mel jacobson on mon 7 may 12
deb and others.
with the surge of sales with computer aided electric kilns,
i am sure there will be a lot of used, rather well used, manual
kilns on the market.
there is no need to buy a mercedes, when a ford pickup will
serve your purposes very well.
if you are going to be a cone 6 or lower firing person, and doing
very straight forward work, a manual kiln works just great.
take it apart, wash it out, get some new coils, and itc them,
check the wiring in the control box and add new ones where
necessary. (often it is just the case of taking things apart, polishing
the leads, and re/assemble. )
mount the kiln on a brick or concrete block base to make the
height perfect for your basic body size.
the electrical connections must be the same for a new kiln or a
used kiln. in most cases 30-40 amps. and, make sure you
locate your kiln as close to your electric service box as possible.
you can probably pick up a used kiln for a few hundred bucks, add
some new elements for a couple hundred more, some sweat equity
and you will be in business.
check craig's list every week. or run an ad for `want used kiln`.
it will take a month.
i will have the story of building a gas/electric kiln available, and it
will take you through the basics of the rebuild...just don't add the gas.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
POST, JOHN on mon 7 may 12
If you want to run an old manual kiln with a computer controller, look =3D
up the seller Vulcan Kilns on ebay. =3D20
I have purchased two wall mounted kiln controllers from this seller and =3D
they work great.=3D20
=3D20
If you wish, you can take off the kiln sitter and simply run the kiln =3D
from the controller.
A small hole is drilled into the side of the kiln to accommodate the =3D
thermocouple that connects to the controller.=3D20
New computer controlled electric kilns are pricey but if you can =3D
refurbish an old kiln and then add the controller, you can save more =3D
than half the price of the kiln.
A great way to find electric kilns is to tell everyone you know that you =
=3D
are looking for one. =3D20
I do this whenever I need one and like magic one always turns up.
I have been given two mint condition kilns using this method. =3D20
One a big 23x27 Evenheat that the owner just wanted out of her house and =
=3D
the other one an 18 x 22 Gare with the extension ring. Both looked =3D
practically brand new.
Right now I have 5 different sizes of electric kilns in my garage but =3D
only use two of them. I can't say no to a free kiln and I just fix them =
=3D
up and pass them on to friends or by selling them on ebay.
John Post
Johanna San Inocencio on mon 7 may 12
Mel, John and anyone else with experience,
How do you evaluate a kiln's suitability for a rebuild? if you change =3D
the elements and the controller, does it matter what cone the kiln was =3D
rated for originally? are lower rated kilns made of different firebrick, =
=3D
or do they work just as well as one originally intended for higher cone =3D
ratings? Are there any recommended resources for learning how to go =3D
about converting or renovating electric kilns? Thanks for all your help.
Johanna
On May 7, 2012, at 8:46 AM, POST, JOHN wrote:
> If you want to run an old manual kiln with a computer controller, look =
=3D
up the seller Vulcan Kilns on ebay. =3D20
> I have purchased two wall mounted kiln controllers from this seller =3D
and they work great.=3D20
>=3D20
> If you wish, you can take off the kiln sitter and simply run the kiln =3D
from the controller.
> A small hole is drilled into the side of the kiln to accommodate the =3D
thermocouple that connects to the controller.=3D20
>=3D20
> New computer controlled electric kilns are pricey but if you can =3D
refurbish an old kiln and then add the controller, you can save more =3D
than half the price of the kiln.
>=3D20
> A great way to find electric kilns is to tell everyone you know that =3D
you are looking for one. =3D20
> I do this whenever I need one and like magic one always turns up.
>=3D20
> I have been given two mint condition kilns using this method. =3D20
> One a big 23x27 Evenheat that the owner just wanted out of her house =3D
and the other one an 18 x 22 Gare with the extension ring. Both looked =3D
practically brand new.
>=3D20
> Right now I have 5 different sizes of electric kilns in my garage but =3D
only use two of them. I can't say no to a free kiln and I just fix them =
=3D
up and pass them on to friends or by selling them on ebay.
>=3D20
> John Post
Arnold Howard on mon 7 may 12
On 5/7/2012 1:09 PM, Johanna San Inocencio wrote:
> How do you evaluate a kiln's suitability for a rebuild? if you change the=
elements and the controller, does it matter what cone the kiln was rated f=
or originally? are lower rated kilns made of different firebrick, or do the=
y work just as well as one originally intended for higher cone ratings? Are=
there any recommended resources for learning how to go about converting or=
renovating electric kilns?
I would evaluate a used kiln mainly by the amount of rust and the
condition of the firebricks. Has the kiln been stored out in the open?
Are weeds growing under it? I would avoid such kilns.
If the firebricks are in good shape and the rust is minimal, the kiln is
probably in excellent condition. I've seen old kilns stored in garages
that were beautiful in spite of their age.
Some people consider minor firebrick cracks to be major damage. The
cracks are nothing to worry about, though, as long as the brick bottom
is not about to fall apart. Bulging elements are easy to repair, too.
Changing the elements will enable the kiln to fire to its rated
temperature provided the wall outlet has sufficient voltage. If you want
to raise the kiln's maximum temperature, you may have to change the
switch box wires and cord set in addition to the elements. This could
void the UL listing.
The firebricks in most electric kilns can fire to cone 10.
You will find many kiln repair videos on Youtube. I love instructional
videos. I also recommend "21st Century Kilns."
http://www.21stcenturykilns.com/
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
Robert Harris on mon 7 may 12
While I am not an expert, unlike Arnold, I would add, that while the
firebricks can certainly take the temperature, any kiln with less than
3 1/2 inches of insulation is woefully underinsulated (and thus
inefficient), for Cone 10.
This 3 1/2 inches (min) is often made up of 2 1/2 inch soft bricks
backed by an inch or more of fibre.
2 1/2 - 3" is probably OK for Cone 6, but the more insulation, the
less electricity you will use getting up that high. (But of course the
more expensive the kiln is!)
Robert
On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 3:33 PM, Arnold Howard wrot=
e:
> On 5/7/2012 1:09 PM, Johanna San Inocencio wrote:
>>
>> How do you evaluate a kiln's suitability for a rebuild? if you change th=
e
>> elements and the controller, does it matter what cone the kiln was rated=
for
>> originally? are lower rated kilns made of different firebrick, or do the=
y
>> work just as well as one originally intended for higher cone ratings? Ar=
e
>> there any recommended resources for learning how to go about converting =
or
>> renovating electric kilns?
>
>
> I would evaluate a used kiln mainly by the amount of rust and the
> condition of the firebricks. Has the kiln been stored out in the open?
> Are weeds growing under it? I would avoid such kilns.
>
> If the firebricks are in good shape and the rust is minimal, the kiln is
> probably in excellent condition. I've seen old kilns stored in garages
> that were beautiful in spite of their age.
>
> Some people consider minor firebrick cracks to be major damage. The
> cracks are nothing to worry about, though, as long as the brick bottom
> is not about to fall apart. Bulging elements are easy to repair, too.
>
> Changing the elements will enable the kiln to fire to its rated
> temperature provided the wall outlet has sufficient voltage. If you want
> to raise the kiln's maximum temperature, you may have to change the
> switch box wires and cord set in addition to the elements. This could
> void the UL listing.
>
> The firebricks in most electric kilns can fire to cone 10.
>
> You will find many kiln repair videos on Youtube. I love instructional
> videos. I also recommend "21st Century Kilns."
>
> http://www.21stcenturykilns.com/
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Arnold Howard
> Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
> ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
--
----------------------------------------------------------
Arnold Howard on mon 7 may 12
On 5/7/2012 3:52 PM, Robert Harris wrote:
> While I am not an expert, unlike Arnold, I would add, that while the
> firebricks can certainly take the temperature, any kiln with less than
> 3 1/2 inches of insulation is woefully under-insulated (and thus
> inefficient), for Cone 10.
I, too, always recommend at least 3" of insulation for cone 6 and
higher. 2 1/2" is inadequate.
A question for Clayart: Would you like a top-loading kiln with extra
insulation? If so, how much insulation?
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
John Post on mon 7 may 12
I look at the condition of the bricks and floor first. If the bricks
are falling apart or the floor is covered in large glaze blobs that
are slowly eating their way into it, I usually pass on the kiln as I
know a better one will come along.
(Having said that, I did once get a kiln where the brick on the walls
and the elements were in great shape, but there was a large glaze/low-
fire clay meltdown eating an inch into the kiln floor. I simply took
the floor out of the kiln by loosening the steel jacket, dug out the
giant melted mass with a chisel, refilled it with a castable
refractory and reinstalled the kiln floor upside down. This gave the
kiln a nice new bottom on the inside and saved the floor.)
If you are looking at a used kiln ask if the buyer has a way for you
to plug it in. Then turn it on and see if all of the elements heat up.
As Arnold Howard pointed out, there are some great videos on youtube
about kiln repairs. The videos from Paragon are very well done. I
refer newbie kiln repairers to them to teach them how to make simple
repairs, or to decide if they need to hire someone to do it because
they would be in over their head.
I never open up the control box when I am considering picking up a
used electric kiln from someone's home. I open it later when I am
home. I clean off any corroded connections and tighten connectors up
when I put things back together. I take pictures with a digital
camera and label wires when I am taking things apart so that when I go
to put things back together the wires that are both marked A get
reconnected. The B's then get reconnected etc.
My ballpark estimate for replacing kiln elements on medium sized kilns
here in Michigan is $150.00. So if the elements don't look like they
have much life in them, figure that into the cost of refurbishing the
kiln. If you have the elements out, it is worth spraying the interior
of the kiln with itc 100. This will really extend the life of the
brick and make it look all nice and new again.
The stainless steel jacket might have some discoloration on it from
melting wax or bisque fumes, but this doesn't affect whether or not
the kiln is worth purchasing.
If the element grooves are all falling apart, this does make replacing
elements more difficult and I hate pinning elements to the wall. For
me if the element grooves are in terrible condition I will pass on a
kiln.
In short, you will get a feel for if the kiln has been beat to hell or
not.
The people I get the free ones from are just happy to have more space
in their garage or basement and actually thank me for taking them
away. My buddy got a big $1500 Evenheat kiln in like new condition
for free when a parent at my school told me her mother wanted to get
rid of it. All we had to do was carry it out of the house.
Many of the kilns you can get for free are from the days when hobby
slip cast ceramics was a big thing. The reasons these kilns are still
in great shape is because they were only fired occasionally to cone 05
and 06. They weren't on all the time like kilns at schools or in
working potter's studios.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
http://www.johnpost.us
Follow me on Twitter
https://twitter.com/UCSArtTeacher
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