Stephen Mills on sun 1 mar 98
Over here (UK) we've fired a few and found them fine provided they are
fired using DOMESTIC gas pressure (6 to 8 inches water guage) any more
than that they tend to be hard to control!!!
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Anthony G Allison writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi All,
>
>Anybody out there with a 10 cubic foot gas fired Olympic kiln please let me
>know what you think of it.
>
>Thanks
>
>Tony Allison
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Daphne Zeitz on mon 2 mar 98
Anthony,
I have had a 10 cu ft updraft Olympic Kiln for a long time now. At first It
was hard to get an even firing and took a long time to get to temperature as
the secondary combustion was happening outside of the top of the kiln, with
beautiful orange and yellow flames nicely warming up the neighbourhood but
not the pots, very reminiscent of my first attempts at raku firing with
propane! We tried everything we could to make that flame happen inside the
kiln with an even temperature throughout, to no avail. Unlike the raku kiln,
it was not just a matter of cutting back on the fuel. Finally we got new
blank orifices for the burners and drilled smaller openings in them. There
followed a period of experimenting with the orifice size until secondary
combustion took place in appoximately the centre of the loaded kiln. From
then on it has been easy to control for even firing and reduction.
Reduction is achieved by partially closing the lid opening by sliding two
insulating kiln bricks in from the sides. These bricks have to be replaced
after about two or three firings as the extreme temperature changes do cause
them to crack. Perhaps you or someone else on Clayart will come up with a
better method. (These broken bricks have lots of good uses from texturing
clay and making stamps to pots stands in the raku kiln.)
A few things that seem to work in the stacking are:
-place a whole shelf 2" to 3" from the floor of the kiln
-cut the rest of the big shelves in half and spread about an inch apart to
increase heat circulation
-replace the 12" round shelf to use as a baffle just below the opening in
the lid with a 16" one for a more even temperature on the top shelf
-experiment with the space between the baffle and the lid to see what
suits your situation. I find 1 1/4" satisfactory.
Do you have such a kiln now or are you contemplating getting one? A friend
has one and has never made any modifications nor had any problem with
getting an even firing with propane.
Happy potting!
Daphne
Daphne Zeitz
Anthony G Allison on mon 2 mar 98
Daphne,
Thanks so much for the input. Yes, we have ordered one and plan on picking
it up on our way back down to Florida. We are hoping to get some work done
in the dead time between shows. They tell us the kiln uses 1 pound of
propane per cubic foot per cone 10 firing. Would you say this is accurate?
We are bringing a 20 lb propane tank.
Warmest Regards,
Tony
At 10:54 AM 3/2/98 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Anthony,
>
>I have had a 10 cu ft updraft Olympic Kiln for a long time now. At first It
>was hard to get an even firing and took a long time to get to temperature as
>the secondary combustion was happening outside of the top of the kiln, with
>beautiful orange and yellow flames nicely warming up the neighbourhood but
>not the pots, very reminiscent of my first attempts at raku firing with
>propane! We tried everything we could to make that flame happen inside the
>kiln with an even temperature throughout, to no avail. Unlike the raku kiln,
>it was not just a matter of cutting back on the fuel. Finally we got new
>blank orifices for the burners and drilled smaller openings in them. There
>followed a period of experimenting with the orifice size until secondary
>combustion took place in appoximately the centre of the loaded kiln. From
>then on it has been easy to control for even firing and reduction.
>
>Reduction is achieved by partially closing the lid opening by sliding two
>insulating kiln bricks in from the sides. These bricks have to be replaced
>after about two or three firings as the extreme temperature changes do cause
>them to crack. Perhaps you or someone else on Clayart will come up with a
>better method. (These broken bricks have lots of good uses from texturing
>clay and making stamps to pots stands in the raku kiln.)
>
>A few things that seem to work in the stacking are:
> -place a whole shelf 2" to 3" from the floor of the kiln
> -cut the rest of the big shelves in half and spread about an inch apart to
>increase heat circulation
> -replace the 12" round shelf to use as a baffle just below the opening in
>the lid with a 16" one for a more even temperature on the top shelf
> -experiment with the space between the baffle and the lid to see what
>suits your situation. I find 1 1/4" satisfactory.
>
>Do you have such a kiln now or are you contemplating getting one? A friend
>has one and has never made any modifications nor had any problem with
>getting an even firing with propane.
>
>Happy potting!
>
>Daphne
>Daphne Zeitz
>
Daphne Zeitz on tue 3 mar 98
Tony,
I usually get 2 1/2 to 3 firings from a 100 lb. propane tank so it would be
wise to have at least two 20 lb. ones on hand if you are trying to keep
things to a mimimum. Nothing worse than running out of fuel near the end of
a firing.
You probably already know about drizzling water from the hose over the tank
when it starts to ice up to keep the gas pressure from dropping.
Let me know how you make out with the kiln.
Ciao, Daphne
Daphne Zeitz
Daphne Zeitz on sun 8 mar 98
Ed,
Sorry for the delay. I am still setting up my studio after two moves in
three years and lots of building, renovating and blueberry planting. I was
hoping to find my kiln log but it must still be in one of those ubiquitous
"yet to be unpacked" boxes.
However, I do have some information for you. We got the blank orifices at:
Greenbarn Pottery Supplies,
9548-192 St.,
Surrey, B.C. V4N 3R9
Phone: (604) 888-3411
Fax: (604) 888-4247
If they don't have any, Olympic Kilns might. Their address is:
Olympic Kilns
6301 Button Gwinnett Drive
Atlanta, Georgia
30340
Phone: (404) 441-5550
Bob thinks we started with about the same sized orifices that you have and
then, with the blanks, he tapped threads in them, put a screw in and then
drilled holes through the screws, significantly smaller than the original
ones. This way he could simply replace the screws if the holes were too
large or drill them bigger if they were too small. It took a bit of
experimenting to get it right. Each kiln will probably vary a little. The
results were worth the effort.
On another tack, I have been bitten by the genealogy bug and have a Kraft
connection via Waterloo, Ont. in the late 1800's and another in eastern USA,
also in the 1800's. Any Schneiders, Snyders, Sniders, or Wiltenbergs in your
family?
Happy potting, Daphne
Daphne Zeitz
amy parker on mon 9 mar 98
>
>If they don't have any, Olympic Kilns might. Their address is:
>
>Olympic Kilns
>6301 Button Gwinnett Drive
>Atlanta, Georgia
>30340
>
>Phone: (404) 441-5550 now 770 area
olympic got a new area code in 96 like the rest of us "outside" 285 - they
are now in 770. since atlanta now has THREE local (toll-free) area codes,
we all go crazy since we have to dial all 10 numbers to call ANYONE and
if you guess wrong you get the dreaded "intercept". we are locally 404 770
and 678.
city is too big now.
a second generation native,
amy parker Lithonia, GA
amyp@sd-software.com
James Norton on sat 16 feb 02
Can anyone give me the e-mail address of Olympic kilns? I want the
manufacturers address, not sales company.
Thanks in advance.
Susan Antinori on sat 27 apr 02
Anyone out there firing a small gas front loading Olympic with electronic
controls? I would love to know of your experience, particularly with
customer support etc. I'd like to know if electronic is a good thing now
we're in the 21c or do we still need to kiln-sit the old gas brick
homemade kilns. Hmm?
SusanRaku@AOL.COM on sat 9 nov 02
In a message dated 11/9/2002 10:14:23 AM Eastern Standard Time,
brucefreund@MINDSPRING.COM writes:
> Again, these are really nice people with a great product. Also, their prices
> are extremely competitive as I am sure you found out.
>
Sorry, but the owner of the company is one of the most arrogant people that
there is.
No matter what goes wrong it will always be your fault, and he speaks to
customers in a very degrading way. Fortunately, the others there, including
his son, are very nice and quick to apologize for his behavior. As long as
you can avoid him all should be ok. Also, I just had an electrician repair
my Olympic kiln recently, and he just kept shaking his head and telling me
that he never saw such shoddy electrical parts. I am not in a position to
compair my kiln with those of other companies so do not know if Olympic is
better or worse.
Susan
Bruce Freund on sat 9 nov 02
Beth,
I am so happy that my post made you go back to Olympic. I can assure you
that ALL will go well !
Again, these are really nice people with a great product. Also, their prices
are extremely competitive as I am sure you found out.
PS. I am starting to sound like a salesman and I can assure you I have no
connection what so ever with these people. Nothing is ever perfect and I
cannot just stand by without putting my positive experience to the list.
Bruce Freund
| |
|
