Eleanora Eden on tue 29 jul 08
So, after my big fair, one of my first jobs will be to replace the
lengths of element
holder that are in bad shape or entirely missing. I would like very
much to hear
about any tips on doing this job.
I understand that I use a screwdriver to go into the thinnest place and hit it
with a hammer to remove the trashed old piece. Then I heat up the dangling bit
of element with a torch and place it back in.....with what is not
exactly clear.
I also bought a bunch of those high temp push on connectors from L&L
to replace the ones
that look so trashed. I bought a length of high temp wire from a
local electrician to
replace any necessary pieces of that. I will also be replacing the
other 4 fuse
assemblies so they all will be new ones. I will have somebody
helping me but any
tips on any of these jobs will be very much appreciated.
Hope people are all enjoying some good weather. This has been a very wet July
around here. But the prognosis for the fair days looks very good, no
big storms,
nothing above mid-80's. I'll take it!
Best,
Eleanora
--
Bellows Falls Vermont
www.eleanoraeden.com
Eleanora Eden on wed 30 jul 08
Well, that is one of the things I am wondering about. I am not talking
about the elements here, btw, I am talking about the sections of porcelain
that hold the elements. This is the instruction that I got from the L&L
kiln guy.
Eleanora
>>Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:37:56 -0400
>>From: Eleanora Eden
>>Subject: kiln repair: advice on next repairs
>>
>>I understand that I use a screwdriver to go into the thinnest place and hit it
>>with a hammer to remove the trashed old piece. Then I heat up the dangling bit
>>of element with a torch and place it back in.....with what is not
>>exactly clear.
>
>
>Hit it with a hammer? EEK!! god forbid! You could really mess
>up your kiln bricks, hitting a screwdriver with a hammer anywhere
>nearby. I doubt you'll need to do anything so drastic. Most old
>kiln elements are terribly brittle, so heat them up red before doing
>anything to them at all; you might break more than you planned to.
>Second, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! That skinny fried-looking area is
>still working; let it keep at it until it actually fails, or until you replace
>the whole element. If it does finally break, heat the areas adjacent
>to the broken ends and use needle-nose pliers to stretch them one
>at a time, enough to overlap and link together for about an inch.
>
>If you are dead-set on splicing before it's even broken, then use
>the pliers to twist the thin bit just a little. If it doesn't snap instantly,
>it's probably not in such bad condition as you thought. If it does
>break, then proceed (as above) to stretch and overlap the ends.
>Forget the hammer!
>
> -Snail
--
Bellows Falls Vermont
www.eleanoraeden.com
William & Susan Schran User on thu 31 jul 08
On 7/30/08 10:07 PM, "Eleanora Eden" wrote:
> Well, that is one of the things I am wondering about. I am not talking
> about the elements here, btw, I am talking about the sections of porcelain
> that hold the elements. This is the instruction that I got from the L&L
> kiln guy.
Do not wonder.
Using screwdriver against element holder, hitting screwdriver with hammer is
the proper method to remove the element holder.
I have performed this operation before.
It is easier than taking apart the kiln section and the removing the brick
to slide the holder out.
Element holder has a small lip that anchors it, so you must break it to
remove it. Hit the area back behind where the element sat with screwdriver,
that is the thinnest part and you need to break the holder horizontally to
get it out.
I think the new holder gets cemented in place, if I recall correctly.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
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