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gas vs electric kiln

updated fri 23 oct 98

 

Chuck Nunnelly on wed 21 oct 98

I'm getting back to pottery after a 13 years. I want to eventually start
reduction firing again so there is my interest in the gas kiln.
In the interim though and for future bisque firing, is the electric more or
less efficient/cost wise as an investment or should I save
the money and start the gas kiln right away?

Chuck Nunnelly
nunnelly@aol.com

David Hendley on thu 22 oct 98

As far as cost, it all depends......
We've discovered through informal surveys on Clayart
that electricity and gas cost vary widely throughout
the U. S. and Canada.
Conventional wisdom is that gas firings are cheaper, but
that's not always true.

There are some pluses for the electric:
It will probably be smaller than your gas kiln, so you can
bisque a small load to get enough pieces to fill out a glaze firing.
You have 2 kilns, so you have a spare, or you could fire both
the same day.
You can be sure you won't accidently reduce your bisque
firings.

Electric kilns are, in my opinion, under-isulated. Get the model
with the best insulation.

David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas



At 01:25 PM 10/21/98 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I'm getting back to pottery after a 13 years. I want to eventually start
>reduction firing again so there is my interest in the gas kiln.
>In the interim though and for future bisque firing, is the electric more or
>less efficient/cost wise as an investment or should I save
>the money and start the gas kiln right away?
>
>Chuck Nunnelly
>nunnelly@aol.com
>