Larry Kruzan on tue 28 dec 10
Hi Lili,
It may be called "Expanded Metal" or "Punched Metal Sheeting" and you shoul=
d
be able to find it at any well stocked hardware store. Afraid I don't know
the stores in your area but Home Depot, Lowes, our True Value Hardware and
many others carry it in stock.
IF you have a metal supplier in your area they will be listed in the yellow
pages under "metal". Locally here - Haggerty Steel is the supplier I use.
They have depots all over the US but most of the time you have to purchase =
a
full sheet - that's a lot of metal if you need just a few square inches.
If you would like, please take a picture of the material and email it to me
- I'd be happy to see what I have that might work for you. My son and I do =
a
lot of steel fabrication and have a lot of stock stacked in the corner - a
LOT of it.
Best Wishes,
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Lili Krakowski
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2010 6:03 PM
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Kiln repair: now nasty metal
Thanks to all who made kiln repair suggestions. As these were off
list--except for Arnold's--I thank without naming names! Amusingly several
including one of my coevals said go out and buy this kiln cement. Two
suggested what I was looking for: that sodium silicate was the missing
ingredient in my clay. grog, pulverized fire brick recipe.
NB: Arnold's advice should be copied out and filed by those who have not ye=
t
repaired a soft kiln wall.
If I may add: protect the elements with plastic wrap. Also: the finished
surface of the inner kiln wall need not--most likely will not look like the
wall of a new kiln. You certainly do not want protrusions that curtail
stacking...but if it ain't perfect, never mind.
Now. New question. This Knight kiln has switch "cages" made of some sort
metal mesh that has turned totally brittle, I think the Skutt kilns had th=
e
same cages...but my Skutt is at the Farm and I am here. Now what kind of
metal is that--i.e. what kind of store would sell it? Making new cages
should not be difficult...but these are as brittle as old Zwieback--and als=
o
give painful cuts.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Lili Krakowski on tue 28 dec 10
Thanks to all who made kiln repair suggestions. As these were off =3D
list--except for Arnold's--I thank without naming names! Amusingly =3D
several including one of my coevals said go out and buy this kiln =3D
cement. Two suggested what I was looking for: that sodium silicate was =3D
the missing ingredient in my clay. grog, pulverized fire brick recipe.
NB: Arnold's advice should be copied out and filed by those who have not =
=3D
yet repaired a soft kiln wall.
If I may add: protect the elements with plastic wrap. Also: the =3D
finished surface of the inner kiln wall need not--most likely will not =3D
look like the wall of a new kiln. You certainly do not want protrusions =
=3D
that curtail stacking...but if it ain't perfect, never mind.
Now. New question. This Knight kiln has switch "cages" made of some =3D
sort metal mesh that has turned totally brittle, I think the Skutt =3D
kilns had the same cages...but my Skutt is at the Farm and I am here. =3D
Now what kind of metal is that--i.e. what kind of store would sell it? =3D
Making new cages should not be difficult...but these are as brittle as =3D
old Zwieback--and also give painful cuts.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
William & Susan Schran User on wed 29 dec 10
On 12/28/10 7:03 PM, "Lili Krakowski" wrote:
> Now. New question. This Knight kiln has switch "cages" made of some so=
rt
> metal mesh that has turned totally brittle, I think the Skutt kilns had =
the
> same cages...but my Skutt is at the Farm and I am here. Now what kind of
> metal is that--i.e. what kind of store would sell it? Making new cages s=
hould
> not be difficult...but these are as brittle as old Zwieback--and also giv=
e
> painful cuts.
Back in grad school I fired with a Crusader brand kiln and it also had the
metal mesh control boxes. These are made of expanded steel and this comes i=
n
different mesh sizes. Depending on thickness, this is rather easily cut wit=
h
snips.
Caution - the edges of this material can get VERY sharp, so always wear
leather work gloves.
If you can remove one of the existing, you can flatten it back out to creat=
e
a template to cut the new ones.
This is rather mild steel and will rust easily. Coating it with high
temperature paint, the type used to paint auto engines would be advisable.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
| |
|
