Annette Libby on sat 23 jun 07
Hi everybody .I've been having a problem with my kilnsitter. The bar's bend
correctly during the bisque firing ( Cone 06) but when I glaze fire at Cone 6
the bar in the sitter barely bends. We checked all the coils in the kiln and
they are ok, also checked the senser rod etc. in the sitter but still no
clue. Any ideas?? Thanks in advance!! Annette Libby.
************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
John Rodgers on sun 24 jun 07
Annette,
Do a test fire and use a witness cone of the same temperature as the bar
you use in the kiln sitter.
A witness cone is a cone made to stand free on a shelf or post.
Fire the kiln with a witness cone on a shelf, and the bar in the kiln
sitter. Comparing the two will tell you whether your kiln is getting hot
enough.
If the witness cone bends and the bar does not, then you may have the
wrong bar in the kiln sitter, or there may be something hanging up in
the kiln sitter itself - which I had happen on one of my kilns.
If the witness cone does not bend, nor does the bar, then your kiln is
not reaching temperature, and the elements become suspect. In this case,
turn on the kiln, turn the lights off, and with the lid open watch as
the elements reach a temperature when they turn red. . A row of elements
that don't glow in the dark are dead elements an must be replaced. Of
course don't put your hand in the the hot kiln or on hot bricks or
elements. AND don't get your face right over the kiln. You can see into
the kiln to the bottom without exposing your face to direct heat.
For computer controlled kilns, follow the instruction manual for testing
for a faulty element.
Good Luck,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
Annette Libby wrote:
> Hi everybody .I've been having a problem with my kilnsitter. The bar's bend
> correctly during the bisque firing ( Cone 06) but when I glaze fire at Cone 6
> the bar in the sitter barely bends. We checked all the coils in the kiln and
> they are ok, also checked the senser rod etc. in the sitter but still no
> clue. Any ideas?? Thanks in advance!! Annette Libby.
>
>
>
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>
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William & Susan Schran User on sun 24 jun 07
On 6/23/07 7:31 PM, "Annette Libby" wrote:
> Hi everybody .I've been having a problem with my kilnsitter. The bar's bend
> correctly during the bisque firing ( Cone 06) but when I glaze fire at Cone 6
> the bar in the sitter barely bends. We checked all the coils in the kiln and
> they are ok, also checked the senser rod etc. in the sitter but still no
> clue. Any ideas??
Ok Libby, here's the deal, you should be using the Kilnsitter as a back-up,
not to shut off the kiln for you. The Kilnsitter can get out of adjustment,
and yours is probably out of adjustment. If you don't have the Kilnsitter
manual, you can find it online at most kiln manufacturer's sites (I know
it's on L&L & Skutt's sites) and that will show you how to set the
adjustment.
You should use witness cones for every firing and use the Kilnsitter to shut
off the kiln if you miss the firing cone bending over.
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Michael Wendt on sun 24 jun 07
One added important consideration:
If you are running a downdraft kiln vent,
the cold air leaking in around the kiln
sitter rod changes the results as far as
the sitter is concerned so we always
turn the vent fan off about 1/2 hour
before the cone should drop. That gives
much more accurate sitter results than
leaving the vent fan on.
Try it both ways to see what I mean.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, ID 83501
USA
208-746-3724
http://www.wendtpottery.com
wendtpot@lewiston.com
Ron Roy on sun 24 jun 07
Turning a vent off before a firing is finished can result in fumes in a
closed space - just understand that there can be dangerous fumes coming off
a kiln at that point and extra ventilation might be required.
Another way to counter the effect of cool air on a cone in a kiln sitter
would be to use a lower cone.
At any rate - as noted by others - always use a large cone to monitor your
firings - never use a sitter to shut off a kiln if you want consistant
results.
RR
>One added important consideration:
>If you are running a downdraft kiln vent,
>the cold air leaking in around the kiln
>sitter rod changes the results as far as
>the sitter is concerned so we always
>turn the vent fan off about 1/2 hour
>before the cone should drop. That gives
>much more accurate sitter results than
>leaving the vent fan on.
>Try it both ways to see what I mean.
>Regards,
>Michael Wendt
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
John Post on sun 24 jun 07
Whenever I think a kiln sitter may be acting up, I just replace it.
They are only around 20 bucks and they do go bad.
Just like having an extra set of elements around is a prudent move,
having an extra kiln sitter and limit timer on hand for your kiln is
also wise. They don't take long to replace and the peace of mind is
worth it. If it keeps you from ruining even just one firing, it has
paid for itself.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
Arnold Howard on mon 25 jun 07
From: "Annette Libby"
> Hi everybody .I've been having a problem with my
> kilnsitter. The bar's bend
> correctly during the bisque firing ( Cone 06) but when I
> glaze fire at Cone 6
> the bar in the sitter barely bends.
Annette, did the Kiln Sitter shut off during your cone 6
firing, or did you turn the kiln off manually?
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
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