WJ Seidl on fri 26 oct 07
A search of the archives will show that the advice Bill gives has been
given countless times before.
Still people do not listen. I just don't get it.
My experience with electric kilns is limited to my own. My ancient old
(30+ years) kiln has a kiln sitter, and a timer. It also has a
super-brain...MINE. (Your brain will always beat a computer, because YOU
have intuition. Repeat that until you believe it.) My kiln sitter is
extremely well maintained...I'm anal that way. It's adjusted properly. I
have found in all of the firings that I have done, that I ALWAYS reach
temp (based on witness cone observation) PRIOR to the kiln sitter
shutting the system off. Every time. Without fail, no question;
repeatable ten times out of ten. I now consider it an immutable law of
(my) universe that it is so. YMMV.
That leads me to suppose:
1) Witness cones are made differently than mini-cones and bars for kiln
sitters. (Duh!)
2) Don't trust the kiln sitter for accurate firing temperatures....ever.
It lies! No matter how well it's maintained or adjusted.
3) Never leave the kiln (for long), "expecting" that things will be ok
and it will shut down by itself. It's mechanical, and Murphy is
just waiting around the corner for that "one time" you chance it.
4) Make damn sure you've set the timer, if you have one, and make sure
it works. It is your last defense.
Now having said that...I do leave the kiln occasionally:
1) In the early part of the firing (when the switches are on low, or medium,
or within an hour of having been turned to high, since I fire to ^10)
2) When nature calls (I'm neither sadist nor masochist, )
3) Once the kiln is shut off and cooling, and I've thrown the disconnect
(off)
I do not leave during the final two to three hours, or when the kiln is
above cone 5 (by the pyrometer). I never leave the property. I'm always
within 100 feet of the kiln. To do so invites disaster, as Cheryl found
out the hard way. Complacency breeds contempt, and Murphy is a
vindictive SOB. You know this is true.
I've been burned out of two homes and flooded out of three already.
That's enough. PAY ATTENTION to what you're doing! It's your livelihood.
It could very well be your life.
Best,
Wayne Seidl
William & Susan Schran User wrote:
> On 10/25/07 8:42 PM, "Cheryl Fisher" wrote:
>
>
>> The person who fired has been firing for 30+ years and only had this
>> happen once before. She is very attentive to the kiln. She left for a
>> period of time and it seemed that it went faster than normal. It was a
>> cone 6 firing but went way above that if the cone evaporated. When she
>> opened the kiln the cone had vaporized. The kiln person used the term
>> "encapsulated cone" putting the blame on the cone. We had never heard
>> that term so were asking to see if anyone else knew what he meant. I
>> suggested she contact Orton.
>>
>
> That she "left for a period of time" concerns me since she was probably
> guessing when the kiln might be shut down by the Kilnsitter and her
> experience firing the kiln with worn out elements that was causing longer
> firings.
>
> Folks need to understand that the Kilnsitter should be used as a back-up
> device. The Kilnsitter in this case may not have been adjusted properly or,
> as sometimes happens, the small cone is not seated correctly, melts into a
> blob holding the rod in place instead of letting it fall to shut off the
> kiln.
>
> As has been repeated many, many times - use witness cones.
>
> That this individual has been firing for 30+ years AND has had this happen
> before does mean she is experienced, but apparently has not learned from her
> experience and is not knowledgeable about firing kilns.
>
> So the everybody else out there - learn and become knowledgeable about your
> kiln. The information is out there! Here's a couple resources to get
> started:
>
> http://www.paragonweb.com/Kiln_Pointers.cfm
>
> http://www.hotkilns.com/fire-manual-kiln.html
>
> http://www.skutt.com/support/support.html
>
> http://www.ortonceramic.com/resources/
>
>
> Ok, be warned! There will be a test at NCECA! Study hard! ;^)
>
>
> --
> William "Bill" Schran
> wschran@cox.net
> wschran@nvcc.edu
> http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
>
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