is portable seems to fit these different applications.
>Has anyone had experience with this model? Is it available for less than the
>Bailey price?
>
>Thanks, Stephen Sell (412) 242-4670
>
$ 179 in my Seattle Pottery Supply Catalog which is almost a year old. Call
800-522-1975.
No affiliation, but they are nice and helpful.
-- Evan Dresel in eastern Washington where the snow is melting way too fast.
LBCLAY@aol.com on thu 2 jan 97
i use a pyrometer to fire my gas kiln...it is mounted near the kiln....
you don't want it too close cuz the heat effects it in a crazy way (temp
readings go backwards)....I hve the digital kind...which to me is best cuz
then you don't have to worry about how/where you are standing and which way
your head is tilting when you take a temperature reading....also,,i would get
one that works on electriticity not battery....i have the battery operated
one,,,and when the temp goes backwards i always wonder if it's the battery or
the heat....and...I"M always looking for a new battery....
Linda in Vermont
Tom Gray on fri 3 jan 97
We use an Omega digital pyrometer with no problems. It is battery operated,
but when the battery is getting low, the pyrometer reads "low battery". I
highly recommend the Omega.
Tom Gray
Seagrove, NC
At 11:11 AM 1/2/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>i use a pyrometer to fire my gas kiln...it is mounted near the kiln....
>you don't want it too close cuz the heat effects it in a crazy way (temp
>readings go backwards)....I hve the digital kind...which to me is best cuz
>then you don't have to worry about how/where you are standing and which way
>your head is tilting when you take a temperature reading....also,,i would get
>one that works on electriticity not battery....i have the battery operated
>one,,,and when the temp goes backwards i always wonder if it's the battery or
>the heat....and...I"M always looking for a new battery....
>Linda in Vermont
>
>
Gavin Stairs on fri 3 jan 97
At 11:11 AM 02/01/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>i use a pyrometer to fire my gas kiln...it is mounted near the kiln....
>you don't want it too close cuz the heat effects it in a crazy way (temp
>readings go backwards)....I hve the digital kind...which to me is best cuz
>then you don't have to worry about how/where you are standing and which way
>your head is tilting when you take a temperature reading....also,,i would get
>one that works on electriticity not battery....i have the battery operated
>one,,,and when the temp goes backwards i always wonder if it's the battery or
>the heat....and...I"M always looking for a new battery....
>Linda in Vermont
>
Hi Linda,
Your remark about the pyrometer being affected by heat is bang on.
Thermocouple based pyrometers measure the DIFFERENCE in temperature between
the hot side (in the kiln) and the cold side (at the meter, usually). The
temperature is measured as a small voltage. The cold side compensation in
the sorts of pyrometers used in handheld and studio units is probably poor
or none. More expensive units may have a zero degree compensation unit,
either analog or digital. This attempts to adjust the indicated voltage to
compensate for the variation in temperature on the cold side. However,
meter circuits are less accurate the farther away from their standard
(calibrated) temperature they are used. In general, electronics don't like
heat. So it is definitely a good idea to keep the meter well away from the
kiln heat. The kiln top or side wall is NOT a good place for the unit. And
as you move it away from the heat, use a good grade of thermocouple
extension wire of the same type as the thermocouple wire itself. If you use
copper wire to extend the wires, you will end up measuring the difference in
temperature between the hot junction (the twisted or welded tip where the
dissimilar wires join, in the kiln) and the junction where the copper wires
begin. This is probably not what you want to do.
Concerning batteries vs. line power, there are advantages to both, but the
disadvantages of line power fluctuations and such are probably not
sufficient to outweigh the advantages of no more batteries! And digital is
definitely more consistent than analog display.
Now in order to preserve the digital accuracy, remember to replace the
thermocouple from time to time. The amount of wire in the high heat is
probably not great. You can just chop this off and rejoin the cut ends to
rejuvenate a damaged junction. You may be able to do this a few times
before the wire is too short. I can't tell you how long the junction should
last. That depends on your setup and firing. However, if you keep good
notes, you will be able to tell if the maturation point seems to be
drifting, and also if there is a big jump when you change the junction. If
the jump is too big, change more often. If you can't even tell the
difference, keep it longer. Also, more than one measurement point is always
a good idea.
Bye, Gavin
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