Kelly Savino on wed 14 dec 11
Hey-ho to the clayarters I don't see elsewhere...
In the three years since my Jeff lost his job, while we've been unemployed,=
underemployed, uninsured and working 4-6 part time jobs combined --I've go=
tten support, advice, and more from the clayart list... so I wanted to shar=
e our happy news: Jeff got a full time job that begins after the first of t=
he year! With benefits! The Savino family is doing the happy dance, glad to=
have a safety net again, and proud we made it through some lean times with=
out debt and never lost our sense of humor.
He'll be working in a materials lab instead of a biology lab, in manufactur=
ing instead of academia, and an hour away but he'll gladly drive it. They h=
ired him for one position but will train him to be the OSHA guy in the mean=
time.
We're thrilled. My firstborn leaves for college in the fall, my littlest ju=
st got braces, and "income" is so much easier to budget than "if-come". I'm=
also enjoying the cash flow christmas Tony was waxing nostalgic about -- p=
ottery sales, scout troop merit badges and one night workshops mean pockets=
full of wrinkled green dollars to share with local businesses.
The new development means NCECA is back on my agenda, lord willing and the =
creek don't rise, and the elders stay healthy. Seattle is among my favorite=
cities, and I have fond memories from the 80s when I was at U of Oregon (H=
ank's territory, and Stephani's!) doing a masters in Folklore and making po=
ts with George Kokis.
So -- I need to look at my current workload and figure out what gets cut. J=
eff has been working from home a lot and running kids to and from school, h=
andling dinners and appointments - that's back on me now. Since we have a l=
ittle breathing room financially, I've been thinking hard about what I can =
delegate and it seems to come down to kilns.
The soda kiln is a peach, but I have three electrics at home -- one working=
, two dormant and in need of repairs, and an outlet cover that keeps gettin=
g scorched by the heat of the kiln blades, even after an electrician instal=
led all the "right" stuff.
I have one kiln at my community studio -- a donated old Duncan -- and this =
week the timer mechanism that counts down the hours to safety shutoff has b=
egun making a horrible grinding noise at random times.
One of the kilns at the community college -- an old econo-kiln - I gave all=
new elements and fuses but it needs a new kiln sitter tube assembly.
(The kilns at the potters guild, thankfully, are not my problem.)
In short, I could spend a solid month just fixing kilns, printing schematic=
s and talking to reps on the phone and trying to teach myself this skill I =
don't have. I know how to replace elements and thermocouples and install re=
lay upgrades but it takes a ton of time for me and I am NOT an electrician =
and rarely have the right tools at hand.
So it occurs to me that I could cough up some cash and hire that part done,=
and spend my time teaching, earning, parenting and potting instead. The qu=
estion is: who do I call? I assume that not all electricians are familiar w=
ith kilns, and whoever comes out will have to talk to/order parts from at l=
east three different companies. Is there a way to find a person in my area=
(northwest ohio/southeast michigan)who is sure to know a kiln from a hole =
in the ground? Any of you in the Ann Arbor guild have a pro to offer up?
If it helps, I'd reeeeally like to pay in cash...
Anyway hugs to all, best wishes for bright moments in the season of long ni=
ghts...
Yours
Kelly in Ohio
http://www.primalpotter.com
Snail Scott on thu 15 dec 11
On Dec 14, 2011, at 10:28 PM, Kelly Savino wrote:
> ...an outlet cover that keeps getting scorched by the heat of the kiln =
=3D
blades...
I never had this problem until I left the desert, along with=3D20
a lot of other moisture-related issues. I also have had=3D20
problems with overheated receptacles. I replaced it=3D20
outright and cleaned the plug prongs with fine sandpaper.
It's arcing and inadequate contact that causes the heat,=3D20
so keeping it clean, smooth, and uncorroded is the trick.
This finally set off the little idea-lightbulb over my head. (It=3D20
took a while to come on - switched to fluorescent, ya'know...)=3D20
I've had problems with my kiln firing cool on the bottom lately,=3D20
so I checked the resistance through the plug - WAY out=3D20
of spec, especially top and bottom, and they weren't that=3D20
old. Dangit. So I sucked it up and bought a full new set,=3D20
and dismantled the kiln. I started by clipping the crimps=3D20
off the first old element, pulled the pins, and started teasing=3D20
the element out of its channel. I'd got the whole thing out,=3D20
amazingly all in one piece, and then it hit me...all in one=3D20
piece? When does that _ever_ happen? It was still springy=3D20
and nice! Now disconnected from the kiln circuitry, I tested=3D20
the resistance again - was close enough for jazz, for sure.=3D20
I tested the rest, ring by ring in pairs, then divided by two.=3D20
All fine. Why such different readings? The wiring in the=3D20
control box (manual) is minimal enough to scarcely effect=3D20
the reading. Duh...(headslap to self)...the connector sockets!
I'd heard they had a bad rep for failure, but I'd never had=3D20
trouble...well, I had it now. I knew they weren't replaceable=3D20
anymore, and I'd sold off my old 'parts' kiln when I moved.=3D20
The manufacturer-recommended work-around was to hardwire=3D20
all the rings together, but I own that model because it unstacks=3D20
so easily. Pfftftht. In the future I'll probably jury-rig something=3D20
(the official kit costs about $100) but in the meantime I wrapped=3D20
sandpaper around a small flat file and started cleaning the=3D20
socket contacts. It's still not perfect, but I'm back to a more=3D20
reasonable firing time, more even firings (aided by some=3D20
kaowool stuffed in the gaps), and I've forestalled the inevitable=3D20
refit a little longer.
=3D20
-Snail=3D
Paul Herman on thu 15 dec 11
Hi Snail,
Greetings from out here in the mountains of the West.
I had those old plugs that connected the three rings of my Skutt
together. Eventually a friend rewired it for me, and hard wired the
whole thing together. But it's not going anywhere, will not be moved
in the foreseeable future. The old plug fixtures were all roasted and
brittle and awful. Roger, the kiln wirer, noted that the kiln was a
1968 model. Still going strong, but I only do bisque in it.
Getting ready for wood firing #25,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
Doyle, California US
www.greatbasinpottery.com/
On Dec 15, 2011, at 12:02 PM, Snail Scott wrote:
> On Dec 14, 2011, at 10:28 PM, Kelly Savino wrote:
>> ...an outlet cover that keeps getting scorched by the heat of the
>> kiln blades...
>
> I never had this problem until I left the desert, along with
> a lot of other moisture-related issues. I also have had
> problems with overheated receptacles. I replaced it
> outright and cleaned the plug prongs with fine sandpaper.
> It's arcing and inadequate contact that causes the heat,
> so keeping it clean, smooth, and uncorroded is the trick.
>
> This finally set off the little idea-lightbulb over my head. (It
> took a while to come on - switched to fluorescent, ya'know...)
> I've had problems with my kiln firing cool on the bottom lately,
> so I checked the resistance through the plug - WAY out
> of spec, especially top and bottom, and they weren't that
> old. Dangit. So I sucked it up and bought a full new set,
> and dismantled the kiln. I started by clipping the crimps
> off the first old element, pulled the pins, and started teasing
> the element out of its channel. I'd got the whole thing out,
> amazingly all in one piece, and then it hit me...all in one
> piece? When does that _ever_ happen? It was still springy
> and nice! Now disconnected from the kiln circuitry, I tested
> the resistance again - was close enough for jazz, for sure.
> I tested the rest, ring by ring in pairs, then divided by two.
> All fine. Why such different readings? The wiring in the
> control box (manual) is minimal enough to scarcely effect
> the reading. Duh...(headslap to self)...the connector sockets!
> I'd heard they had a bad rep for failure, but I'd never had
> trouble...well, I had it now. I knew they weren't replaceable
> anymore, and I'd sold off my old 'parts' kiln when I moved.
> The manufacturer-recommended work-around was to hardwire
> all the rings together, but I own that model because it unstacks
> so easily. Pfftftht. In the future I'll probably jury-rig something
> (the official kit costs about $100) but in the meantime I wrapped
> sandpaper around a small flat file and started cleaning the
> socket contacts. It's still not perfect, but I'm back to a more
> reasonable firing time, more even firings (aided by some
> kaowool stuffed in the gaps), and I've forestalled the inevitable
> refit a little longer.
>
> -Snail
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