Aileen/Elliott Sperber on thu 3 jul 97
I cannot believe the timing of your message. I just retrieved the mail and
was going to send a message regarding the amount of loss of the elements due
to reduction in an electric kiln. Actually I will be using saggars that
will have the combustible materials and the pot/pots in them. I have heavy
duty elements in a paragon electic kiln. My personal feeling is that glazes
and clay that give off dangerous or harmful oxides (that coat the elements)
are just as damaging to the elements as the smoke from the saggars. My own
feelings were that if this works for me and I will be able to achieve the
look that I am striving for in the electric kiln, that the loss of the small
amount of life of the elements would be worth it. But, as I was led to
believe that the loss would be considerable, the l0% that you quote was
already good news for me. My next move is to call Paragon and/or element
makers to see what they know. I hope there are others out there that have
had some practical experience and would share that with me. I find there is
no better way than that. Hopefully I will be able to share mine at some
time in the future, and I hope it is way in the future.
TYIA,
Cape Cod
Really getting crowded and getting ready for the 4th.
Aileen
Perhaps,because of Leach,Rhodes, and others, most potters seem to
>have followed the practice of not reducing electreic kilns because of the
>"....reduced element life of approximatly 10%" Where the figure comes
>from,none of us really knows....out of a hat,probably! If the figure were
>true and with a somewhat heavier element, one could stand the possible 10%
>element life out of,say,500 firings. Althugh we have never used Phil Whites'
>kiln,we have introduced fairly large quantities of pine
>splinters,(aka-matsu) into electric kilns with no great reduction in kiln
>elements using normal size elelemtns. At the same time,the reduction effect
>in the pots has been indifferent.Note: White later sold out to some outfit
>in the US.
> The entire business of wood firing could certaily stand a long
>** Falkland, B.C. **
>** kinoko@junction.net **
>*****************************************
>*****************************************
>
>
David Woodin Set Clayart Digest on sat 5 jul 97
If you were to spray the inside of the kiln with ITC 100, elements and all
you will get more life out of the elements. Better yet is to coat new
elements before they are installed with ITC 213. Call 904-273-1616 for
information.
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