Stephani Stephenson on wed 24 jun 98
Last night discovered a broken element in my Skutt. Of course I needed
to squeeeeze just one more firing , meet one more deadline before
ordering new element and brick.
Many years ago another potter showed me how to do an emergency patch
by daubing a substance on reconnected ends. When I went to the memory
cuboard to retrieve the NAME of that substance, alas! the memory
cupboard was bare!
It acted as a conductor and we either made a paste of a common pottery
element or used, perhaps,liquid sodium silicate.Alright, I know its
better,more legit to replace the element but I'm appealing to
community knowledge...anyone know the answer to that one?
Stephani, "short on electrons in Missoula"
arcillas@mssl.uswest.net
Jonathan Kirkendall on thu 25 jun 98
from Richard Zakin's book Electric Kiln Ceramics:
"If you need to use the kiln while waiting for a new kiln element, you
can temporarily weld the ends of the break together. With the power off,
take a short length (4 cm) of broken element and, with a wooden tool,
mesh this length of element with the broken kiln element. (be sure the
length of broken element is the SAME gauge as that of the element you are
repairing.) Turn on the power to this element. You may have to repeat
the process a few times, but the hoining segment will temporarilyh wel
itself to the brokend elelmen and carry the current. YOu wil probable
find the coil to be less powerful than the others."
Hope this is useful.
Jonathan in DC
"Hey, why do they call it tourist season if we can't shoot them?"
Tim Stowell on thu 25 jun 98
Actually, I once talked to a potter at a show who did a critical firing
just prior to the show by taking a 3"-4" piece of wire from an old
element and using it to bridge the break.
This is hard to describe without my hands, if you knew me you'd
understand.
After UNPLUGGING the kiln:
1) He spiraled the element piece first into one side of the break.
2)Then he lined up the break and carefully spiraled the piece into the
other side of the break.
3)After making sure there was plenty of contact between the pieces he
fired the kiln.
4)He said it took a little longer, but, it worked.
He also ordered a new element immediately, and changed it as soon as he
received it. He actually did two firings this way. I've never had try
this, so I take no responsability if it doesn't work. Try at your own
risk. Good luck!
Tim
Tim Stowell Gerard Stowell Pottery
290 River Street
tstwll@juno.com Troy, NY 12180
www.trytroy.org/gerard/
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Marcia Selsor on thu 25 jun 98
Dear Steph,
Just overlap the wire coils. It will hold for a firing or maybe two but not
for long. An old friend showed me that a few decades ago.
It works in a bind.
Marcia
Stephani Stephenson wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Last night discovered a broken element in my Skutt. Of course I needed
> to squeeeeze just one more firing , meet one more deadline before
> ordering new element and brick.
> Many years ago another potter showed me how to do an emergency patch
> by daubing a substance on reconnected ends. When I went to the memory
> cuboard to retrieve the NAME of that substance, alas! the memory
> cupboard was bare!
> It acted as a conductor and we either made a paste of a common pottery
> element or used, perhaps,liquid sodium silicate.Alright, I know its
> better,more legit to replace the element but I'm appealing to
> community knowledge...anyone know the answer to that one?
> Stephani, "short on electrons in Missoula"
> arcillas@mssl.uswest.net
Jeff Lawrence on thu 25 jun 98
Stephani in Missoula wrote:
>Last night discovered a broken element in my Skutt. Of course I needed
>to squeeeeze just one more firing , meet one more deadline before
>ordering new element and brick.
> Many years ago another potter showed me how to do an emergency patch
>by daubing a substance on reconnected ends. When I went to the memory
>cuboard to retrieve the NAME of that substance, alas! the memory
>cupboard was bare!
>
Hello Stephani,
I don't know your mystery substance, but I do know that kanthol elements
will solder themselves together during a firing (as I learned to my dismay
in a ^04 firing best not described further.) If I were you, I'd clean the
ends with a file and steel wool, overlap 1/4" or so and whip the overlapped
ends together with a fresh element staple. I'd bet a nickel the firing would
end with a one-piece element.
I've been firing my AIM with an element out (one out of eight) for 3-4
months to ^04 with no apparent ill effects. I fire slow, though and would be
dubious about higher fire.
Good luck,
Jeff
Jeff Lawrence
jml@sundagger.com
Sun Dagger Design
Rt 3 Box 220
Espanola, NM 87532
ph 505-753-5913
Stuart Ridgway on thu 25 jun 98
Hi Stephani
Recently I had a Kanthal element break. The wire was quite brittle.
I twisted the ends of the broken wire together while maintaining the wire at
a red heat with a propane torch. I gingerly applied power expecting no
contact because of oxide film, or destructive arcing at the junction.
However the joint worked without excessive heating at the junction, and I
conducted a few fireings successfully before replacing the failed element.
I was surprised that it worked, and do not recommend it except in
emergencies, and watch the behavior with care.
As for your memory cupboard, it might well have been sodium
silicate. As the kiln comes up to a medium temperature the silicate dries
and then melts, and fluxes the aluminum oxide element covering to make a
glass bead that will carry electricity when molten.
Stuart Ridgway
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Last night discovered a broken element in my Skutt. Of course I needed
>to squeeeeze just one more firing , meet one more deadline before
>ordering new element and brick.
> Many years ago another potter showed me how to do an emergency patch
>by daubing a substance on reconnected ends. When I went to the memory
>cuboard to retrieve the NAME of that substance, alas! the memory
>cupboard was bare!
> It acted as a conductor and we either made a paste of a common pottery
>element or used, perhaps,liquid sodium silicate.Alright, I know its
>better,more legit to replace the element but I'm appealing to
>community knowledge...anyone know the answer to that one?
>Stephani, "short on electrons in Missoula"
>arcillas@mssl.uswest.net
>
Bob Wicks on fri 26 jun 98
I use a paste of Elmers glue and copper carbonate after I sandpaper the
elements and over lap them generously. Turn the power on high for about 15
minutes to make a weld. Then you can go ahead and fire as usual.
Bobwicks@aol.com
Hluch - Kevin A. on fri 26 jun 98
In Kenya broken elements are fixed simply by afixing some plastic clay to
the overlapped ends and firing. Works well in the US too.
Kevin A. Hluch
102 E. 8th St.
Frederick, MD 21701
USA
e-mail: kahluch@umd5.umd.edu
http://www.erols.com/mhluch/mudslinger.html
On Thu, 25 Jun 1998, Jonathan Kirkendall wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> from Richard Zakin's book Electric Kiln Ceramics:
> "If you need to use the kiln while waiting for a new kiln element, you
> can temporarily weld the ends of the break together. With the power off,
> take a short length (4 cm) of broken element and, with a wooden tool,
> mesh this length of element with the broken kiln element. (be sure the
> length of broken element is the SAME gauge as that of the element you are
> repairing.) Turn on the power to this element. You may have to repeat
> the process a few times, but the hoining segment will temporarilyh wel
> itself to the brokend elelmen and carry the current. YOu wil probable
> find the coil to be less powerful than the others."
>
> Hope this is useful.
>
> Jonathan in DC
> "Hey, why do they call it tourist season if we can't shoot them?"
>
Lee Marshall on fri 26 jun 98
All you have to do is put the two ends in contact with each other i.e. have
them overlap for about 1 inch. I did this in my kiln about 6 months ago . When
the replacement element came in the repaired element was woroking fine so
still have not changed it. The element is just a piece of wire that resists
electricity to make heat and like any electrical wire can be fixed by twisting
together.
Lee Marshall
lmarsh1220@aol.com
where it is hotter than the hinges of hades
The Kiln Gods on fri 26 jun 98
Hi,
The best way I have heard it explained is "think of meshing two combs
together" -
this will usually last for at least 4 or 5 firings - sometimes for years if
you are lucky. It is true, however, that the element resistance does change
which also changes the output of heat from the element.
Chris @ Euclid's Kilns and Elements
1-800-296-5456
Web Site: http://www.euclids.com
E-Mail: mail@euclids.com
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