Shula on sat 15 sep 07
question about electric
Now that I am settling down in the desert, it is time to begin thinking about my "studio." Ok, so it's half of the garage, but that's more than I've had in several years. And, it's time to decide on a kiln to buy and a place for it to live in my backyard.
BACKGROUND:
According to my insurance agent, there will be no problem with my homeowners insurance as long as the kiln is not in the house or garage.
According to the person in the building/development/zoning, there will be no problem with my putting a kiln in my back yard, but I will need a permit for the electric and since there will be electric in the shed, it will no longer be a temporary shed, so I will need a permit for the shed itself.
I plan to buy an L&L electric kiln (probably around 10 cu ft), unless I win the lottery tonight. If I win, I will buy a Geil kiln. That said, let's plan on my buying an L&L electric. Oh, and I plan to buy the kiln with a controller.
Please do not suggest that I build the kiln shed myself from scratch. My job requires me to be away from home Sunday afternoon through Thursday night. I don't want to spend what little time I have at home building a kiln shed - unless several clayarters volunteer to help me. An inducement for some - I'm just up the road from Palm Springs.
QUESTIONS:
1. It is very windy were I live, not all the time, but frequently and sometimes very strong. Therefore, I imagine I need to get a shed (probably in the 8x10 or 10x12 range)that is enclosed on all sides. Is that correct? If not, can I buy something that isn't enclosed on all sides? Any ideas what it would be called and where I could buy it?
2. I've reviewed the archives and it seems that the wisest thing is for me to have a metal shed. Do you agree?
3. In Desert Hot Springs it gets quite hot. Yes, I know it's a dry heat, but 115 or 120 is still hot. The insides of a metal shed will get very, very hot. Will this harm the electronics of the kiln (when it is not firing)?
4. Over the years of kiln shed discussions in the archives, several people bought Arrow sheds. When I went on their site, some of the sheds are vinyl or resin coated. Would you prefer one over the other, and if so, why?
5. In 2005, Bill Schran wrote that if he were to do it over again, he would build a short cinder block wall and mount the shed on top of it for more height. It that something that I should think about even though my electric kiln will be shorter than his Olympic updraft?
5. If I buy a metal shed, how far should I keep the kiln from the sides of the shed?
6. Any suggestions about the foundation - slab, cinder blocks,or? I don't have to worry about freezing/thawing. There is very little rain here. However, there are earthquakes. If you think a slab is the way to go, should it be footed or floating? How thick, etc? If something other than a slab, what else do I need to know? (by the way, I understand wood is not the way to go here because it doesn't last very long - heat, low humidity, etc.)
7. While I'm wiring the shed, perhaps I should prepare for a compressor (for glaze application). Would any of the answers to the above questions change if I were to also house a compressor with the kiln?
8. And the last question - I need to talk to an electrician about bringing the electric from the breaker box to the future site of the kiln in the back yard. Are there any questions beyond the basics that I should ask?
Thanks for your help.
Shula
Desert Hot Springs, California
Southern California
north of Palm Springs
west/southwest of Joshua Tree National Park
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