Laurie Hashizume on mon 5 apr 10
I have just finished setting up my first home studio, having worked out =3D
of a community studio for 3 years now. I haven't had access to the kiln =
=3D
room, and have never seen a kiln while it is firing.
I purchased a new kiln with electronic controller and Orton vent, and =3D
test fired it about 4 days ago. I entered the studio while the kiln was =3D
at about 1400 Fahrenheit, and noticed the kiln was slightly cracked =3D
open and there was a glow visible where the lid meets the body. =3D
Thinking perhaps my lid lifter had too much ballast in it (even though I =
=3D
put far less in it than the kiln instructions suggested), I removed =3D
about 5 lb. before my first bisque firing - such that it now takes more =3D
effort to open the kiln. I started a bisque firing this morning, and =3D
recently checked the kiln - it is registering 1500 Fahrenheit, and again =
=3D
I see a glow emanating from the joint between body and lid; if I bend =3D
down I see a gap of perhaps 1/16th of an inch. Is this normal? If not, =
=3D
what might be the cause and solution to this.=3D20
Thanks,
Laurie
Patty on tue 6 apr 10
Laurie,
You didn't say what type kiln this is. My L&L was doing the same thing
after we moved cross country. I went back and checked the installation
instructions and found that we had not pushed one of the bars on the hinge
all the way down into the slot. The hinge is designed so this bar can move
up as the kiln expands with heat to keep the lid closed. Take another look
at your hinge installation instructions.
Patty Kaliher
douglas fur on tue 6 apr 10
Laurie Hashizume wrote:
Is this normal?
*Yes in the obvious sense that the lid heated on one side only will bend...=
*
*My first thought was the same as yours-*
Thinking perhaps my lid lifter had too much ballast in it (even though I
put far less in it than the kiln instructions suggested), I removed about 5
lb. before my first bisque firing -.
*Did making this change help any? your concept to have the lid "floating" t=
o
even out the bowing still makes sense-*
*
1. under the banner "more is better" can the counterweight be un-hooked
for firing?
2. Is there another asymetry- do you get more bending across wise or
alength the bricks in the lid? Or does the bending relate to how the id =
is
framed? *
DRB
Now in
BUrien
John Rodgers on tue 6 apr 10
You didn't say what kind of kiln, nor what model. That's important. But
to answer you question - that's not normal. But that given, there are
lid issues with different makes of kilns, different models, that is why
we need to know more about yours.
Regards,
John
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com
Laurie Hashizume wrote:
> I have just finished setting up my first home studio, having worked out o=
f a community studio for 3 years now. I haven't had access to the kiln roo=
m, and have never seen a kiln while it is firing.
>
> I purchased a new kiln with electronic controller and Orton vent, and tes=
t fired it about 4 days ago. I entered the studio while the kiln was at abo=
ut 1400 Fahrenheit, and noticed the kiln was slightly cracked open and the=
re was a glow visible where the lid meets the body. Thinking perhaps my li=
d lifter had too much ballast in it (even though I put far less in it than =
the kiln instructions suggested), I removed about 5 lb. before my first bis=
que firing - such that it now takes more effort to open the kiln. I started=
a bisque firing this morning, and recently checked the kiln - it is regist=
ering 1500 Fahrenheit, and again I see a glow emanating from the joint betw=
een body and lid; if I bend down I see a gap of perhaps 1/16th of an inch. =
Is this normal? If not, what might be the cause and solution to this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Laurie
>
>
>
Steve Mills on tue 6 apr 10
Hi Laurie,
We met this before when the first US Top loading Kilns arrived in the UK.
It's caused by the joint between Lid and Body of the kiln being too close i=
n
the hinge area; as the kiln heats up the brickwork expands, and if the join=
t
is too tight the opposite side of the lid is "levered" up by that expansion=
.
One way we cured it by loosening the hinge plates after closing the lid, an=
d
when the kiln is at max. temperature, marking their position on the body, s=
o
that when the Kiln is cool you can adjust it so that the problem does not
re-occur.
If, as was the case with the kilns we were importing, the hinge is a rod
running in two holes in the bracket on the body, we cured it by making the
holes larger and oval in shape to allow the expansion to take place
unhindered.
Steve M
On 6 April 2010 05:42, Laurie Hashizume wrote:
> I have just finished setting up my first home studio, having worked out o=
f
> a community studio for 3 years now. I haven't had access to the kiln roo=
m,
> and have never seen a kiln while it is firing.
>
> I purchased a new kiln with electronic controller and Orton vent, and tes=
t
> fired it about 4 days ago. I entered the studio while the kiln was at abo=
ut
> 1400 Fahrenheit, and noticed the kiln was slightly cracked open and ther=
e
> was a glow visible where the lid meets the body. Thinking perhaps my lid
> lifter had too much ballast in it (even though I put far less in it than =
the
> kiln instructions suggested), I removed about 5 lb. before my first bisqu=
e
> firing - such that it now takes more effort to open the kiln. I started a
> bisque firing this morning, and recently checked the kiln - it is
> registering 1500 Fahrenheit, and again I see a glow emanating from the jo=
int
> between body and lid; if I bend down I see a gap of perhaps 1/16th of an
> inch. Is this normal? If not, what might be the cause and solution to
> this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Laurie
>
--
Steve
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional!
Maurice Weitman on tue 6 apr 10
Hi, Laurie,
I'm sure others more knowledgeable than I will chime in, but in the
meantime, here's what I know:
I've seen the same bright light coming out the gap in any electric
kiln I've looked at while firing in a dark room. 1/16" sounds like a
lot, but it's certainly possible. There is normal warpage of lids at
high heat.
Assuming you've got your vent going and adjusted properly, there
shouldn't be an nasties coming into your room.
With a cool kiln, do you know whether there is a gap? Close the lid
over a piece of paper or thin cardboard and see how easily it pulls
out. Maybe something in the hinge isn't adjusted properly.
Would I like a tighter seal? Yes. Although I've considered using a
thin layer of fiber as a gasket, I think the increased hazard of
handling and breathing in THOSE nasties, makes it not worth the risk.
Regards,
Maurice
"Before you speak, ask yourself: Is it kind, is it necessary,
is it true, does it improve on the silence?"
-- Shirdi Sai Baba
William & Susan Schran User on tue 6 apr 10
On 4/6/10 12:42 AM, "Laurie Hashizume" wrote:
> I have just finished setting up my first home studio, having worked out o=
f a
> community studio for 3 years now. I haven't had access to the kiln room,=
and
> have never seen a kiln while it is firing.
>
> I purchased a new kiln with electronic controller and Orton vent, and tes=
t
> fired it about 4 days ago. I entered the studio while the kiln was at abo=
ut
> 1400 Fahrenheit, and noticed the kiln was slightly cracked open and ther=
e was
> a glow visible where the lid meets the body. Thinking perhaps my lid lif=
ter
> had too much ballast in it (even though I put far less in it than the kil=
n
> instructions suggested), I removed about 5 lb. before my first bisque fir=
ing -
> such that it now takes more effort to open the kiln. I started a bisque f=
iring
> this morning, and recently checked the kiln - it is registering 1500
> Fahrenheit, and again I see a glow emanating from the joint between body =
and
> lid; if I bend down I see a gap of perhaps 1/16th of an inch. Is this no=
rmal?
> If not, what might be the cause and solution to this.
The kiln lid will actually deflect down in the center as it heats up.
In larger diameter kilns this is more noticeable.
See if you can loosen screws where lid assembly is attached to kiln and lif=
t
up a bit to see if that helps.
All off my kilns have a slight crack between lid and wall.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Arnold Howard on wed 7 apr 10
From: "Laurie Hashizume" I purchased a new kiln with electronic controller and Orton
vent, and test fired it about 4 days ago. I entered the
studio while the kiln was at about 1400 Fahrenheit, and
noticed the kiln was slightly cracked open and there was a
glow visible where the lid meets the body.
-------------
Laurie, as Bill explained, the inner lid surface expands
more than the outer surface. This causes the lid to bow
inward toward the firing chamber slightly. This may be the
cause of the light seen between the lid and kiln body.
If the front of the lid is actually rising a little, the
hinge is probably either too tight or is binding. Some
people weigh down the front of the lid to keep it flat
against the kiln. This is not a good practice, though. It is
better to adjust the hinge.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
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